War Cry of Justice for Uwa and Tina

This is for 22 year old Uwavera Omozuwawho, a student of UNIBEN, who was raped to within an inch of her life by a gang of men in Benin City, Edo state. In a church Uwa had sought out to read.

She was defiled and beaten in a place that should have been a sanctuary. Her body, treated like a thing to be used, abused and dumped. Uwa died three days after the incident.

For every Uwa, who has had to face indignity at the hands of men. For every Uwa who has been beaten and broken and who has died from an abuse of power.

For every Uwa who has had to fight for her life, fight for her dignity, fight for her humanity.

This is a war cry. We say enough!

This is for Tina Ezekwe, 16 year old Tina. Who was recklessly murdered by a policeman. “To protect and serve”. Tina’s life was not protected, the policeman did not serve her. He took her life from her. He stole her future. He recklessly shot his gun into a crowd and killed Tina as a result.

For every Tina, who has died a senseless, reckless, avoidable death, we ask for justice.

What is justice in this case. What will suffice? What will be enough punishment for the life that is lost?

As women, our lives are threatened, our safety and security unsure, our worth debated. We are left on the street to die, we beaten, raped and killed. We are exposed and afraid.

What do we have to do to be recognized as human, as whole. As ours. We are not property to be owned or replaced.

The soulless abuse has to stop! Our lives and our bodies are ours! Our children should be protected, not abused. Our women should be respected, not abused.

There is no justification for rape! No justification for abuse, no justification for defilement. None.

Enough is enough, now we fight back. No one is coming to our rescue, so we will scream and scratch and fight, so that Tina did not die in vain. So that Uwa was not lost in vain.

We no longer want rape and abuse to be the familiar thread sown into the fabric of every woman’s life.

We are done. Done being quiet, done being afraid, done being used.

You will hear us and you will stop killing us.

For the past and for the future, we say enough!