City Crime
There Is Life After Rape – Banigo
Have you ever been sexually abused, how does it feel like? Come to think of it, when it is someone close to you that is the culprit, you may have not only felt humiliated, but dehumanised and probably felt the world should collapse on you.
The heaviness of this vicious element upon its victims, is the reason they choose to remain silent. No! You probably do not understand the plight of these ones.
Survivors of sexual violence who decide to speak out publicly go through inexplicable emotional trauma. Often times, they feel a sense of abandonment by friends and family who have difficulty accepting their stories.
It is particularly difficult for survivors of incest or individuals who are accusing a respected member of the community. In an abusive family, the survivor who seeks help is often denounced by the rest of the family.
Family members sometimes resent the fact that the survivor went public with their secret or exposed the problem. She even risks being accused of ruining the family or lying to get attention. Thus, the feeling of abandonment or ostracism. If this has happened to you, realise that you are not alone. You deserve to heal from your trauma.
Remember, the Sexual Violence Survivor’s Bill of Rights states that no one has the right to abuse you or anyone else. No one deserves to be assaulted or abused. You have a right to stop the abuse that is happening to you or anyone else. You have a right to pursue healing and justice for the abuse that has happened. Sexual violence is wrong. The abuser is wrong.People who protect the abuser are wrong. You are not to blame You did not destroy the family or betray their trust by speaking out about your abuse. The perpetrator destroyed the trust of the family every time he/she committed an act of abuse.
In line with this, Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo has called on the survivors of sexual abuse to speak up for the perpetrators of the heinous crime to be punished.
Dr. Banigo, reiterated this during a sensitisation campaign on the theme, “Dealing with Mental Health and Sexual Abuse in Unity Schools”, organised by the Support the Girl – Child Initiative Programme of her Office at the Federal Government College in Port Harcourt.
Dr. Banigo, who through her Senior Special Assistant, Barr. Inegogo Fubara, said the programme was put together because of the importance she attaches to the mental and psychological health of the young people, urged students to speak out whenever they face any form of abuse.
“I want you to understand that the fact that you have been sexually abused is not the end of life, there is life after rape, and there is life after sexual abuse. Do not keep quiet about it, even if it was done at home or in school please speak up.” Dr Banigo quipped.
According to the Deputy Governor, “rape is a criminal offence that is punishable, and the punishment for rape is life imprisonment”. She said even children could be jailed for rape, adding that for a child the punishment could be 14years in imprisonment.
Dr. Banigo said in 2018, the Protect the Girl Child Initiative, organized its first Mental and Sexual Abuse Seminar at the Federal Government Girls College Abuloma, where links about sexual violence and how to stop it and ensure that the voices of survivors were heard was set up.
According to her, “at the seminar in Abuloma, a female student who had been violated repeatedly, since she was eight years old, came out, and the Protect the Girl Child Initiative, in the Office of the Deputy Governor was able to take her out of the environment, provided a safe home for her and ensured that the perpetrator was reported to the police, today she is in her 200 levels in the University”.
She added that, a similar programme for about one thousand three hundred students was held at Holy Rosary College in 2018, where for the first time many students understood what it means to be sexually abused, and realised that it was not the end of the world.
Sexual assault is a life-altering event. Many survivors are affected by the trauma for the rest of their lives. They may suffer from depression, low self-esteem, flashbacks, fear, and difficulty with intimacy. Unfortunately, many of these symptoms are compounded by silence and secrecy.
Often, survivors of sexual assault do not speak out about their experiences because they are ashamed, feel guilty, or blame themselves. Some survivors keep silent out of a sense of duty to family or fear of being ostracised for what happened to them.
During your victimization, (Rosenbloom & Williams, 1999) opined, you may have learned to not express your feelings. To express them may have increased your risk of being harmed. You may also have learned that saying “no” did not work to protect you. In such circumstances, silence may have been the only choice that made sense
As a way of regaining their power from an event that robbed them of control, some survivors find talking about their assault an essential part of the recovery process. Others would want to disclose their experiences to a few close friends and/or family members to end the loneliness or break the family silence. A few may also want to speak out publicly in an attempt to empower themselves and educate others about sexual violence.
Whether you are speaking to a group of one or one hundred, it takes an enormous amount of courage to tell your story. Telling can be transformative. It can help you move through the shame and secrecy that keeps you isolated. It can open doors to understanding and support. Telling is one way you can become a model for other survivors.
