A Lagos father, Prince Fadina Adedeji Fola, is demanding justice over the tragic death of his daughter, whom he alleges was subjected to forced female genital mutilation (FGM) by members of his extended family without his consent.
His daughter, Princess Fadina Eniola Elizabeth, reportedly died on February 5, 2022, after developing severe complications linked to the alleged FGM performed weeks earlier.
Speaking with reporters, the grieving father revealed that certain members of his family remain deeply committed to an entrenched cultural belief that every girl must undergo FGM once she reaches a specific age. According to him, relatives routinely pressure parents — and even issue threats — until the procedure is carried out.
He said this same cultural insistence led to his daughter being forcefully taken for the ritual. “They took her on January 8, 2022, after summoning me to the family house,” he recounted.
FGM is illegal under Nigerian law, yet the practice persists in some communities due to long-held traditional norms. In Eniola’s case, after the cutting was allegedly completed, relatives reportedly applied local herbal medicines to the wounds.
Prince Fola said that when Eniola returned home, she complained of intense pain.
“Her mother, unaware of what had happened, treated her with paracetamol. For a few days, the child showed no alarming symptoms, and we assumed she was recovering,” he explained.
However, her condition worsened dramatically on January 29, 2022. She reportedly began showing signs of severe infection and was rushed to the hospital.
Doctors later confirmed she had developed septicemia, a life-threatening blood infection attributed to unsterilized instruments and unsafe herbal applications used during the procedure.
“Despite timely medical intervention, Eniola died on February 5, 2022,” the father said tearfully.
The loss has left the family shattered. Prince Fola and his wife say they now live in fear for their surviving daughter, who is nearing the age traditionally targeted for circumcision.
“We cannot sleep,” he said. “We fear our remaining daughter will suffer the same fate.”
The family said they reported the case to the police, but no arrests or updates have followed.
“I reported the matter to the police on Thursday, February 10, and was told an investigation would follow, but I haven’t received any updates,” he disclosed.
Despite the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 criminalizing FGM nationwide, enforcement remains inconsistent, and activists say perpetrators often escape punishment.
Human-rights groups argue that this case underscores Nigeria’s persistent gap between legislation and real protection for vulnerable girls. They are calling for stronger law-enforcement response, community education on the dangers of FGM and protection for families resisting cultural pressure.
For Prince Fola, the battle is now deeply personal. “Our daughter died because of this,” he said. “We do not want another family to go through this pain.”
