Shomide, Oseni-Gomez Bag VGN Leadership Awards, Patroness

 

ABEOKUTA - The Caretaker Chairman, Abeokuta South local government area of Ogun state, Hon. Ayodeji Shomide was on Thursday conferred with Doyen of Peoples Development Award by Ogun State Command of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN).

Shomide who spoke at a public enlightenment programme organized by Ogun State Command of Vigilante Group of Nigeria was decorated alongside a former Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Titi Oseni-Gomez who was decorated as Patroness.

Presenting the award to Hon. Shomide, the State Commandant of VGN, Commander Temitope Olushoga Odogun described the council boss as pillar of support and lovers of the masses. 

Commander Odogun lauded the Chairman for his steadfast and contribution towards community development and effective community policing. 

In his response, Hon. Shomide commended VGN for its community policing across the state, pledging his council's support to the group.

Speaking on the theme of the event: "Rape and HIV/AIDS: Impact and the way forward", a former Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Titi Oseni-Gomez said the alarming increase of the social vices has attained worrisome dimension. 

Hon. Oseni-Gomez noted that, rape had become a pandemic of monumental consequences, caused by unbridled sexual desire. 

The former Speaker maintained that the society needs to embark on more aggressive moral campaign to stop the menace because of its psychological effect on the victims such as emotional reactions, physiological reactions amongst which are nightmares, flashback, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

She therefore called on the state government to establish gender registers and blacklist the offenders.

In his own remark, the Caretaker Chairman, Abeokuta South local government, Hon. Ayodeji Michael Shomide applauded the Vigilante Group of Nigeria for organizing the sensitization programme. 

Shomide said the state government has not relent in its fight against HIV/AIDS despite the covid-19 pandemic. 

He however attributed rape to high intake of drug abuse, cannabis substances and lack of parental care.