It can be empowering to speak out against someone else’s crime. Speaking out can lift the burden of silence. Speaking out publicly is not right for everyone. No one should be pressured to tell their story. Survivors are heroes whether they speak out or not. Speaking out can mean many things – it can mean putting your story on paper for yourself in a journal entry, telling one trusted person, speaking at a national conference of advocates, or testifying on legislation at your state’s legislature.
There are many different levels of telling. Telling a counselor, a friend, a family member, telling publicly, telling in writing will all feel different. You may tell with detachment, anger, sadness, or occasionally, even humor (Bass & Davis, 1988).
In any case, you may need to consider the following before going public. What motivates you to go public? What do you hope to gain? What could you lose? Can you achieve your goals through another means? Is someone or something internally/externally pressuring you to disclose your abuse history? Who and/or what is pressuring you? Are you going to use your real name or a pseudonym? Will you wear a disguise of some sort? Will you be paid? If so, how much? Will the perpetrator be in the audience? Will your perpetrator’s friends or loved ones be there? Is there a chance that others will exploit you or your story? Are there safeguards available to protect against exploitation? Will speaking out publicly hurt you in your present or future career, social life, or family life (including your spouse and children)? Are you willing to take that risk? Have you thought about safety issues? What are they for you? Would telling sever ties to your family that you would like to preserve?
You may also ask yourself if you could live with the possibility of being excluded from family gatherings (i.e. holidays, weddings, funerals)? How would you deal with the loss? Would telling sever ties to friends with whom you would like to stay connected? How would you deal with the loss? What if responses from people are hostile? Are there ways to get grounded as a way to protect against victim-blaming comments and reactions from others?
How might you cope if everyone around you denies your experiences and refuses to believe you. How would the anger you might face from others impact you? What if your audience had no reaction? How would that feel? How would you process and manage your own anger and/or other feelings? What support system is available to you before, during, and after the event? Are friends, family, coworkers, community members, advocates/counselors or members from communities of faith available? Which support people agreed to be available before, during, and after the disclosure? Can you realistically imagine both the worst and best outcomes that might result? Could you live with either one?
By: Sylvia ThanksGod-Amadi
City Crime
Fanfare, Pageantry As Ohiauga Community Honours 31 Eminent Personalities with Maiden Leadership Awards
Ohiauga Community in Igburu Clan, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Saturday, December 27, 2025, witnessed an unprecedented spectacle of celebrations, fanfare and cultural splendour as it honoured 31 distinguished personalities for their outstanding leadership qualities, selfless service and immense contributions to the growth and development of the community.
The historic event, which took place at the Ohiauga Community Town Hall, marked the maiden edition of the Ohiauga Leadership Awards and saw 27 illustrious sons and daughters of the community, alongside four non-indigenes, decorated with various honours in recognition of their unwavering commitment to the socio-economic, political and infrastructural advancement of the area.
From the early hours of the day, the once serene and seemingly sleepy community was transformed into a beehive of activities. The atmosphere was electrified with excitement as the sound of music echoed from different corners of the community. Everywhere was colourful, lively and festive, as men, women, youths and children, young and old, trooped out in large numbers, beautifully adorned in elegant traditional and modern attires.
The favourable weather further added glamour and grace to the occasion, enhancing the beauty and splendour of the event, as the people, stakeholders and visitors savoured every moment of the celebration.
Adding royal splendour to the colourful ceremony was the presence of the Eze of Igburu Clan, Eze Igburu IV of Igburu Land, His Majesty Eze Kenneth Nwabochi, who arrived at the venue in full royal regalia, accompanied by his retinue of chiefs, elders and other palace officials. His presence was a clear testament to the significance of the occasion and underscored the unity and collective resolve of the people to celebrate excellence and service.
One after the other, the award recipients stepped forward amid thunderous applause, cheers and admiration from the audience. These were men and women whose years of dedication, sacrifice and contributions have helped place Ohiauga Community on the map in terms of political relevance, socio-economic growth and self-help-driven development.
Indeed, Ohiauga Community today boasts of notable achievements credited largely to community-based initiatives, including a relatively good road network, stable and uninterrupted electricity supply powered through solar infrastructure, and other basic amenities that have improved the quality of life of its people. The honoured individuals, it was observed, have played significant roles in achieving these milestones, leaving their unmistakable footprints on the community’s development journey.
By honouring them, the community made it clear that the awards were not meant to signal retirement from service, but rather to encourage the recipients to intensify their efforts and continue to give back to their fatherland. Community leaders noted that although progress has been recorded, Ohiauga still faces serious developmental challenges that require sustained commitment and collective action.
