Pius Angbo: A Settlement based on Gender Oppression

As soon as the video of the wife of Channels TV staff Pius Angbo went viral for domestic violence, many social platforms exploded. Comments flew all over the web like bees whose hive has been disturbed. Hours later it was reported that the governor of Benue State Gov. Samuel Ortom had stepped to reconcile the couple. Mr Pius Angbo tendered an apology to his wife Ifeanyiwa Angbo who accepted. Everybody is happy and business resumes as usual.

What a way to settle issues?

Domestic violence is a crime and so Pius Angbo should be made to face the music irrespective of the settlement. With such battering on a woman who just gave birth four weeks by her husband is not just barbaric but evil. No matter what she did as a gentle man just walk away than going the way of lifting the hand. For the woman to have come out to make that video showed that she has been pushed to the wall – It was a call for help. The governor is not the right person equipped to handle such cases. Gov. Ortom should have handed the case to the appropriate authorities to handle the matter and submit the report to him. His intention might be good and sincere or it is just a means of scoring political points, but He should have done it in a better way. This is not a case that should be settled within hours but over a period of time.

Mr. Pius Angbo ought to be first arrested, made to undergo psychiatric evaluations to determine his mental state, charged for domestic violence and then be assigned a Marriage Counselor before being reunited with his wife. There should be periodic checks on him and his family. Also, the wife should be taken to the hospital for proper medical evaluation. This is how it is done in developed and civilized societies.

The kind of settlement of Mr. Pius Angbo and his wife by the governor is nothing but gender oppression which is mostly applicable in rural settings. This is the kind of settlement where the victims are oppressed and made to apologize to their assailants. The victims are mostly women and bounded by laws that favor the men irrespective of their wrongdoings.

I am sure that Mrs. Angbo must have accepted this settlement out of respect for the Governor and not that it was in her favor. If Mrs. Angbo had suffered complications such as broken bones, would this be the settlement? The family of a murderer will always forgive the murderer if he apologizes but he or she must face the law. Mr. Pius Angbo should be made to face the law to serve as an example to others who take delight in such criminal acts. With this kind of “washy washy” settlement, Mrs. Angbo will never remain the same again. She will live in constant fear all her life in that marriage because she already knows the outcome even though she cries out again.

What are your comments?