3 September 2026 | Palace of His Royal Majesty Eze Chima, Osu-Owerre, Isiala Mbano LGA, Imo State
“Ending gender-based violence requires more than women speaking up; men must also find their voices and take responsibility.”
The Male Feminists Network (MFN), led by Dr. Kelechukwu Okezie, paid a high-level advocacy visit to the palace of His Royal Majesty Eze Chima of Osu-Owerre, Isiala Mbano LGA, Imo State, on 3 September 2026. The engagement focused on strengthening traditional leadership involvement in the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) and promoting feminist values grounded in human rights, equality, and justice.
During the engagement, Dr. Okezie emphasised the critical role of traditional institutions in community development and social transformation. He noted that traditional rulers have significant influence within their communities and that their voices can help challenge harmful practices, promote accountability, and create safer environments for everyone.
He called for the active involvement of men in the fight against GBV, stressing that GBV should not be regarded as a women-only concern.
MFN is working to educate and train men on GBV prevention and feminist principles, helping them understand that feminism is about advancing human rights and creating a society where every person is treated with dignity and fairness.
Responding to the advocacy, His Royal Majesty Eze Chima expressed his commitment to taking the message of GBV prevention to the wider community and using his traditional leadership platform to promote justice and protect the rights of community members.
Importantly, His Royal Majesty highlighted a concrete step taken under his leadership to advance women’s rights. He explained that his leadership has established a community law recognising that women born in the community have the right to inherit their fathers’ property.
This represents an important step towards addressing discriminatory practices that can prevent women from enjoying equal rights to property and inheritance. It also demonstrates how traditional leadership can contribute to positive social change by using community structures and authority to protect the rights and dignity of women.
His Royal Majesty further shared examples of interventions by his leadership in situations affecting vulnerable members of the community, including a case where a widow was at risk of being driven away by her in-laws and the traditional institution intervened.
These actions demonstrate the potential of traditional institutions to serve as powerful partners in advancing gender equality, protecting vulnerable people, resolving community conflicts, and preventing gender-based violence.
Ending GBV requires collective responsibility. Men, women, traditional leaders, faith leaders, families, and communities all have a role to play in building safer, fairer, and more inclusive communities.
