Written by: Mistura Mahmoud

Renowned Nigerian comedian and United Nations Ambassador, Francis Agoda, popularly known as I Go Dye, has called on traditional rulers across the country to revisit and reform cultural practices that discriminate against women in areas such as marriage, inheritance, and widowhood.

Speaking during his performance at the “Edo in Eko” comedy show in Lagos, the veteran entertainer used his platform to condemn long-standing customs that, according to him, continue to enslave and dehumanize women. I Go Dye described such traditions as outdated and unjust, adding that they have no place in a society striving for equality and progress.

He questioned why some cultural practices still compel widows to undergo degrading rituals or deny them access to their late husbands’ property. “They have used tradition to enslave people, especially women,” he said. “Imagine a woman being forced to wash and drink the water from her husband’s corpse to prove her innocence, what kind of tradition is that?” He urged the Oba of Benin, the Sultan of Sokoto, and the Ooni of Ife to lead the reform of such harmful customs, stressing that cultural preservation should not come at the expense of human dignity.

Marking his 31st year in the entertainment industry, I Go Dye also reflected on how oppressive traditions have left deep psychological scars on generations of women, forcing many to seek protection and equality abroad. He concluded by urging traditional leaders to act swiftly to ensure fairness, saying, “We must give women equal rights in everything we share. If we fail to do so, their story will remain the same, they came, they saw, they suffered, and they died.”