Communities across Kwara State are proactively tackling Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through localised strategies, with traditional leadership now playing a crucial role in reporting incidents and establishing protective measures for survivors.
Olasupo Abideen, the founder and global director of Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), announced this development on Friday, highlighting the new community-led mechanisms.
During an event in the state on Thursday, traditional rulers outlined the specific methods they have adopted to address GBV within their jurisdictions.
As part of a GBV prevention programme launched by BBYDI in 2025, community- based structures, including dedicated reporting desks, were established.
In the Alalubosa community, a dedicated reporting desk, known as the ‘Alalubosa reporting desk,’ has seen success, with 10 out of 12 reported cases successfully resolved.
A community social charter has been introduced, emphasizing the protection of women and girls from gender-based violence and ensuring their inclusion in traditional decision-making processes.
Mr. Abideen stated, "In Alalubosa, a community-wide marriage agreement is now binding on new couples, with stated consequences for spousal violence." He added, "In Agbarere and Ganmo communities, social charters have been developed, adopted, and signed by religious, youth, and women leaders. Trained local ambassadors continue running awareness sessions."
Traditional leaders take the lead
Ahmad Adebowale, BBYDI’s community engagement officer, commented that traditional leaders have begun to proactively address the issue.
"They are convening ward heads and holding community members accountable to charters they helped draft," Mr. Adebowale remarked.
Saudat Abdulbaqi, the dean of the faculty of communication and information sciences at the University of Ilorin, delivered the keynote address, asserting that the unique moral authority and direct access to families possessed by traditional leaders are qualities that formal institutions struggle to replicate.
Ms. Abdulbaqi urged the leaders to remain actively involved, noting that most survivors turn to their communities for help before seeking assistance from formal systems.
"What leaders tolerate becomes culture," she stated. "What leaders condemn begins to change."
Mr. Abideen mentioned that the organisation conducted 16 targeted engagements with traditional leaders over two years, organising workshops across Kwara’s three senatorial districts.
These consultations resulted in the creation of 20 GBV prevention messages, disseminated in Yoruba, Nupe, and English.
Prosecution
Similarly, Nurah Jimoh-Sanmi, BBYDI’s executive director, opened the event by recounting a case that exemplifies the positive changes the programme is fostering.
Mrs. Jimoh-Sanni described how the programme facilitated a significant shift in a community where a case of sexual violence involving a young girl occurred.
She noted that the community, departing from its prior practice of favouring private settlements, ensured the case was officially reported, leading to the perpetrator's arrest and prosecution.
"That moment was not just about justice for one survivor," Mrs. Jimoh-Sanni said.
"It was a signal of something deeper: a shift in how communities understand responsibility, accountability, and protection."
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