Newly inaugurated Deputy Coordinator of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), Enugu State Branch, Chidi Obeke-Okoli, has described domestic violence as a national emergency, saying there is a need for urgent and coordinated action against the menace across Nigeria.

Speaking in Enugu shortly after her inauguration on Saturday, Obeke-Okoli characterised domestic abuse as a “dangerous cankerworm” eroding the foundation of the Nigerian family and undermining national peace and security.

The human rights lawyer also outlined an ambitious reform agenda that extends beyond courtroom advocacy to grassroots mobilisation, institutional accountability, and community-driven prevention.

Central to her intervention is the legal framework established by the Enugu State Government under the able leadership of Governor Peter Mbah.

Obeke-Okoli also commended the state government for domesticating the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law (VAPP), describing the move as a decisive step toward strengthening protections for victims.

According to her, the domestication of the VAPP Law signals that Enugu State will no longer tolerate domestic violence in any form. She urged legal practitioners, law enforcement agencies, and residents to ensure that the legislation functions not merely as a statutory instrument but as an active safeguard for vulnerable persons.

“The legal machinery is in place. What remains is collective responsibility to make the law work,” she said. The AWLA deputy coordinator also expressed concern over what she described as the fading culture of communal responsibility in Nigerian society.

She lamented a growing trend where bystanders record incidents of domestic abuse for social media rather than intervene or report. An ideal society, she argued, must be built on empathy, courage, and the willingness to speak up against wrongdoing.