The Deputy Director of the Africa Office at the MacArthur Foundation, Dr Amina Salihu, has raised concerns over the alarming rates of intimate partner violence in Nigeria, stating that one in three women experiences abuse at the hands of a spouse or partner.
Salihu made this statement on Wednesday in an open letter marking International Women’s Day, where she also praised Pastor Chinedu Ezekwesili, a clergyman of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, for his marriage to former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili.
She described their partnership as a rare example of mutual respect and equality in a society where many still justify gender-based violence.
Quoting findings from the 2012 British Council’s Gender in Nigeria Report, Salihu said that many young Nigerian women believe a husband is justified in beating his wife for reasons such as burning food, refusing sex, or going out without permission.
According to her, these beliefs continue to fuel widespread domestic abuse, making it one of the most persistent but least discussed crises in Nigerian homes.
She observed that a woman is meant to be a partner, not just an assistant, lamenting that society often perceives women as the latter.
Salihu noted that this misrepresentation of a woman’s role is frequently reinforced by the misuse of religious teachings to uphold patriarchal interests.
The letter read: “The British Council’s 2012 Gender in Nigeria Report indicated that most women aged 15-24 in Nigeria believe it is acceptable for a husband to beat his wife if she burns food, refuses sex, or goes out without his permission. Little has changed since then.
“Today, one in three women experience gender-based violence from an intimate partner, making it the most widespread yet least discussed form of abuse.
“A woman is a helpmate, not merely a helper. Yet, the prevailing perception is that she is the latter—an appendage to be used, taken from, squeezed, or set aside. In this misinterpretation of a woman’s role, religion has often been misappropriated to serve patriarchal interests.
“If this devaluation of women is our shared reality, then it is no small matter to find a man who understands that love is about shared support, not supremacy; about purpose, not possession. The story becomes even more compelling when that man is a pastor.
“It is rare for spouses to speak so warmly of one another after more than three decades of marriage. In private, among friends and allies, they reminisce and may even cancel or delegate participation in high-level international events that conflict with their partner’s work, saying, ‘Amynaah, it is Pastor’s day, and I must be there.’
“The first time I heard you call our big sister ‘baby’ was at a public event—the graduation of the first cohort of the unconventional School of Politics, Policy, and Governance (SPPG) in 2022. I was struck by the authenticity and unreserved tenderness of an almost 70-year-old expressing marital affection in public, which is uncommon for your generation.
“We often underestimate the power of a good example until we witness the consequences of a lack of positive role models. Many young people I have spoken to across genders fear marriage, believing that romance fades after the wedding and that marriage erodes love, fraying at the seams until it implodes.
“Yet, family remains vital, serving as the foundation of a stable society upon which all positive values can be built. Family is the litmus test for trust, without which nothing holds.
“Your spouse, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, is a formidable political intellectual. She has initiated Africa’s largest leadership experiment rooted in volunteerism—the #FixPolitics Movement and its unconventional SPPG.
“Africa loses billions of dollars annually due to poor governance. Corruption and ineffective leadership undermine economies, hinder progress, and make life more difficult for millions. With better governance, our economies would be stronger, and communities would thrive.
“The SPPG is cultivating a new generation of leaders who will champion change, benefiting women, youth, and the underprivileged through a multiplier effect that strengthens communities.”
