By Maria Famakinwa.
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The alarming rate of reported cases of fathers molesting their daughters is becoming worrisome and raising so many questions as to why some fathers seem to have thrown caution to the winds and abuse their biological daughters sexually without recourse to the emotional and psychological effects of such forbidden act on them.

     Many still find it nauseating and unbelievable considering the tenacity with which Nigerians uphold tradition, culture, moral, value and religion. One wonders the kind of sexual pleasure such shameless fathers intend to derive by sleeping with their own flesh and blood.

     In January this year, one Segun Durotoye was arrested for allegedly raping his 16-year-old daughter. The daughter revealed that her father had been having canal knowledge of her since 2014 and that she had aborted over three pregnancies in the process. Another disgusting case which left everyone confused was that of a 45-year-old Nwandu living in Ejigbo, Lagos, who defiled his nine months old baby left in his care after the mother went to the nearby market to get some foodstuffs. The man was caught by a neighbour who was attracted by the little baby’s cry. After his arrest, he blamed the devil for his ordeal.

      A 40-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Domic Johnson in March this year in Lagos State impregnated her SS3 daughter and blamed his actions on frustration as he claimed he was drunk. Another 50 years old security guard, Taiwo Oyelabi was also arrested in Lagos for impregnating his 21 years old daughter for five times which he blamed on the devil and separation from his wife. Likewise, a 36-year-old father, Olaitan Adewoye has also been remanded in Kirikiri prison for allegedly defiling his one-year-old daughter. The list of this disgraceful act is endless as the unbelievable is becoming the reality.

    The Hope findings revealed that some of these pedophiles who hide under the cover of fathers take advantage of the absence of their wives, particularly when the marriage broke  up to molest their daughters.

      A mother of four, Mrs Kamola Aluko in her contribution advised mothers never to trust anyone including their husbands regarding the safety of their girl -child most especially if the husband is the type who drinks and get intoxicated. “With the foregoing, some mothers who used to see relatives, teachers and neighbours as threat to their teenage girls are now urged to look beyond their nose because some fathers cannot be trusted considering different reports of father molesting their daughters.”

    On why fathers rape daughters said, “Most of the fathers think their daughters are their property and can do whatever they like with them. In most cases, the victims have lost their mothers and their fathers refused to re-marry only to turn to their daughters when sexual needs arise. I will also appealed to judges not to grant the custody of teenage girls to their fathers if the marriage to their mothers eventually breaks to guide against the ugly trend.”

     In the submission of a father, Mr Juwon Makanjuola, revealed that most father who raped their biological daughters are acting under spell as he maintained that such an abominable act was not ordinary. “What sexual satisfaction will one derive from sleeping with one own flesh and blood? I want to believe it is beyond the ordinary. If a father who should be protecting the child against any form of attack is now the one preying on her daughter sexually then, it is beyond ordinary and the whole family is in danger.”

     A marriage counselor, Mr Daodu Ayedun explained that some fathers rape their daughters because they look attractive to them and feel that since they gave birth to them, they owe nobody any explanation and neither would they be reported. While blaming most cases of sexual molestation between father and daughter on separation or death of the mother advised those who could not control their sexual urge to re-marry instead of living in the same room with their teenage girls without their mothers which he admitted could be tempting to some weak fathers.

   His words, “There are different reasons fathers rape daughters it could be social, environmental, psychological, physical among others but the psychological effect is far reaching because some of the victims will never have a normal life again. It is one thing to be raped by a stranger and another thing to be sexually molested by one biological father who by all standard should be one confidant. Mothers should also study their kind of men to know the level they can control their sexual desires. If the husband is discovered to be the loose type, they should not entrust their daughters’ safety in such father’s care.

    “Some fathers also had carnal knowledge of their daughters for spiritual reasons especially now that many are looking for short cut to get rich. That is why it is advisable for mothers to be their children’s best friend especially the females who are most vulnerable in this context thereby getting the best out of them.