Even though female genital mutilation is outlawed in Ghana, some communities in the northern parts of the country continue to practice the barbaric act, to the point of subjecting deviants to violence.
That is the story of Khadijah Mahmoud Jibriel, a 27-year-old lady who had been designated for the position of Chamba queenmother at Bimbilla in the Nanumba District.
According to a friend of Khadijah’s who spoke to this reporter on conditions of anonymity, the lady comes from the Royal Aguda Family of the Chamba tribe, and as a future queenmother, she had to undergo circumcision, known as female genital mutilation.
“Among her tribe, the purpose of circumcision is to suppress sexual desires so that the queenmother does not become ‘wayward’. That has been the practice for centuries,” the friend stressed.
Khadijah however defied tradition by refusing to be circumcised, she said, adding that her friend had to flee the community to Accra, and subsequently overseas.
“Ms Khadijah’s journey is one of defiance against deeply ingrained cultural norms. My friend has vowed to spare herself this barbaric practice which is against the laws of the country but rooted in the Chamba culture up north.”
The friend added: “Even when Khadijah fled to Accra, a politician relative tried to set her up so that the custodians of their culture could grab her for some form of harm to be perpetrated against her. I tried to report to the Police, but she prevailed upon me to stop because it was no use.
“They have peddled falsehood about her sexuality among other things in order to get her in trouble with Muslim communities in southern Ghana. I just pray that the authorities will take these issues more seriously so that people do not get harmed unnecessarily,” the friend concluded.
Female genital mutilation is a criminal offence in Ghana and perpetrators could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment. However, it is still prevalent in various communities for a number of reasons including the suppression of sexual desires, as a sign of purity or passage into womanhood.
Other northern tribes that actively engage in female genital mutilation are the Kasenas, Builsas, Frafras and Busangas.