The Genesis Of The Issue
On Friday, May 10, 2024, the Niger State Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, announced that he planned to marry off 100 female orphans whose parents were killed following the deadly activities of banditry in the constituency he represents, the Mariga Local Government Area of the state.
The Law Maker stated that the initiative was part of his constituency’s empowerment project to alleviate the suffering of the impoverished. Sarkindaji went further to say that as part of his constituency’s project, he would pay the dowries for the bridegrooms during a mass wedding ceremony scheduled for May 24.
When asked how he came up with the idea, he mentioned that he had been approached by religious leaders in Mariga LGA who brought to his notice how the orphans were helpless after the banditry attacks that took the lives of their parents. In addition, these leaders believe the proposed marriages will deter fornication. As such, the Muslim local religious leaders sought help from the lawmaker to fund the marriages.
While Sarkindaji did not reveal the girls’ ages, he stated that out of 170 girls whose names were submitted, the ones who would be married off were picked with great care. Meanwhile, The Imams Forum of Niger has said that the marriage ceremony should go ahead, insisting that the girls are not below 18–the legal age of marriage.
What Action Is Being Taken To Halt This Atrocity?
The Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, instituted legal action to stop the proposed marriage of the 100 orphaned girls in Niger State. The minister criticized the sponsored marriages, citing violations of the Child Rights Act and expressing serious concerns about the ages and consent of the girls involved.
In a Press Release dated the 14th of May 2024, she opined that rather than such a step being taken by the lawmaker to fulfil his constituency projects, he should look towards the prioritization of education, skills acquisition and other forms of empowerment as a way to end the cycle of poverty and inequality that plagues the orphaned girls, adding that if the Niger State speaker attempts to block these efforts “there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Ministry of Women Affairs”. Barrister Uju’s plans for the girls include sending them to school, providing digital skill acquisition training and onboarding them on the Ministry’s E-market portal.
After carrying out investigations, she disclosed to AIT Live that some of the orphan girls scheduled for marriage are about 13 years old, which is clearly below the acceptable age for marriage. The Minister of Women’s Affairs has been able to secure the court order to stop the marriage from happening on the set date.
In response to Uju’s proactive moves, The Forum of Imams, Niger state, petitioned Tinubu to sack Uju and demanded she issues an apology to them. On the other hand, she met with the Emir of Kotangora and the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly in her office. During the visit, the Speaker stated that he had suspended the proposed wedding and the Emir pledged his emirate’s willingness to partner with the Ministry in any possible way to provide “a new lease of life for the girls”.
On the 17th of May, 2024 senior presidential aide Abiodun Essiet reiterated Barrister Uju’s plan of action. Ms Essiet added: “My appeal to all stakeholders is to stop embarking on policies and programs that exploit economically handicapped vulnerable people, increase and recycle poverty, and deepen ignorance.”
Human rights activists in Nigeria have launched a petition to stop the plan. As of the time of writing this piece, it has 11,244 signatures.
Forced Marriage in 2024?
Imagine losing your parents to a senseless killing, and then being told by the government elected to protect your life (and the lives of your murdered parents), that the only option you have to make meaning of your existence, is to get married to (an older) man. Worse still, is the absurd rationale that these forced marriages will prevent the girls from fornicating. This country, nawa oh.
According to the international campaign group, Girls Not Brides, a staggering 30% of girls in Nigeria are married before the age of 18. Some 12% of girls are married before their 15th birthday. Nigeria’s epidemic of child marriages is prominent among Nigeria’s poorest, rural households and the Hausa ethnic group.
Did the Northern Nigerian government of Niger State think that it could get away with child trafficking in broad daylight!? State-sanctioned rape in 2024!? Yes, rape, because despite what Sarkindaji wants to tell us, many of the orphaned girls that are being prepped for the just suspended marriage arrangement, are children! And last time we checked, children cannot give consent to sex. And for the “legal” orphaned girls on the list, the marriage transaction still remains non-consensual because of the presence of undue influence. Who in their right mind makes a marriage proposal to someone who is still grieving? How then can their consent be positive, freely given and enthusiastic with tragedy still fresh in their mind? Do these girls even have a choice in all that’s happening?!
More importantly, when will we get a world where old men are not obsessed with the vaginas of the girl child?
