Scarred for Life (Female Genital Mutilation) "You are now going to be inducted into the full grown women group, Yemisi's grand mother said, leaning on a wooden stick that supports her locomotion. Yemisi was tightly held by three other women, one had a rusted knives, sharpened snail scales, and razor in an shallow earthen pot, she was respected in the community and popular in the community, she's the Oloola. Yemisi who just turned 13 saw her first period some days ago and had ran to her grand mother so she could explain what was happening to her, but when the old woman saw her, she said in her mind "it is time, the girl is finally becoming a woman and if she's not mutilated it is going to make her promiscuous.". Yemisi's mom had died five days after she gave birth to Yemisi from complications that has risen from delayed child birth. "Even your mom was circumscised, it is our way of life that was why she was not seen running around from one man to another after she married your dad" one of the other three women interjected, trying to convince her to keep calm and accept to be mutilated. "Please let me go," Yemisi screamed with tears and mucous running into her mouth. Her father had told her of the pain her mom went through and what led to her death. The complications that arose during her birth was due to this act her grand mother want her to go through, but now with her father dieing a year ago, she no longer have anyone to speak and protect her. "There's this culture that our people have, when a woman gets to a specific age she's taken to the Oloola for "idabe, never accept that mark no matter what happens, it is not what makes one a full woman rather it creates pains that could lead to unending trauma through out a woman's life and even death." "Lay her down," the grandmother commanded, how can this small girl be stronger than all of us". Some banana leaves had been spread on the ground where she's to be laid for the cutting and the white wrapper that she was supposed to tie for the process, she had flung some meters away, when she was told to remove her clothes and tie the wrapper around her waist. What would Yemisi's fate be? On this international day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, I join the call for a Nigeria free from all forms of violence against women. ©Zack Onwe