Breast Ironing, The Controversy Continues

Since our earlier report on the subject of breast ironing still in practice in some parts of Africa, more people have shown willingness to join the debate.  Here, we publish some recent reactions on the subject-matter

By ADEDAMOLA AYODELE

To me I prefer natural, anything natural is a final say. Breast ironing is not natural, it is like female genital mutilation, right now it is not rampant, some people can develop faster,some people can develop slowly to look at it in that area I don’t support .

If it is a mandatory custom it is fine, everybody have to obey the law of the land because nobody is bigger than the law.

I don’t think it must be mandatory, people must object it.

What about pressing it and the breast don’t develop again or lead to cancer.

– France Karem A Student

I can’t say, it doesn’t stop her from being raped. I don’t support it. I am neutral , everybody have their own ideology of doing things .I will leave my area if it is a mandatory custom .To me everybody have their own ideology of doing things, if they are practicing a custom of which I don’t like it is either I leave the place or you accept my condition.

For instance if they are practicing a particular custom in which I don’t believe in , you can’t force me to do what I don’t want to do, it is either I leave there or you accept my own condition.

Gideon An Apprentice In A Cyber Café.

It is like female genital mutilation, I watch a video concerning that it was like horror. To me it is God’s gift. If you can’t seek the child’s attention it is not appropriate.

If the child is sensible and you ask them they won’t allow. All these thing can hinder the growth, it can also hinder the lifestyle and their psychology. I don’t support. It shouldn’t be a mandatory custom in my area. I am not a traditional person, if it is a custom it is traditional .I  am a moral person what is good is good what is bad is bad .when you look at it from the fact that you can’t ask the child if  she want it , so it is just like saying it is ok to abort pregnancy. To me if you ask me is it ok to abort pregnancy will say ok so far you are considering your pocket.

In the case of breast ironing I don’t support it so far you cannot seek the girls opinion about it, it is wrong, I don’t know what it will do to the child in the nearest future.

Olufemi Olubodun A Barber

I don’t support breast ironing ,I feel the child is to grow normally even at that everything has advantage and disadvantage , even though we don’t know the advantage and disadvantage .Imagine a little child they do breast ironing for and it still lead to breast cancer.I don’t support breast ironing , if it is a mandatory a custom , I will talk to three or more people about breast ironing and that it can lead to cancer .custom or no custom it can be change , it start  by awareness when  people hear that this breast ironing can lead to cancer, even though they are illiterate they must have heard about cancer, one person or one family can reject breast ironing and it will go on like that.

– Oyindamola Oluwatosin A Student

I don’t think I can support that, it is the duty of the mother to train the child in the way he or she should grow, I don’t think the child will leave whatever the mother has been teaching her , except the influence of some friends and some  other peer pressure .

I don’t think it can be possible in this 21^st century we are, some girls might feel bad when using the hot stone to press their breast, I think in the olden days they used to do that.

– Chioma Onyenuloya A Trader

I don’t support it, in the ages past we don’t use to hear about cancer, we don’t used to hear about some disease that are common now so I will say if you do this breast ironing for a child how do you know may be is not the one causing cancer, because cancer is now rampant, so I think it can lead to cancer.

If it is a mandatory custom in can break the law because I have my own right, you can’t expect me to do something wrong on my child then the offence will be on me just because I want to obey the authority. This is what I will do it is better to give my child sex education, it won’t even be the child’s will so why will I want to offend the child, even if you do breast ironing it is not the breast that will get pregnant, it is about training, if you give her sex education there is no way in this world that she would be a victim of sexual harassment.

– Odueme Gift,  Student