The issue of child marriage in Nigeria came to fore when the Senate
failed to remove a constitutional clause that is read by many as a tacit
legitimisation of early marriage.
At issue is a clause on citizenship in Nigeria’s constitution, which
stipulates that citizens who wish to renounce their citizenship must be
of full age – 18 years-old. The Senate Committee on the Review of the
Constitution recommended the removal of section 29(4)(b), which states
that “any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age”.
The recommendation was contended, however, by Senator Amhed Sani
Yerima former Zamfara State Governor and current sitting Senator, who
caused uproar within the senate over the removal, stating that to remove
section 29 4(b) would go against Islamic customary laws.
In a second vote, a lot of senators disappointed Nigerians as the
recommendation did not receive the two-thirds majority required and the
provision remains, prompting outcry from some Nigerians.
Yerima remained undeterred in his quest to defend child marriage as
part of Islam, what many believed is just a way of defending his
marriage to an Egyptian ‘minor’…in fact, some believe Yerima has many
underage wives, a belief that could still stand after his interview
aired yesterday on Nigerian Tv station Channels TV where he said the
number of underage wives he has is personal.
According to Yerima, a girl is ripe for marriage once she is mature.
He said maturity in this sense means puberty, describing it as when a
girl starts menstruating and the br**sts start coming out. He maintained
that such girls are ripe for marriage, especially when the parents whom
he said have a better judgement of a girl child’s maturity says she’s
mature.
Following Yerima’s Channels interview, former Aviation Minister Femi
Fani-Kayode took a swipe at the former Governor, calling him a
paedophile.
“I just watched Senator Ahmed Yarima Bakura on Channels TV and I am
utterly revolted. He is a practising paedophile and I have absolutely no
respect for him. Hajiya Khadiyya Ahmed, a practising Muslim herself,
conducted the interview in an excellent manner and she took him to the
cleaners in a very clinical and professional manner. However I was taken
aback by the fact that she asked a practising paedophile how we can
protect children from child abuse and other paedophiles? This man
believes in marrying girls as young as 6 years old and he is being asked
how to protect children from paedophiles? I know that the brilliant
Khaddiya asked him that question with her tongue in her cheek and just
to humour him but I still have to say may God help us in this country.
The sooner we go back to regional governments the better,” Fani-Kayode
said.
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