Forum Pleads for Safiya

02/01/02

By Etim Imisim

The Africa Leadership Forum (ALF) last week joined other national and international organisations calling for mercy for Safiya, a Sokoto widow found to be pregnant.

Safiya was charged and sentenced to death for adultery by a Sharia court in Sokoto on October 4 after she delivered. She will die by stoning, if her appeal fails.

The call came from a consultative dialogue of men and women and youths from diverse geopolitical representation in Nigeria during an Farm House Dialogue, which held at the ALF International Conference Centre in Ota, Ogun State. Participants rose, after three days of deliberation, December 18 - 20, asking that Safiya be exonerated, discharged and acquitted of her charges.

An ALF dialogue, the 42nd in the series, issues discussed revolved around women, youth and good governance.

In a letter to the Chief Judge of Sokoto State, participants appealed to the Sokoto Judicial Council to temper justice with mercy, asking the Sokoto State Sharia Implementation Committee to reverse the death sentence it passed on Safiya.

The letter urged, "Exonerate, discharge and acquit Safiya from the charges of adultery of which she was apparently wrongly judged, and the consequent capital punishment she faces.

"We make this call following our understanding of the ambiguous and clearly inconclusive circumstances surrounding her charges," the letter added. "Safiya as a Nigerian youth and a woman deserves a life and a future.

"We therefore join several other international and national calls for withdrawal of the sentence on Safiya and in the belief that the justice, which you seek, is also one that allows you to tamper justice with mercy."

The group said it is not its wish to interfere with the judicial system or its process, which is still going on, adding, "but we are confident that your good offices will heed to ours and other national and international calls to promote the ideals of a just and equitable society, for men, women and youth alike."

The group said further said it is confident that, in relieving Safiya of her predicament, the judge will be promoting the upliftment of womanhood and its inclusion into mainstream nation building.

Safiya was born in Gwadbawa, a village in Sokoto State. Press reports have put her age at 30 or 36.

The plea for her was signed by over 30 dialogue participants. They include sports minister, Mr. Ishaya Mark Aku, and executive director of ALF, Mr. Ayodele Aderinwale.