Agboje Chuks
ASABA – Quadrant Chief Dr. Mercy Eguriase Sule, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Bemys Foundation, has strongly commended the Delta State Police Command for the swift arrest of suspects involved in the assaults on women during the recent Ozoro festival.
In a telephone briefing with journalists, Dr. Sule described the attacks on innocent female participants as “barbaric and condemnable in its totality.”
She warned that such incidents not only damage the reputation of the Ozoro community but also cast a negative shadow on Delta State as a whole.
The Urhobo-born philanthropist stressed the urgent need for proactive measures to curb gender-based violence and restore sanity to cultural celebrations.
She specifically called for a review or outright ban of traditional festivals that force women to remain indoors to avoid harassment.
“Festivals where women are expected to stay indoors for fear of harassment should be banned or radically reformed,” she declared. “Any cultural event that encourages or tolerates gender-based violence must be modernized or completely overhauled to align with basic human rights.”
Dr. Sule expressed deep concern over the high number of unreported cases of molestation and rape during the festival, noting that the actual figures could be significantly higher than recorded.
She described the situation as a serious violation of women’s rights and freedom.
She urged the Nigeria Police Force and the Delta State Government to adopt a zero-tolerance stance toward any custom or tradition that abuses women, emphasizing that “no custom or tradition is superior to the constitutional rights of citizens.”
“We are calling on the police to fish out all perpetrators. No individual or group should be allowed to hide under the guise of a festival to commit criminal acts,” she added.
Dr. Sule revealed that the Bemys Foundation has intensified its societal orientation and gender-based violence sensitization programmes.
She also expressed the Foundation’s readiness to partner with the State Government to eradicate sexual harassment and amplify women’s voices.
“We commend the Delta State Government and the Nigeria Police for their swift action in apprehending the culprits,” she stated.
“We are ready to follow this case to its logical conclusion to ensure justice is served and to serve as a strong deterrent to others.”
The development has sparked renewed conversations about the need for cultural reforms and stronger protection for women during traditional festivals in Delta State.
