Fourteen-year-old Esther (not real name), one of the victims of the vírginity
test that was allegedly conducted on pupils of Ajuwon Senior High
School, Ajuwon, Ogun State, by their principal, fears she might have
lost her vírginity. She spoke with our correspondent, TEMITAYO FAMUTIMI, on Sunday. Excerpts:
Why did you choose to do the vírginity test when some pupils ran away?
I
did not choose to do the test. After I and other female Senior
Secondary School one pupils lined up in front of her (Olufunke
Aladeojobi’s) office, I fled the scene but she noticed it and sent
people after us threatening to deal with us.
Why didn’t you explain to her that you were not interested in the test?
I
explained to her that my parents would be mad at me if they got to know
that I did such a test without their consent but she brought out a cane
and threatened to beat me mercilessly.
What happened afterwards?
Our
principal marched me into her office and the school’s nurse asked me to
put off my pants and laid me on the bed. She wore a glove, spread my
thigh and dipped a finger into my private part. The school nurse then
told the principal who was beside her that I was a virgín.
What did your principal do after the nurse said you are a vírgin?
The
principal said I “should not open my thigh” to any boy or man. She
subsequently gave me two Ogun State customised exercise books.
Did you lose blood?
Yes,
I lost blood. I didn’t notice it initially. It was the next person who
saw me while dressing up that told me that my pants were stained with
blood. But, I can’t say if it was the blood from my menstrual period
because my menstrual period just ended or the blood was as a result of
the vírginity test.
Did your principal know you lost blood?
She didn’t because I left the place almost immediately and she was busy attending to other pupils.
How did your parents get to know about the incident?
I
washed my blood-stained pants when I got home. I didn’t initially want
to tell my mum but she noticed that I was keeping to myself. When she
now queried to know what was wrong with me, I explained everything to
her.
Did your principal warn you against telling your parents?
No,
she didn’t. But I wouldn’t know what she might do to me if she got to
know that I told my parents about it because she is strict and we all
fear her. That was why I felt reluctant to tell my parents.
How have you been feeling since you underwent the test?
I
have been doing fine just that I’m not happy about the incident because
my classmates have been looking down on me. They keep saying that we
have been “disvírgined.” I feel ashamed of myself.
Are you a vírgin?
Yes. I have not had sex before but with what everybody is saying I don’t know if I am still a vírgin. I really wish I’m still one.
Punch Nigeria
