The Oloruba Of Oruba-Ota, Awori Land, and a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Champion, HRH, Oba Wadudu Ajani Eniade Deinde, (Ariwajoye I), has thrown his weight behind the legalisation of Safe Termination of Pregnancy (SToP) bill, calling on the Ogun state House of Assembly to pass the bill into law.

Oba Deinde made the appeal during an advocacy visit to his palace by a women's advocacy group, Trust and Support Foundation (TSF), led by its Executive Director of the group, Mrs. Victoria Madukwem, at Ota, Ogun state.

The monarch pleaded with the state Assembly to quickly pass the bill into law for the safety and benefits of women and young girls who were victims of rape, incest, noting that 'SToP' guidelines would give way for unsafe abortion been perpetrated by married women and girls of gender-based violence.

"Unsafe abortion contributes to a significant proportion of maternal mortality and morbidity in Nigeria, and the current laws which criminalise abortion in Nigeria do not reduce the number of abortions, instead, these strict laws mean that many women are forced to seek the service of unqualified practitioners with resultant high morbidity and mortality.

"Both of which are an unacceptable price to pay for pregnancy. While debates over the right of the mother to her privacy and body and the rights of the foetus to life rage on, women in Nigeria continue to suffer the consequences of restrictive abortion laws." the Oloruba Of Oruba-Ota said.

In her submission, the Executive Director of TSF, Mrs. Madukwem said that the reforming policy 'SToP' initiative would help control and regulate preventable deaths of women who lose their lives due to conditions that make the continuation of pregnancy risky.

She stressed that the state does not legalise abortion but provides standardised medical services for women in legally recognised situations such as rape, incest, cancer and severe hypertension, among others.

According to her, “In certain cases where a pregnancy cannot safely continue, access to appropriate medical care becomes necessary, describing unsafe termination of pregnancy as “one of the most preventable causes of death, yet one that continues to endanger the lives and futures of vulnerable women and girls.”

Mrs. Madukwem, stated that pregnancy termination could be legally performed in cases where it poses a danger to the mother’s life or physical health, including instances of rape, incest and certain medical conditions.

She emphasised that such procedures must be carried out by qualified health professionals in safe and hygienic conditions, upholding women’s rights to make informed decisions about their reproductive health without fear of repercussions or stigma.

Also speaking at the programme, the Secretary of the group, Mr. Olufemi Olusola, expressed appreciation to the state government, state Assembly and other stakeholders for the opportunity to support the initiative.

Olusola reaffirmed TSF’ commitment to partnering with the state to reduce maternal mortality and improve reproductive health outcomes.