OLAYINKA A.

YAHAYA

ESL- 63 ESSAY OUTLINE

PROF.VICTORIA

12/7/2009.

Should Circumcision in Female Continue to be in Practice in the Country of Nigeria?

Female circumcision can be defined as the removal of the Clitoris from the Genital

area of the female body. This traditional procedure is done in the country of Nigeria

together with the ritual ceremony to honor and welcome the circumcised girl into their

communities. It is usually performed between infancy and puberty stage. In western

mentality, it seems to be barbaric and humiliating, however this ancient practice hold a

significant meaning to the people who practice it by promoting their religion and culture.

Despite all the critics by the western world, religious scholar and traditional rulers in

some villages like oja odan and ohunbe in Ogun state of Nigeria feels that female

circumcision should not be abolish because of their moral reason which can be

justifiable in most cases over sexual control, religion, and myth while the critics of

female circumcision by the western civilization is primarily because of science and

medical ethics.

According to the believes impacted by the religious scholar and the traditional rulers,

one major reason to justify female circumcision is to have sexual control over women.

Female circumcision will limit sexual pleasure and the act of prostitution because it is

discovered that not all prostitute do prostitution for financial reason, some are into it

because of the pleasure they derive from it due to the high sensitivity they already had

for sexual activities being uncircumcised.

 Another reason why female circumcision should be approves and continues to be

embrace in Nigeria is because of its religion and tradition. In Nigeria female

circumcision is performed by the Muslim and the traditional worshipers, it is performed

more heavily in the Muslim community. Religious leader believes that, it is the part of

the Suna in the Holly Quran and also it lessen sexual desire in women. The practice is

seen as protecting the modesty and chastity which is highly valued and clearly

prescribed in the Quran. Since every person is entitle to fundamental human right,

Female circumcision should be allow by the people who really had a great passion for it,

after all it is being done with a good intension.

The final reason why female circumcision be approve and appreciated is because of

the myth that has been in existence since the days of the ancestors up till this present

era , it is believed in some parts of Nigeria like Kwara, Sokoto and Gombe state that the

clitoris represent the male organ and if it is not cut. It will grow into a size of the male

organ. The second myth justify the believes that female circumcision increases fertility

and the future products (Babies) of the circumcised girl. All this justifiable reasons are

worthy enough for female circumcision to continue to be in practice without associating

it with any forms of embargo.

In conclusion, people that supports the practice of circumcision in female believes in

the tradition and religion on what happen if a female does not undergoes such non

scientific surgery. Traditions and religious policy are very hard to get rid off and the

controversy over female circumcision may last for several more years. Female

circumcision must continues to be in practice because of the women sexual morality,

religion and the myth that’s surrounds it that happens to be true life experience in some

parts of Nigeria in West Africa.