What is happening in Uruamudhu in Ozoro Kingdom, Delta State, is more than just a news story. It is an abomination.
A stinking abomination that has forced the Southern Delta University (formerly Delta State University of Science and Technology) host community into global spotlight.
Yours truly was listening to the English Service of Radio France International (RFI) when the issue came up for discussion. Damn! I had to cover my ears in shame.
Ozoro should always be alive with the boisterous nature of a typical university host community. It should be bubbling with the energy of young minds chasing degrees and dreams.
It should be bubbling with economic activities. Well, Ozoro has instead opted to remain in the stone age despite the presence of a tertiary institution that should open their eyes to modernity.
One so-called Fertility Festival inherited from their forebears took place recently. During the festival, females seen outside risk being gang-raped. Females are expected to stay indoors throughout the festival which could extend for days.
The people knew it but kept mute. It was more like an ambush. They knew many ladies especially the university students were unaware of the festival.
So the men and boys of Ozoro cunningly kept mute and sharpened their depraved third legs, waiting for D-Day.
And on the D-Day, some ladies were reportedly raped to death, some sustained injuries, some were stripped, recorded, and had their video clips uploaded on the internet, and some were beaten and robbed.
A festival is drumming and dancing. A festival is merriment. A festival is not the tearing of a woman’s clothes and forcefully plunging your cursed and diseased third leg into her.
What happened in Ozoro is a declaration of war against womanhood and common sense.
Thousands of men lining up on the streets, waiting for any woman or lady to walk by so they can take turns on her body. In broad daylight. In public. With no shame. No fear. No conscience.
This is an evil tradition. The traditional rulers of Ozoro Kingdom must be prosecuted for aiding and abetting a heinous crime.
They have to be dethroned. Go into Ozoro and arrest every man or boy who participated in this evil. Arrest the elders who looked away. Drag them to court. Throw them in jail. Let them rot. Make an example of them.
Let their names be published in every newspaper so that their shame becomes a warning.
Let their faces be shown on every television screen and social media so that anyone who ever thinks of organizing another evil festival will see what awaits him.
This is evil. And evil must be met with fire, not with empty press releases or kid gloves.
I am calling on the Inspector General of Police. I am calling on the Governor of Delta State.
I am calling on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am calling on every person with authority in this country: do your job!
Do not wait for the outrage to die down.
If you are in authority and you do nothing about Ozoro, you are an accomplice. If you are a man and you keep quiet, you are no better than the thousands who formed that queue. If you are a woman and you look away, you have betrayed your own kind.
If you do nothing, we will know that your silence is consent.
We will know that your inaction is endorsement. And we will not forgive you!
