Why Do Fathers Sleep With Their Daughters?

By Adedotun Ajayi

Over the years, some disturbing cases of fathers sleeping with their daughters, have been on the increase. Though it sounds strange why some men sleep with their daughters, is it for ritual or power?

Child rape/sexual abuse of teenage girls has suddenly become one of the most mentioned cases in the courts of law today and quite a number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and human right groups have sprung up to fight the course of these abused girls.

A recent case of a father sleeping with his own daughter was that of a 43-year-old policeman, Corporal Lanre Ramoni, attached to Agbara Divisional Police Headquarters in Ogun State, who was recently detained for having sex with his daughter for four years. 

He also aborted her pregnancy four times. The 19-year-girl is an SSS 3 student and the only child of the father. It was gathered that Corporal Ramoni, has been having sex with his daughter since she was 15 years old. 

The cat was let out of the bag on a fateful Monday morning when the girl got to the school with bruises all over her body and when a classmate of hers asked what happened, she opened up on what transpired between her and her father. The classmate on hearing this ran to one of the teachers who later informed the principal of the school. 

Her father was invited to the school. On arrival, the girl confronted him right in the presence of the principal and the teachers. She accused her father of having sex with her several times and also showed all the love messages he sent to her phone. 

Two of the messages read: “I love you so much, you are good in bed than your mother,” and “Hope you haven’t told anybody that I am having sex with you?” Police authorities subsequently arrested the Corporal. He is currently undergoing trial.

Emmanuel Obot, 46 years, did not only rape his two daughters severally, but ended up impregnating one of them. Obot, who claimed to be a clearing and forwarding agent, and resides at 3 Jadesola Street, Mende, Maryland, Lagos State. In perpetrating the evil act, Obot warned his two daughters aged 22 and 24, that he would kill them, if they fail to give in to his incestuous desires. In one occasion, he willfully destroyed one of the girl’s skirt and blouse, valued about N10, 000, in the process of forcefully trying to have sex with her. 

He impregnated one of the daughters and had her abort it. The other was beaten on many occasions for struggling with her father, thereby preventing him from sleeping with her. 

Obot has consequently been sentenced to seven years imprisonment, by an Ikeja Magistrate Court, presided over by Magistrate O.A Adedayo.

Many other cases of incest abound, with many of them not reported or heard. In many cultures all over the world, incest is a taboo, and it is seriously condemned. It is also a grievous crime in the eyes of God. Rape and Child Abuse are equally serious offences frowned at by Nigeria laws. 

Unfortunately, more and more fathers are still engaging in this ungodly act.

Recently in Lagos, after a 43-year-old man was interrogated for sleeping with his daughter, he confessed it was done so as to give his family a better lease of life. He further said that he was asked to sleep with his first daughter so that money could flow in from left, right and centre.

The question will then be, why do these men sleep with their own daughters? 

According to what The Hope gathered, these incestuous relations are usually started and engaged in by the fathers to help them gain access to power or for money ritual. It is mostly used for diabolic purposes. Other reasons are psychological and spiritual.

A cleric, Pastor Sunday Olakunle, was spiritual about it when asked about his opinion on incest. “Any father who sleeps with his daughter have spiritual problem.

 It is either he has been bewitched by negative super forces to disgrace him before the people, or he belongs to a secret cult, which demands that for him to acquire a special spiritual power, or attain a certain position in life, he must sleep with his own blood, a daughter, to get that position.”

According to a psychologist, Kemi Olujobi, “incest could be a result of psychological derailment on the part of the persons who indulge in it. The offender needs to be pitied and helped, because he has degenerated to the status of an animal. 

Such people, after serving their prison terms, or while in jail, should be visited by psychologists, who will properly bring them back from their state of derailment”

The aftermath effect, especially psychological, of this act goes a long way in ruining the girls’ future. It can haunt these abused girls for life. Many of them will never be able to have a healthy relationship with a man after their father ruined their lives, many will go through years of counseling to remove the hurt and anguish their fathers have caused them.

Speaking with Ayodeji Leye, a public health educator and a therapist, in his words on how to support a victim of sexual assault, he said.

“Sexual assault can affect someone’s mental health, either short-term or long-term. This can lead to depression, anxiety, PTSD and even suicidal feelings. Patients who have a history of a mental illness may be even more adversely affected, When someone you know has been sexually assaulted, it can be difficult to know what to say or do. Oftentimes, the best thing you can do is to just make yourself available. It’s also important to actively listen to what they have to say if they want to talk.

“Strive to be supportive and nonjudgmental and assure them that you believe them. It’s also important to remind your loved one that what happened was not their fault and that they didn’t do anything to deserve what happened to them. Oftentimes, survivors of sexual assault will blame themselves for what happened.

“You also should let them know that you’re sorry this happened to them. By doing so, you are demonstrating that you empathize with their situation and are able to acknowledge how the assault has impacted their lives.

“Finally, remind them that they are not alone and that if they need your support, you will be there for them”.

The Hope