The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency hosted clerics and religious leaders on Friday, November 7, 2025, for a two-day training, which commenced the previous day.

The event, held at the Ikeja Local Council Secretariat, was geared towards enlightening stakeholders across different religious bodies on issues relating to sexual and gender-based violence.

Mr Taiwo Amusa, a mental health nurse, who was also one of the facilitators at the programme, spoke extensively on psychological first aid and support services available for survivors of psychological trauma. “All of us need to have at least basic knowledge of psychology and psychological first aid,” he said.

Amusa also spoke on the relevance of psychology to religious practices. “When you say ‘psychology’… everybody knows that psychology is the scientific study of the mind… if you are not able to study the mind of an affected person, you won’t be able to solve his problems, or her problems,” Amusa stated.

He also stated that services rendered to victims without a spiritual foundation may cause the person to fall apart.

President of the Institute of Marriage Administrators and Counsellors of Nigeria, Pastor Oladele Emmanuel, who was also one of the facilitators, spoke on the roles religious leaders play in combating sexual and gender-based violence.

He called for cooperation between religious bodies and the government to tackle gender-based violence. Oladele said: “There should be a synergy between the government and the leaders of these organisations.”

He also added that religious leaders play a critical role in combating sexual and gender-based violence, adding that programmes like this would help them incorporate these issues in their sermons.

Rev. Dr Matthews Adejumo, one of the attendees of the programme, said: “I love the programme because it creates awareness, not only to the religious leaders, but the community at large.

Speaking on how he deals with sexual and gender-based violence, he stated that, though he had never dealt with gender-based violence, it was a welcome idea to sensitise people.

Imam Olawale Marufuddeen, another attendee of the programme, said this initiative is something the society needs, adding that: “We learnt a lot about the topics discussed… they are topics that have to do with our day-to-day activities—our tomorrow, being prepared for us today to enable us prepare our children for the challenges of tomorrow…”

Marufuddeen added that the society would be enlightened if initiatives like this occurred more frequently, saying that they are educational.

He also spoke about how he deals with sexual and gender-based violence as a cleric, saying: “We shall try to enlighten our gathering to let them know the effects and preventive measures of sexual and gender-based violence.”