Uganda FGM ban: 'Why I break di law to do FGM wen I be 26'
Sylvia Yeko decide do female genital mutilation (FGM) three weeks ago for di age of 26 - even though say Uganda don ban di practice for 2010.
Her circumcision ceremony happun for public - she show us one video wey dem take dat day. Inside di video pipo dey happy, crowd wey dey clap and jolly na im surround Ms Yeko and anoda woman wey dey rub whitish-brown flour for her face.
Dem lie down for bare grass wit dia legs wide open as one old woman waka meet each of dem sharperly cut dia dia clitoris comot.
Non of dem fit shout or scream because if dem do so, e go show sign of weakness and e fit make dem cancel dis ceremony wey dis community for eastern Uganda see as rite of passage before any woman fit marry.
As Ms Yeko dey watch di video, she tell BBC say "During dis day I feel so proud, I just dey very-very happy."
"Before dem circumcise me, pipo dey look me as any oda pikin, but now I be somebody wey dem dey respect."
FGM convictions
Ms Yeko know say she fit face up to five years inside prison because of circumcision, but she no mind at all because she want make dem give her respect.
Those pipo wey cut her private part fit dey prison for 10 years.
End of Di one wey oda users dey read well well
FGM na danger to life. Di first danger dey come from bleeding wey fit lead to death afta dem don cut di genitals comot.
Then infection fit come. For example inside di video, dem use flour take cover di private part of di woman, and e no dey clear if di same blade na im dem use for all of dem.
Later in life, di scars fit form keloids, wey be growth. to born pikin fit also dey more difficult.
Upon all dis, Ms Yeko don be celebrity inside Sebei - and wen I ask her if she dey concern say girls and women wey follow her example dey put dia lives for danger, she say she no believe FGM dey harmful.
Informate about Female genital mutilation (FGM)
- FGM Include "Di partial or total removing of female external genital or oda injury for di female genital organs for no medical reason"
- Dem dey Practise FGM for 30 kontries inside Africa, and some for Asia and Middle East. Nigeria alone get 27%
- Calculation show say like three million girls and women all ova di world na im dey for risk of FGM each year
- Dem dey always do am for young girls, most times wen dem be small pikin and for di age of 15
- Wetin dey ginger FGM well-well na di beliefs about wetin dem think say be proper sexual behaviour, to prepare any girl or woman for adulthood and marriage, and to make sure say dem dey "pure"
- Dangers include serious bleeding, problem if dem wan piss, infections, infertility and increase risk if dem wan wan born and death of di newborn pikin .
For Ms Yeko dis circumcision no be only cultural rite but also na form of protest against di goment because dem fail to keep dia promise to help educate and make women life beta once dem ban circumcision.
Pipo for dis underdeveloped and poor areas suppose get beta social services and infrastructure if dem give up FGM.
One university graduate and wey be mama of four-year-old boy, say her decision to circumcise na to make di point say she feel let down by Uganda leaders.
She even write letter to di police before her cutting ceremony to make sure say di authorities know about am.
Anoda woman, wey follow BBC tok about her recent circumcision say wetin ginger her na personal reason.
Di woman wey no gree make dem call her name tok say, she feel say dem sideline her because as a married woman within di ethnic Sabiny community, dem no dey allow her to do some certain tins because dem neva circumcise her.
For Sebei, any woman wey neva circumcise no go fit go di community storehouse or pick cow dung from di kraal."
Cow dung na wetin dem dey use to plaster houses, and na women get di job to go pick am.
"Husbands fit marry anoda wife. Di wife fit dey circumcise and she go come begin insult di uncircumcised woman. dem go just dey classify you as your children," she tok.
Even wit all dis tin, dis woman wey don born three daughters no dey plan to circumcise any of dem because she dey hope say all of dem go dey educated and di community no go fit intimidate dem .
