• Amelia Ngozi Odo, Samuel Ifeanyi Christian Dibia, Evelyn Nwanebe Nwagu, MaryJoy Umoke, and Prince Christian Ifeanachor Umoke.
• Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Nigeria.
• Afr Health Sci. 2020 Dec 1; 20 (4): 1968-1978.

BackgroundFemale genital mutilation (FGM) is a public health challenge and seems to be secretly practiced in some rural communities, despite the ban in Nigeria.ObjectivesThe study aimed to identify the activities that are involved in FGM, type(s) of FGM practiced and the knowledge of health implications of FGM among rural community members in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.MethodsWe employed exploratory design using qualitative technique. In-depth interviews were conducted with 44 adult (18 years and older) volunteers in four rural communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. After thematic analysis using NVivo 11 Pro software, eight sub-themes emerged, among which are: types of FGM practiced, seasons for FGM, FGM by health workers and community leaders, punishment for refusing FGM and knowledge of health implications of FGM.ResultsFindings show that FGM is more like a process than just an act, and type most practiced in the study area is Type 1. Circumcisers are health workers and women leaders. Knowledge of health implications of FGM was found to be low among those interviewed.ConclusionBased on the findings, we concluded that FGM is still practiced in some rural communities in Nigeria, maybe because of poor knowledge of health implications of FGM.© 2020 Odo AN et al.

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