It’s Crucial that Ita-Giwa and Kingibe Offer a Public Apology, not just to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan but to any Woman who has been told not to Speak or show Weakness -By John Egbeazien Oshodi

The days of women being told to keep quiet, endure, and accept male dominance as an unchangeable reality are over. The era where powerful men could act without consequence, where women had to adjust their behavior to avoid harassment, where complaints about abuse were seen as “weakness”—those days are gone. We now live in a global, social-media-driven world, where injustice is exposed in real-time, where outdated ideas are challenged instantly, and where silence is no longer an option.

It is shocking, then, that in 2025, women in positions of power still defend the very oppression that has held them back for generations. Florence Ita-Giwa and Ireti Kingibe, instead of standing with African women in the fight for dignity and justice, have chosen to align themselves with a patriarchal system that no longer has a place in modern society. Their remarks about Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio were not just reckless—they were a betrayal of every woman who has ever suffered in silence. These are not just words spoken in ignorance. These are words that directly harm African women and girls by reinforcing the toxic idea that harassment should be tolerated, that women should keep quiet, that men in power are beyond questioning.

Florence Ita-Giwa’s Dangerous Narrative: Defending the Oppressor, Shaming the Victim

For Ita-Giwa to go on national television and claim that complaining about sexual harassment is a “sign of weakness” is not only disgraceful—it is dangerous. In that moment, she told millions of African women and girls that their suffering does not matter. She told them that, no matter how powerful they become, they must accept male dominance as an unshakable reality. She made it clear that in her mind, the responsibility for preventing harassment lies not with the abuser, but with the victim.

This is the same logic that has been used for centuries to keep women oppressed. It is the same thinking that forces girls to lower their voices in school so they do not intimidate boys. It is the same mentality that tells women to dress a certain way, walk a certain way, speak a certain way—all so that men do not feel “tempted” to harass them. It is the same poison that forces rape victims to prove their innocence rather than demanding that rapists be held accountable. It is an ideology built to protect male privilege at the expense of female dignity.

But Ita-Giwa did not stop there. She went further, stating that women in power “should make themselves unapproachable” to avoid harassment. In other words, women must shrink themselves, they must close themselves off, they must sacrifice their natural personalities and interactions just to avoid being preyed upon by men who refuse to respect boundaries. This is not only deeply insulting—it is a complete reversal of responsibility.

When Ita-Giwa claims that “by the time you become a senator, you have passed the stage of being harassed”, she is either willfully ignorant or deliberately lying to protect a patriarchal system that has benefitted her. Power does not grant immunity from harassment. If anything, it makes certain women bigger targets because powerful men see outspoken, intelligent women as threats. Harassment is not about attraction. It is not about status. It is about control, domination, and keeping women in check.

Ireti Kingibe’s Complicity in Institutional Misogyny

Though she was more subtle in her response, Ireti Kingibe’s actions were no less damaging. By framing Akpoti-Uduaghan’s complaint as a “violation of Senate rules”, she intentionally ignored the real issue—institutionalized misogyny. Kingibe, rather than acknowledging that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s mistreatment was part of a larger pattern of silencing women in power, chose to defend the very system that allows it to continue.

Kingibe’s response represents the exact reason why many women in power fail to challenge oppression. She, like Ita-Giwa, has been accepted into the boys’ club because she follows the unwritten rule: Never question male authority. Never make men uncomfortable. Never stand with the women who resist.

This is how patriarchal institutions operate. Women who conform, who do not challenge injustice, who go along with the system are given a seat at the table. But women who speak up, who demand fairness, who expose injustice are dismissed as troublemakers, difficult, emotional, and disruptive. Kingibe chose the easy path—aligning herself with power rather than standing with truth.

The Mental, Emotional and Social Consequences of Their Words

Words matter. And when powerful women defend abusers rather than survivors, the damage is catastrophic. Ita-Giwa and Kingibe’s remarks do not just affect one woman or one situation—they send a message to every girl and woman in Africa that speaking out is dangerous. They teach survivors to doubt themselves, to question whether their pain is valid. They reinforce the fear that keeps women silent, the fear of being called weak, dramatic, or overreacting.

But the consequences go beyond just silencing victims. Their words also embolden abusers. When high-profile women defend the culture of harassment, it tells powerful men that they can act without consequence. It reassures them that their victims will be blamed, that the system will protect them, that even female leaders will take their side. This is why abusers thrive in environments where women are too afraid to speak up.

A Demand for Accountability: Ita-Giwa and Kingibe Must Publicly Apologize

Florence Ita-Giwa and Ireti Kingibe have one option if they want to salvage any respect from African women—they must return to television and apologize to every woman and girl in Africa. They must admit that their statements were harmful, ignorant, and outdated. They must acknowledge that victim-blaming is unacceptable, that women who speak out are not weak but courageous. They must apologize not only to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan but to every woman who has ever been told that her pain does not matter.

If they refuse, they will be remembered not as pioneers of women’s rights but as obstacles to justice. Their names will be associated not with progress and empowerment, but with betrayal and complicity. History will not be kind to women who use their power to uphold oppression.

African Women Will Not Be Intimidated

The world has changed. African women have changed. We will not be silent. We will not be forced to accept mistreatment because tradition says we should. We will not stand by while women in power defend those who abuse us.

The fight for justice will not be stopped. The voices of women will not be silenced. The truth will not be erased.

And to Ita-Giwa and Kingibe, the choice is clear: Will you stand with the future, or will you let history remember you as defenders of a broken system?

The tide has turned. African women will no longer bow to oppression. And no amount of shaming, silencing, or victim-blaming will stop this movement.

John Egbeazien Oshodi

Oshodi Open Door, also known as Oshodi Open Door Public Training (OOPDT, pronounced opidt), is a public awareness initiative promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity in Africa through educational articles and resources at jos5930458@aol.com, and offers specialized Timely Response Solutions (TRS) training at minimal or no cost.

Professor John Egbeazien Oshodi is an American psychologist, educator, author specializing in forensic clinical psychology, cross-cultural psychology, police prison science, social justice. Born in Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria, he is the son of a 37-year veteran of the Nigeria Police Force, a background that shaped his commitment to justice, security, psychological research.

A pioneer in forensic psychology, he introduced state-of-the-art forensic psychology to Nigeria in 2011 through the National Universities Commission (NUC) Nasarawa State University, where he served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology. His contributions extend beyond academia into psychological health behavioral change initiatives through the Oshodi Foundation the Center for Psychological Forensic Services.

Professor Oshodi has held faculty positions at Florida Memorial University, Florida International University, Broward College, Nova Southeastern University, Lynn University. He is also a contributing faculty member in the doctoral undergraduate psychology programs at Walden University serves as a virtual professor with Weldios University and Iscom University.

Beyond academia, he is a government consultant for forensic-clinical psychological services in the USA previously served as Interim Associate Dean Assistant Professor at Broward College, Florida.

He has published extensively on mental health, justice, institutional reform is the founder of the Psychoafricalysis theory, which integrates African sociocultural perspectives into psychology.

Professor Oshodi remains an influential force in advancing psychology institutional reform globally, particularly in Africa.