Prominent among these challenges is the absence of a functional healthcare facility. The only cottage hospital project in the community, allegedly initiated by Total Energies Limited several years ago, was said to have been abandoned, leaving residents without adequate medical care. The community strongly appealed to the Rivers State Government to intervene and revive the project in the interest of the people.
The education sector was also not spared. The Ohiauga Community Primary School, according to the community, is allegedly in good shape, with a conducive learning environment, but lacks enough classroom teachers, as there is only one government-employed classroom teacher. To fill the void, the community reportedly employed five additional teachers from its meagre resources and currently bears the responsibility of paying their salaries.
These realities, stakeholders explained, provided further justification for the decision to celebrate and honour individuals who have consistently demonstrated commitment to the welfare and development of the community.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Ohiauga Maiden Leadership Awards, Pastor (Dr) David Chizor Nwaoburu, described the event as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering peace, unity and development, while recognising and rewarding excellence and service.
According to him, the award ceremony was designed to honour eminent personalities who have distinguished themselves in public and private life, and who have continued to make meaningful contributions to the growth of Ohiauga Community.
Dr Nwaoburu, who was himself among the award recipients, said the recognition was intended to motivate the honourees to do more for the community and not to rest on their achievements. He urged them to continue to serve the interests of the people wherever they find themselves and to remain ambassadors of peace and development.
He further reiterated the need for government intervention in the abandoned cottage hospital project and the posting of teachers to the primary school by the state government, stressing that community development in Ohiauga has largely been driven by self-help efforts.
Among those honoured at the event were Pastor (Dr) David Chizor Nwaoburu; former Bursar of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Dr Davis Ojima; the Registrar of the institution, Dr Chinonye A. Ajie; Dr Obi Chukwuma Ebenezer Jular; Elder Kemmer Mark Godwin; Dr Nwokoji Chukwuemeka; Mr Nduka Louis Odiegba; Dr (Chief) (Mrs) Ojima; Comrade Chimezie Igwela; Engr Gideon Eke; Chief (Prof) H. A. Ajie; Hon. Sule Igwela; and Dr Obi Nwaoburu.
Others included Prof. (Mrs) Jennifer Igwela; Dr Charity Ajie; Eric David Orukwo; the Paramount Ruler of Ohiauga Community, HRH Dr Amb. Bright Abali; Mr Chukwudi Lloyd Reuben; Comrade Wisdom Adieme; and the member representing ONELGA Constituency I in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Nwabochi.
Also recognised were Comrade Kelvin London Oji; Pastor Smart Brass Maduagu; Chief (Hon.) K. O. Igwela; Harmony Igwela; Comrade Onyemaobi Igwela; and Late Elder Nwaba Maduagu, who received a posthumous award in recognition of his lifetime contributions to the community.
The four non-indigenes honoured for their dedicated services and goodwill towards the community were Hon. Marculey Ogolo; Hon. ThankGod Chibor; Comrade Kingsley Ogu; and Pastor G. Oreke, who was specially recognised as the only dedicated government classroom teacher at Ohiauga Community Primary School.
Reacting to the honour, the Registrar of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Dr Chinonye A. Ajie, described the award as a step in the right direction and a thoughtful gesture that encourages service and excellence. He called for harmonious relationships among all segments of the community and pledged his continued support towards education, job creation and collective development.
Former Bursar of the university, Dr Davis Ojima, also expressed gratitude to the community for recognising his contributions, assuring that he would remain committed to promoting peace, unity and sustainable development initiatives in Ohiauga.
Business mogul, Mr Nduka Louis Odiegba, said being honoured by one’s own community carries special significance, describing the recognition as the most cherished among the many awards he has received. He pledged to intensify his contributions to the welfare and development of the people, noting that “charity must begin at home.”
In his royal remarks, the Eze of Igburu Clan, His Majesty Eze Kenneth Nwabochi, emphasised the importance of peace, unity and the preservation of cultural values, describing the maiden Ohiauga Leadership Awards as a timely initiative aimed at strengthening communal bonds and fostering collective progress.
Giving the vote of thanks on behalf of the awardees, Mr Chukwudi Lloyd Reuben, thanked the community for finding them worthy of recognition, and commended the leadership and merit award committee for the excellent packaging of the programme. He urged the awardees to continue with their good work to the community, as the merit awards were a clarion call for more community development involvement and a wake up call for others to emulate the leadership qualities exhibited by the awardees.
Overall, the maiden Ohiauga Leadership Awards ceremony lived up to its billing, serving not only as a platform to celebrate excellence and service but also as a rallying point for renewed commitment to the development of the community, amid resounding jubilation, merriment and cultural pride.
By: Donatus Ebi
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