INTERROGATING THE EFFICACY OF ANTI-FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM) LAWS IN OSUN AND OYO STATES OF NIGERIA

Abstract

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) remains a deeply entrenched cultural practice in 
several Nigerian states, including Osun and Oyo, despite decades of national and state-level 
criminalisation. Although the legal landscape has expanded significantly, with federal 
legislation, state Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) laws, child-protection frameworks, and 
international commitments prohibiting the practice, the persistence of FGM/C suggests a 
significant disconnect between legal prohibition and lived realities. This gap raises the central 
question of whether anti-FGM laws function as effective regulatory tools or merely symbolic 
declarations of intent. This article adopts a primarily doctrinal research methodology, analysing 
constitutional provisions, federal legislation, the Child Rights Act, and the VAPP laws of Osun 
and Oyo States. This legal analysis is complemented by secondary empirical data from the 2024 
Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey and policy documents to contextualise contemporary 
patterns of FGM within both states. Findings reveal that although the laws provide a robust 
normative framework, their impact is undermined by weak enforcement mechanisms, limited 
prosecutions, entrenched cultural acceptance, and poor public awareness. The article concludes 
that anti-FGM laws in Osun and Oyo States function more as symbolic commitments than 
transformative instruments. It recommends stronger enforcement structures, culturally sensitive 
advocacy, and increased community engagement to bridge the gap between legal prohibition and 
actual eradication of FGM.