Mr Femi Adesina, Spokesman of former President Mohammadu Buhari, has said it is ungodly to discriminate against women in any aspect of life since they are also in God’s image.
Adesina made the remark as Special Guest of Honour at the launch of Trends and Contexts of Misogyny and Tech-facilitated Gender based violence in Nigeria by Journalists For Christ International Outreach
The publication is the outcome of a research by JFC which was sponsored by World Association for Christian Communication and Bread for the World.
The event which attracted a number of journalists, human rights activists, students and media stakeholders took place at the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos on Thursday December 4.
Speaking at the event , Adesina said what JFC has done with the research is to bring to limelight areas of online discrimination against women while also noting that it is ungodly to treat women badly.
He said, ‘ The research on online violence against women is another face of gender violence. I am happy JFC took up the challenge of working on the project. The Lord gave the word great is the company of those that publish it. We need to spread the awareness and make everybody know that it is ungodly to hate women. If God created humanity why should we hate a part of humanity’? He queried
He warned against a situation where the frustration women suffer will lead to undue agitation that is experienced in the Western world where people now go to the extreme of advocating for same sex marriage.
Also speaking at the event, the Provost of NIJ, Mr Gbenga Adefaye commended JFC for the initiative adding that he had always seen JFC as an advocacy group.
He noted that many who discriminate against women may not be conscious of what they are doing .
Sharing a personal experience he said, ‘In my career as a journalist I see reporters not a gender. Some of the great journalists I know are women. I saw excellence in them. I can say in almost every aspect of my life I have been supported by women.’
In her review of the publication, Mrs Oruoma Odum said a lot lies with the government in curbing violence against women.
She said, ‘Government needs to do more and support causes that fight Mysogyny. The government has the knife and the yam. A lot depends on how serious government is in fighting the menace’
According to her, many perpetrate violence against women because of their family background. ‘ I think a lot also depends on parents and the way they bring up their children. There is a need for us to teach our children to have respect for people irrespective of who they are. It is that orientation that will lead to a better society.’
Odum who is lecturer at the NIJ observed that the case studies espoused in the publication are very unique. ‘Let’s educate our kids, teach the boys how to treat their sisters well. We need to understand that it is ungodly to promote certain behaviours.’
A lot of discussants including the founder of Ceehope Ms. Betty Abbah, Pastor Tokunbo Emmanuel and Yinka Fayemi of NAWOJ shared experiences on how the society has been unkind to women while also encouraging women not to succumb to societal blackmail.
Earlier at the event, President of JFC Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin thanked sponsors of the project. He traced the history of JFC’s relationship with WACC to his visit to the UK in 1999 while appreciating the body for its support over the years. He also thanked all those who worked on the project.