PHOTO: Paramount Chief, Stephen Goba of Todee District
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a harmful traditional practice mostly in Liberia and in most parts of Africa.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) practice is being carried out mainly in rural Liberia, especially in Todee District, rural Montserrado County. This traditional practice has led to low enrollment in various schools in the district, in spite of the three-year ban placed on operations of traditional Sande bushes by the Liberian government.
In an exclusive interview, the paramount chief of Todee District, in Montserrado County near Monrovia, Stephen Goba said the situation is very alarming as school-going girls and boys between ages 11-14 are being affected by the operations of the Poro and Sande Bushes. He added that instead of being in regular academic school, most school-going children are being prevented as a result of the traditional practice.
Explaining his frustration over the situation, paramount Goba said he has distanced himself from all FGM and all traditional practices due to numerous operations of Sande and Poro bushes, while academic schools are in section.
The Todee District paramount chief told this news outlet that what is scaring is that the Sande and Poro bushes are being operated within school zones thereby making students afraid to go to their various schools as most of the students are already in their possession.
According to locals, some of whom are against the practice, as a result of this harmful practices, school enrollment has drastically declined in that part of the country.
Chief Goba has engaged the Zoes who are involved in operating Sande and Poro society schools to put halt to it during regular academic school sessions. But he was clearly told by the traditional Zoes that they were issued operation licenses from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
He described the action of the ministry as a double standard and totally wrong when the same Ministry pronounced that no Sande and Poro society schools should operate during academic school time.
Meanwhile, paramount Goba has called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to promptly investigate the situation which has no benefit for school going kids especially at the time when schools are in session while those cultural activities are being carried out in school zones.
For his part, the Statutory Superintendent of Todee District, John Tucker also confirmed the cultural practices being carried out across the entire district.
Statutory District Superintendent John Tucker
Superintendent Tucker said, culture is meant for everyone but the rights of others should be respected adding that the Zoes was prevented from operating bush schools during academic school activities.
Mr. Tucker said he is not in favor or against cultural practices but the situation has caused the enrollment of schools low, because some students are afraid to go to school because the Sande and poro bushes are situated within school zones.
He however, blamed the authorities at the Minister of Internal Affairs who are not enforcing their three-year ban placed on the practices of Sande and Poro society bushes.
He however, blamed the authorities at the Minister of Internal Affairs who are not enforcing their three year ban placed on the practices of Sande and Poro society bushes.
Despite the government’s constituted task force to ensure that no such practices are carried out, he thinks it was just a mere statement pronounced by government without any action being taken against any zoes or violator.
At the same time, the District Education Officer of Kongbah District, Gbapolu County Amos K. Karneh told this news outlet that female genital mutilation practices has affected his district greatly something he described as very worrisome and needs prompt action by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Mr. Karneh said despite a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Education Ministry in 2021 that no bush school or Sande society operation should operate while academic schools are in session, the bush society is still ongoing especially during school sessions.
Education Officer, Amos K. Karneh
Karneh narrated that he took over the district in March of 2021 where he has thirteen public schools making it the largest district in the western region in Gbapolu county. Of the thirteen public schools, twelve are elementary and two are junior high.
“Just before this year semester exam, I have observed a huge dropout rate of girls from school due to FGM practices being carried out and currently those public schools are now being attended by boys only,” he explained in frustration”.
“When I took over last March, I carried out an awareness on the importance of girl education in my district where parents of school going students were present but sadly, the parents still allowed their children to drop out of school for Sande society bush which has absolutely no benefit to the future of their children.”
“Imagine, apart from the memorandum of understanding, this year, government through the Gender Ministry and traditional leaders put a three years ban on FGM practices but it seems to be a mere ban or eyes servant thing that they did due to lack of implementation.
According to the district education officer, every community has its Sande bush and those students who are going there are not being force to go there but through their own willingness in collaboration with their parents.
Mr. Karneh further narrated that he has reached the Ministry of Internal Affairs through their local leader namely paramount chief, commissioner and the superintendent in the district but they have taken no step toward the situation.
Meanwhile, Mr. Karneh has said that he has arranged for a meeting to be held concerning the FGM practices with traditional leaders in his district which is slated very soon.
Also speaking on the matter, Liberia’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Williametta Piso Saydee Tarr has expressed regret over the manner in manner in which the FGM issue is being handled, despite the placing of a ban on it in February this year.
Gender Minister Williametta S. Tarr
Minister Tarr said during the banning ceremony of FGM practices at her Ministry this year February, traditional leaders have their representation present and they are the one who should implement the ban but sadly, traditional leaders are in the forefront of leading the FGM practices in various localities.
She however said, she will relate the information again to the traditional leaders and see how best they can together solve this nightmare of FGM practices.
What health Benefits FGM has?
The former Gbapolu county Health officer (CHO)and now assigned doctor at the James Davis health center in Monrovia, Dr. Musa Zuanah has said that female genital mutilation has absolutely no health benefits and there is no evidence of having health benefits.
Dr. Zuanah disclosed that FGM practices leads to series of infections in women and girls and sometimes even result to death by using a single razor blade on almost all the survivors or victims.
He added that the practice has led to so many complications of women during delivery or child birth and sometimes lead either the mother dead or the child.
The former County Health Officer used the occasion to call on both the ministries of Gender, children and social protection and Internal Affairs to implement the ban placed on FGM practices in Liberia.
Dr. Musa Zuanah
What action was taken by the Internal Affairs Ministry, amid widespread criticisms that FGM is continuing around the country, despite the three-year ban?
Well, the Assistant Minister for Cultural and customs at the Internal Affairs Ministry,
Joseph B. Jangar says some efforts have been made so far to enforce the ban.
He says a team from his Ministry has been dispatched to Todee District to ascertain the information, but a country/bush devil was put out by one of the Zoes, Tokpa Paye. According to him, this put fear or caused disturbance to the team dispatched there.
And the Assistant Minister was only speaking about what’s obtaining in Todee District, let alone what the picture is in other areas many miles out in the hinterland.
Assistant Internal Affairs Min. Jangar
However, the Zoe who put the country devil out was later released of his post. And he says some cultural and traditional punishment was taken against him which he is still undergoing.