Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker Biodun Stephen has opened up about her personal experience with female circumcision.
The producer spoke during an interview on the Diary Of A Naija Girl Podcast.
She explained that her circumcision happened when she was six years old and involved her grandmother. The filmmaker described the process as part of her family’s cultural practice.
She recalled being taken outside under her grandmother’s supervision to a place where the procedure would take place. At first, she was allowed to play and eat, which made her feel comfortable and unaware of what was coming.
Stephen said the next step involved a shower and then lying down, after which she experienced intense pain that stayed with her memory.
According to her, there was no explanation given at the time about what was happening. When she returned home, her mother offered some comfort, rubbing her body and apologising, but no detailed discussion followed.
Stephen emphasised that the memory of the pain remains vivid even years later. She also reflected on how the practice was passed down through generations, rooted in tradition, and often carried out without informing children of its purpose.
She said, “In my own case, it was my grandma. My grandma, God bless her soul. Mine was, anyway, I don’t want to talk about it. So I think that also my mom was. So it’s a culture for them. Because I remember I was six when I went for circumcision. Yes, I was six years old. So I remember it vividly. Deep pain. Vividly. As I’m talking to you, I’m seeing the picture. That afternoon. It was a mat outside. They took me to the woman’s place.
“You know, I was six. I didn’t know what was going on. My grandma just said, I mean, I love my grandma. She’s like, let’s go somewhere. So we went to this somewhere. They allowed me to play. They allowed me to play. I even ate food. Made me feel comfortable. Then the next, my grandma said, come on, let’s go have a shower. You know, I was six. I remember this. And the next day they told me to lie down.
“The pain was searing to the brain. Yes. I didn’t know what happened to me. There was no conversation about it. My mother wasn’t, you know, when I got home, they gave me pain sick. She rubbed my body like sorry my baby. And that was it.”
