ILORIN, KWARA STATE – In the close-knit communities of Itamerin and Pakata, a difficult but vital conversation is taking root. Galvanized by the recent tragic death of Hafsoh Lawal, a young Ilorin woman lured by a social media predator, residents are moving beyond grief to action, determined to protect their youth from the growing threat of online gender-based violence.
In town hall meetings held on July 19th in Itamerin and July 26th in Pakata, over 118 community members, including mothers, fathers, faith leaders, and dozens of young women and girls, gathered for meetings organized by the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI). The meetings, part of the #JusticeForHer advocacy campaign, aimed to dismantle the silence surrounding Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) and forge a community-led defense against it.
The initiative deliberately targets grassroots communities often overlooked in digital safety campaigns, framing the discussion through the familiar and trusted lenses of faith, family values, and collective responsibility.
“We are grateful for bringing this opportunity to our community,” said Mr. Kamaldeen Onikanun, the President of the Itamerin Community. “We have learned how to engage TFGBV using a community approach. We now see our role more clearly.”
The sessions, led by facilitators Mr. Sanni Alausa-Issa, Dr. Abdullahi Ibrahim, and Dr. Zakariyah Adebayo Bello, steered clear of simple answers. In Itamerin, the conversation opened with a provocative question: “Is it the parent’s fault or the child’s?” While many initially pointed to parenting, the dialogue quickly deepened, revealing a complex web of shared vulnerabilities.
The emotional core of the Itamerin meeting came from a mother known as Iya Alfa, who bravely shared a personal story of her own daughter’s exploitation online. Her testimony shifted the room’s atmosphere from one of potential blame to one of profound empathy, underscoring that no single person is solely responsible when a child is harmed.
This sentiment was echoed in the Pakata community, where participants identified societal issues that leave young people vulnerable. “Some parents will not allow their children to go to school. They will rather tell him/her to be hawking,” shared a young participant named Halimah, pointing to parental decisions as a contributing factor. Another, Aminah Wura, noted, “Some parents are too harsh on their children, which is why some children do not have the ability to talk to their parent.”
The town halls successfully created a rare safe space for young women to voice their anxieties. In Pakata, one young woman, Khadijah, asked a question that highlighted the everyday dilemmas they face: “Drawing from all the lessons learned so far, if we just want to have a friend, can we be friends with a boy?” Another, Imam Misturah, sought guidance on parental pressure regarding marriage.
According to BBYDI, this outpouring of questions and personal reflections signals a critical success: the unlocking of long-suppressed, necessary conversations. Participants in both communities overwhelmingly endorsed the campaign’s message, expressing a newfound awareness of digital dangers and a commitment to action.
“This program is full of different lessons and knowledge,” said Hassan Shakirat, a participant in Itamerin. “The sessions… opened our eyes to things we had overlooked for too long.”
Despite the success, BBYDI acknowledged challenges, including initial hesitancy to discuss sensitive topics publicly and language barriers with some older attendees. BBYDI has identified the need for sustained follow-up, including the development of resource materials in local dialects and organizing youth-specific sessions to continue the dialogue.
As the meetings concluded, the communities were left with a sense of purpose. By confronting the tragedy that sparked the #JusticeForHer campaign, they have taken the first crucial steps toward building a more vigilant, compassionate, and resilient defense against the borderless threat of digital violence, proving that the most powerful protection begins with honest conversation, right at home.