The Director, Centre for Population and Reproductive Health, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Prof. Oladosu Ojengbede, has lamented the debilitating effects of genital mutilation in the lives of the victims of the harmful traditional practice.
He said the cultural practice was widespread in some states and in a particular part of Nigeria.
According to him, pregnant women were usually compulsorily mutilated during childbirth while they also insisted that circumcision must be carried out on any woman (not mutilated) before they could be allowed to be buried after death.
Ojengbede, who is a professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said this in Ibadan on Friday at a stakeholders’ accountability conference on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Oyo State.
The programme which was part of sensitisation campaign against Female Genital Mutilation was organised by the Oyo State Government, United Nations Population Fund and CPRH.
He listed effects of FGM to include, fistula, infant mortality, maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS, menstrual disorder and death, stressing that the practice had not positive effect whatsoever.