From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Wide condemnation has trailed the alleged dehumanisation of a middle- aged woman in Agunese Affam-Mmaku community in Awgu Local Government of Enugu State for picking snails in a sacred forest.
The widow, who was stripped naked and paraded round the village, was accused of pick snails from a sacred forest in the community.
In a video that has gone viral on the social media, the widow was seen beaten up by a mob that also stripped her naked, tied palm fronts round her waist and neck before parading her round the village.
The mob, mostly youths of the village, forced her to carry the basket of snails on her head; she was being flogged while being paraded naked.
Meanwhile, the incident has been condemned by the public including women groups in the state, who described the act as dehumanizing, and called for the arrest and prosecution of the woman’s abusers.
One of those who reacted to the incident but who pleaded anonymity said: “This is the height of human indignation; the height of GBV and abuse.
“This happened yesterday at Agunese Affam-Mmaku community in Awgu LGA. This woman was accused of picking snails from a sacred site; then boys and men in that village subjected the widow to humiliation. My heart is heavy.
I am weeping. How can this be? This is disgusting. We cannot let this go on. My heart is bleeding.”
The women groups in the state in a joint statement insisted that it was inhuman to strip a woman of her pride which is her covering for mere pieces of snails.
The statement was signed by the Executive Director/President Heroine Women Foundation and President Women Support Women, Onyii Mamah; Country Director/Executive Director, Global Society for Anti-Corruption and Amaka Nweke Foundation, Mrs Amaka Nweke; Coordinator Anambra Women General Assembly Enugu State chapter, Mrs Ndidiamaka Ikeobi and BOT member Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, South East zone, Lolo Ngozi Mbah.
The women’s statement reads in parts: “It hurts further to know that these snails are not lab-manufactured or already offered to the god’s, but termed sacred on the basis of archaic laws.
“We raise our voices loudest to condemn this impunity – this shame called protecting a supposed sacred site. We out rightly lend our voices and actions to declare to the world that this is totally unacceptable. This act is wild and desperately annoying.
“How do we preserve this woman’s nudity after parading her nakedness to the world? The swiftness and virility of the social media are not ones to be joked with as we can shamefully agree that half of the world must have seen this by now.
“We condemn every part of this, and say that the culprits must be brought to book. They must apologise to the women folk nationwide and pay a huge sum to this woman after packing bags of snails to plead with her.
“As we write this, we wish it never took place; how much longer will the women continue to be a societal ridicule and thrash. This is totally unacceptable and devastating. We condemn every spot of chauvinistic decision taken on this woman. Would they have done this to a man? Yes!! Maybe if he was caught as a high-way thief or a killer absolutely not for picking snails.
“God have mercy on the future of women in our society. No single man said hold on – not even one! It’s totally regrettable and no amount of plea can cover our minds eye from remembering her nakedness.
“We condemn this with all of our hearts as women, human rights activists, organisations for women and all humans.”