BENIN CITY— A Benin City–based businessman, Mr. Abdulrahaman Waheed Adedamola, has cried out for justice over the death of his four-year-old daughter, Zainab Ololade Abdulrahaman, allegedly after members of his extended family subjected her to a forced traditional ritual.
Mr. Adedamola alleged that the ritual, which involved circumcision and facial scarification, was carried out without his consent, describing it as a harmful family practice deeply rooted in his lineage.
According to him, the incident occurred on August 19, 2024, at about 3:45 p.m., when some relatives allegedly forced their way into his residence, restrained him, and performed the ritual on the child.
He named Chief Abdulrahaman Amoo Gbadamosi, Mosili Adenike, Abdulrahaman Raifu Adebayo, and Abdulrahaman Babatunde Adebiyi as those involved.
The child, he said, died on August 21, 2024, three days after the procedure, due to complications.
“They said she was not a true child because she died during the ritual. But she was my daughter, and she was taken from me,” he said.
Inherited family practice
Mr. Adedamola explained that the ritual is an inherited family practice requiring female children to undergo circumcision and facial scarification, while male children receive facial and abdominal markings.
He disclosed that he bears scars from the same practice, which he said left him traumatised and determined to protect his children from undergoing it.
In a bid to safeguard his family, he said he relocated across several states, including Kogi, Kwara, Edo, Delta, Imo, and Osun, but alleged that family members eventually tracked him down and carried out the ritual in August.
Arrests, alleged cover-up
Following the child’s death, he reported the matter to security agencies, leading to the arrest of some suspects, including his sister and other relatives from Osun and Ekiti states.
However, he alleged that the suspects were released the same day without a proper investigation, citing family influence and corruption within the system.
FGM illegal in Nigeria
Female genital mutilation and other harmful traditional practices are prohibited under Nigerian law, including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, though enforcement remains weak in some communities.
Mr. Adedamola further alleged that while some family members secretly protect their children from the practice, others have relocated or changed identities to escape pressure from family elders.
‘My daughter can no longer speak’
Calling for justice, he urged law enforcement agencies, child protection bodies, and human rights organisations to reopen the case and ensure accountability.
“My daughter can no longer speak,” he said. “I am speaking so that no other child suffers the same fate.”