Veteran Nigerian actor, writer and producer Richard Evans Mofe-Damijo, widely known as RMD, has been appointed as an ambassador for the Male Feminists Network (MFN), a body established by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre) to drive advocacy against gender-based violence (GBV) across Nigeria.
The 65-year-old was inaugurated alongside other ambassadors at a ceremony held on Friday in Abuja, where he will help lead a national campaign to challenge harmful gender norms and promote women's rights at the community level.
RMD Calls for Women in Governance and Respect
Speaking to journalists after the event, RMD made the case for greater inclusion of women in governance, drawing on his own professional experience. "Personally, when I did a film two years ago, I had like 80% women in the crew. And I always say to people in my profession, if you want to have anything done in government, put a woman in charge and you can sleep with both your eyes closed," he said.
The actor called on men to treat women with dignity rather than as objects, and rejected the idea that physical correction is ever acceptable. "Just give respect to women and treat them like human beings. Or treat them like the way you would treat your daughter or your wife, with respect, with dignity. You know, don't objectify them, don't perpetrate violence. Correcting them does not mean hitting and beating them. It is easier to talk to people these days than to just use your fist," RMD said.
Ending GBV Requires Men's Involvement
He argued that ending gender-based violence is not a burden women can shoulder alone, pointing to what he described as institutionalised and systemic violations of women's rights in Nigeria that require men to lend their voices to the cause. He also dismissed attempts to draw false equivalence between violence perpetrated by women against men and the broader, more pervasive abuse suffered by women, saying the two situations are not comparable in scale.
RMD praised the MFN for taking its work beyond conference halls and into communities, specifically citing efforts to engage commercial motorcyclists, taxi drivers, mechanics, vulcanisers and university students. "If you can get the Okada rider, the taxi driver, the mechanic, the vulcaniser and students on campuses, then you have started the real work. If this is sustained, we will see a reduction in gender-based violence," he said.
Centre's National Reach and Training Achievements
Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Founding Executive Director of Centre, said the organisation's engagements in Cross River and Benue states demonstrated that traditional and religious leaders could become powerful allies in preventing GBV when approached through constructive dialogue. He pointed to declining acceptance of female genital mutilation as evidence that harmful cultural practices can change through sustained public education.
Dr. Victoria Oseyande Udoh, the Centre's Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, said the project commenced in April 2025 with an initial target of training at least 1,000 male leaders and grassroots influencers. Within one year, it achieved a direct national reach of 11,721 participants. The programme trained 52 master trainers across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, who went on to equip more than 500 community leaders, traditional rulers and professionals. An additional 3,169 men and boys were trained directly, while the network's online certification platform attracted 8,552 participants, with 3,200 completing certification as male allies committed to advancing gender justice.
