The National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has urged Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and other wealthy Nigerians to give scholarship to the younger brother of Barakat Bello, the 18-year old teenager who was raped and killed recently in Ibadan.
DAILY POST gathered that Bello was until her death a student of Federal College of Animal Health and Production in Ibadan.
NAWOJ Chairperson in Oyo State, Jadesola Ajibola speaking at a press conference organized by a coalition of women groups in the state, noted that giving scholarship to the younger brother of the deceased would go a long way in assisting the family to realise the dreams of the deceased.
Jadesola flanked by representatives of groups in the coalition also called on the state government to empower the mother of the deceased.
The groups include the Federation of Muslims Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN) NASFAT, NCWS, NACOMYO Women’s Wing and Islamic Theological Center of Nigeria among others.
She noted that empowering the mother of the deceased would also go a long way in assisting the family in moving ahead with future challenges.
She said it was necessary for the state government and other wealthy Nigerians to come to the aid of the family to cushion the trauma of Barakat’s death.
Ajibola said, “I also like to call on the Oyo State government under the leadership of Engineer Seyi Makinde to come to the aid of the deceased’s family.
“I am using this medium to call on the Oyo State government and other wealthy Nigerians to give scholarship to the younger brother of Barakat Bello. There is a younger brother of Barakat Bello. The family said that the deceased had promised them to lift the family after she completed her education.
“She has died, but it will be better if the government of Oyo State and other wealthy Nigerians give scholarship to her younger brother. This will assist the family.
“There is a need to empower the family. I am calling on the government of Oyo state and other wealthy Nigerians to empower the mother of Barakat Bello. The mother needs empowerment. She has to be empowered financially. This will assist the family too. This is what can bring relief to the family. They may not forget, but this will bring some relief to the family”.
Dr. Bushrah Oloso of FOMWAN in her presentation called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of all pending rape cases in the state.
Oloso said, “Our coalition, therefore, seeks the following: Immediate arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of all pending rape cases in the state. We urged Oyo state government to support the House of Assembly to review the Oyo state sexual violence law with stiffer penalties for the offenders.
“We urged Oyo State government to establish a sexual violence rehabilitation center. The center will provide psychological, medical, social support for victims of sexual violence.
“The law enforcement agencies should continue to protect the lives of all citizens of all categories of vulnerable group members of the society”.
