Over the past three years, femicide rates in Nigeria have been on the rise, with at least five female students being brutally murdered outside their campuses by boyfriends, former partners, or even strangers.
Femicide, defined as the intentional killing of a woman because of her gender, is a form of gender-based violence often motivated by misogynistic beliefs and attitudes.
The recent femicide involving Christianah Idowu, a 300-level student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), has garnered widespread attention, particularly from celebrities.
The Daily New Prime earlier reported that singer Ayra Starr condemned the gruesome killing of Idowu by her friend, Ayomide Adeleye, a 200-level Philosophy student at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ogun State.
Following Ayra Starr’s lead, celebrities such as Funke Akindele, singer Simi, her husband Adekunle Gold, and Mercy Eke also condemned the act.
Using their social media platforms, these celebrities demanded a safer environment for women and urged parents to raise their male children to respect and protect women.
Funke Akindele, who expressed her condolences, called on the government to ensure all efforts were made to bring justice for Idowu.
“May Christianah’s soul rest in peace, and may the Lord comfort her loved ones. Justice must be served. #JusticeForChristianah,” she said.
Similarly, singer Simi highlighted the fear women in Nigeria experience due to the rising femicide cases, often without justice being served.
“If hearing or seeing women cry, fight, and beg for safety and protection—with all the evidence over time—triggers you and makes you defensive, you should wonder why. We’re not crazy. We’re afraid. To go out. To say no. To be,” she said.
Simi further emphasized that addressing women’s concerns does not diminish the validity of men’s experiences:
“So when you mock other people’s extremely valid fears as though it erases yours, you seem weak and cowardly. Stop it. Please stop letting your wicked, abusive friends feel comfortable around you—because now you’re a problem too. #JusticeForChristianah #JusticeForWomenEverywhere.”
Adekunle Gold urged men to speak out against the abuse of women, stressing that true strength lies in holding abusers accountable.
“Men, true strength is not about staying silent but about standing up to your friends who abuse, rape, or demean women. Let’s redefine masculinity by holding each other accountable. #JusticeForChristianah,” he said.
Additionally, Mercy Eke, the 2019 Big Brother Naija winner, voiced her concern over the ongoing issue of women being murdered without justice.
“Women are constantly killed for nothing, and justice is mostly never served. #JusticeForChristianah,” Eke said.
Previous Cases
The Daily New Prime learned that Idowu’s case is not an isolated incident. Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level student at the University of Benin, was raped and assaulted inside a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Edo State on May 27, 2020. She died a few days after the attack.
In a similar incident, Barakat Bello, a student at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training in Ibadan, was raped and murdered in her parents’ home. She was reportedly ambushed by suspected thieves who gang-raped and brutally attacked her with machetes after she returned home from fetching water.
The deaths of UNIUYO student Iniobong Umoren, FUOYE student Modupe Deborah Atanda, and UNIPORT student Justina Otuene Nkang, who was killed by her boyfriend Okoligwe Damian Chinemere, have also been reported.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in 2020 alone, over 47,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by intimate partners or other family members. The data indicates that, on average, a woman or girl is killed by a family member every 11 minutes.
With femicide disproportionately affecting university students and those in intimate relationships, the Nigerian government and university administrations have a critical role to play. There is an urgent need for increased security measures, including hiring more security personnel and conducting regular drills to create a safer environment for women.
It is also crucial to empower women and students through education and self-defense training. Workshops on consent and safe practices, both online and offline, can enhance their ability to protect themselves and reduce vulnerability to violence.
However, the responsibility does not rest solely with the government and university authorities. Female students and women must also take proactive steps, such as informing relatives and friends before going out with any man and being cautious about where their partner’s money comes from, especially if it is being lavishly spent on them
