Sokoto: PDP chieftain bankrolls circumcision for 1,000 boys
A Sokoto State-based philanthropist and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Faruku Fada, on Saturday, commenced the sponsorship of the annual mass circumcision for children in the North and South Local Government Areas of the state, targeting a minimum of 1,000 boys.
Circumcision, the removal of all or part of the foreskin from the penis, is a tradition within Hausa communities, where male children under the age of 10 are circumcised during the harmattan period.
In these communities, circumcision is highly valued, with adults who have undergone the procedure viewed more favourably than those who have not.
Some of the boys at the venue
While speaking to the press at the venue, Alhuda College of Health Technology, the state PDP chairman, Bello Goronyo, commended Fada for the initiative, stating that he was working to revive the age-old tradition and culture of Hausa-speaking communities.
The PDP chairman urged other philanthropists and well-to-do individuals and groups to follow Fada’s example.
Speaking shortly after the exercise began, Fada explained that the initiative was aimed at assisting less privileged parents who could not afford to circumcise their children when they reached the appropriate age.
“The mass circumcision will be carried out in all communities within Sokoto North and Sokoto South Local Government Areas, regardless of tribal or political affiliations,” Fada said.
“We will do our best within our God-given resources to give back to society, especially in these times of economic hardship,” he added.
Many parents interviewed at the venue expressed their appreciation for Fada’s generosity.
“If I had to take my child to the hospital for circumcision, it would cost me N8,000. Now, it’s being done free of charge, especially at a time when people are struggling to make ends meet. How would I even afford to buy medicine?” said one anonymous parent.
“After the circumcision, they also provide us with money and medicine to help ease the children’s discomfort,” another parent added.
Credit – punch
