He alleged that members of his extended family carried out the ritual—said to involve circumcision and facial scarification—without his consent
Father Raises Alarm Over Daughter’s Death, Alleges Ritual-Related Family Involvement
A Benin City–based businessman, Mr. Abdulrahaman Waheed Adedamola, has called on law enforcement agencies and human rights bodies to ensure justice following the death of his four-year-old daughter, Zainab Ololade Abdulrahaman, allegedly after she was subjected to a forced family ritual.
Mr. Adedamola alleged that members of his extended family carried out the ritual—said to involve circumcision and facial scarification—without his consent, describing it as a harmful traditional practice entrenched in his lineage.
According to him, the incident occurred on August 19, 2024, at about 3:45 p.m., when some relatives allegedly forced their way into his residence, restrained him, and performed the ritual on his daughter. He named Chief Abdulrahaman Amoo Gbadamosi, Mosili Adenike, Abdulrahaman Raifu Adebayo, and Abdulrahaman Babatunde Adebiyi as those involved.
He said the child died on August 21, 2024, three days after the procedure, due to complications.
Mr. Adedamola rejected claims within the family that children who die during the ritual are regarded as “not true children.”
“She was my daughter, and she was taken from me,” he said.
Harmful Tradition
He explained that the ritual, which he described as an inherited family practice, requires female children to undergo circumcision and facial scarification, while male children receive facial and abdominal markings.
He disclosed that he bears scars from the same practice, which he said left him physically and emotionally traumatised and informed his decision to protect his children from it.
In a bid to shield his family, he said he relocated across several states, including Kogi, Kwara, Edo, Delta, Imo, and Osun, but alleged that family members eventually tracked him down and carried out the ritual in August 2024.
Arrests and Alleged Release
Following the child’s death, Mr. Adedamola reported the matter to security agencies, leading to the arrest of some suspects, including his sister and other relatives from Osun and Ekiti states.
He, however, alleged that the suspects were released the same day without a thorough investigation, citing family influence and systemic corruption.
Rights Concerns
He further claimed that while some family members secretly shield their children from the practice, others have relocated or changed identities to escape pressure from family elders.
Female genital mutilation and other harmful traditional practices are prohibited under Nigerian law, including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015. Rights groups, however, continue to raise concerns over weak enforcement in some communities.
Call for Justice
Mr. Adedamola urged law enforcement agencies, child protection authorities, and human rights organisations to reopen the case and ensure accountability.
“My daughter can no longer speak,” he said. “I am speaking so that no other child suffers the same fate.”
