You will be given free legal services if you're a victim of domestic violence

 

ICONS: "What is the driving force behind this movement ?"

Mrs Obisakin: "What happened is that we have been doing this for many years and we realised that we will just talk, wail, yet, things are not changing. So, we thought that if the communities are engaged; we'll seek their solidarity and accountability, and maybe it will help this situation. So, that was what brought about this dialogue."
"The organization (WARDC)in partnership with us (WIDC) did all the documentation and found out that they were not making any headway. This thing, instead of decreasing is increasing. So, we said that it cannot be business as usual let's do it another way and see if there would be a result. That is why the initiative was birthed and it was sponsored by FORD foundation."

ICONS: "How long has this been on ?"

Mrs Obisakin: "Well, the WARDC had started I think about two years ago. It started as one community per state, so they later thought of involving more NGOs at the grassroots. That was how we came in, as they invited two grassroots organizations per state. Two organisations were invited in Osun State to go to four communities. By the time we reach these four communities, it will then add up to six communities that they have reached in the state, as well as in all the six  states in the Southwest."

ICONS: "So far,  what has been the greatest challenge?"

Mrs Obisakin: "Since we have started, I think in fairness, both of the two communities I have been working with embraced the initiative fully. I think what contributed to the acceptance in full is because it was at the time we wanted to start that the issue of Osinachi happened. It shook everybody. If you don't know her,  you must have heard her music ."

"So when we started, they said, "yes o, we want this, We don't want anybody to kill our children." They all embraced it. However, the only challenge that we had was that people during our first advocacy visit to seek their acceptance threw lots of questions at me. While answering the questions the King hinted to me that those questioning me were the real culprits in the community.
Some even asked if we were there to arrest them, but I said no, that we were simply there to tell them that there are laws governing such issues in the society."

ICONS: "Do you give victims under your care legal backings/services?"

Mrs Obisakin: "Yes, there are legal backings. All those pamphlets that we distributed to them, if you look at them, there are phone lines they can call and we will respond immediately.
We can provide them with legal services. Even
The convener of WARDC is a Doctor of Law and she has many lawyers within her disposition. Also, we have the lawyers group in Osun State. So if there's anything, we would provide the victim free legal service"

ICONS: "Is there anything you would like the government to do?"

Mrs Obisaki: "Yes o, there are so many things, because one of the things contributing to this menace is frustration. Some people are frustrated which is because of the level of poverty. Somebody that is so frustrated and doesn't have any other person than those closer to him, so he would vent the anger he should release on the government on his wife and kids.
So, the government needs to make things easy for the masses. The era of being selfish should stop. They should at least spread the wealth so that the masses also will be part of the wealth. If poverty is reduced, I'm sure this menace would also be reduced."

ICONS: "You informed us earlier that you targeted two different communities, but is there any specific reason for choosing the Akeredolu community?"

Mrs Obisakin: "Well, when we were invited, we were told to target communities where we have been working, where they know us before because we know that there will be a kind of resistance to this movement. They said we should go to where we are known and I have been coming to this place since 2015. I have a women's group here that I visit every year since I inaugurated them. They are about 109  now. So, I come over to see and empower them. The first time I came here, none of them had anything they were doing, but I can tell you today that that 109 if they don't go to the farm, they will have a business."

ICONS: "Do you have any help that an ordinary citizen can reach you through in case of victimization."

Mrs Obisakin: "That is why we have the Community Response Team (CRT). The CRT will be our eyes in this community. The members selected from the community would be taken to Lagos for training. They will be trained on out to report cases; how to help victims; how to manage crises that may arise. We have taken their names down and they will be taken to Lagos for training. After the training, they will start their work and we will be supporting them with tokens every year.

ICONS: "Can people outside Osun state, for instance, those in Ondo reach you for help?"

Mrs Obisakin: "As this is going on here, it's also going on in Ondo state and every other state in the southwest which includes Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti. This program is going on in all the states in the South-west."