The Niger State Council of Imams has given the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, a one-week ultimatum to withdraw her comments condemning the plan by the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, to sponsor the mass weddings of 100 girls of marriage age in his constituency, who are either orphans or their parents are too poor to fund their weddings.
The Secretary of the Imam Council in the state, Umar Abdullahi, made this known at a press conference on Wednesday, where he warned the minister not to overstep her bounds.
Abdullahi said the Niger Imam Council viewed the minister’s utterances as capable of causing a crisis in the state and the country in general.
The minister had on Tuesday in Abuja condemned the planned mass weddings, saying it was a violation of the Child Rights Act.
Kennedy-Ohanenye disclosed that she had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to stop the weddings, adding that she had also filed a suit, seeking a restraining injunction against the Niger Speaker.
Reacting, however, on Tuesday, the Niger Council of Imams warned the minister to steer clear of religious and cultural matters and face her ministerial assignment.
The Imams insisted that no amount of court action would stop the wedding from taking place as planned for May 24.
The council secretary said, “The planned weddings have the blessing of all the religious and traditional leaders from the area. The sponsor of the wedding consulted widely before accepting to take the responsibility and we are strongly behind him.
“The girls are not underage and they are not being forced into the marriage as the minister has made the public to believe. This is what the minister failed to investigate.”
If cultural and religious matter negates the constitutional right of any Nigerian, then, the imams should be warned to watch their steps and ensure they uphold the right to choice of NIGEIRA.
Educating the orphans and less privileged is better than marrying them out. Is marriage a legacy to any government? Is Niger State so primitive that it still consider marriage as an achievement by a government.
Nawa oo.
Is it the speaker that is going to be their husband or he is only sponsoring the wedding, please make us understand
Is it only marriage that is good for these innocent children? Can’t they give them scholarships to go to school or learn a trade. Tomorrow those marrying them will divorce them to seek other.
That is your ignorant thought. In Islam, marriage is for life. If a lady is divorced there are provisions for her taking care. After all, many of the would be husbands will grant permissions to their wives to continue their education if they so wish. Education in Islam is compulsory for both sexes and so no will refuse his wife to get educated.
@emeka fredrick, let’s not delve on alternatives. These girls have already opted to tie the knots with their preferred guys for their own navigations.
Remember, what is good for the goose might not necessarily be good for the gander. I’ve seen many OBSOLETE Ladies down there that cannot progenate! Looking for whoever to hook on to. Regretting!!!
Emeka Frederick
Correct your ward for saying innocent to our children
My brother, that is Islam for you. All they know best is sex, and multiple wives.
If the man the marry one of them and divorced her he is not God fearing if not
A Muslim man marry his lady with the stong word of believed there is no Gid but Allah and Muhammad saw was his messanger,if he have fear of Allah he will dear not do that.
Give those innocent children unnecessary marriage doesn’t what it, that would increase povery tomorrow, it’s like those their leader are after the peanut that want to get out these innocent children marriage, not their future. They are not learn from their past mistakes. While they have in discipline children everywhere today. Pls, let them be.
A Rayuwa mutane suna bani mamaki, ka ga mutum malan mahaifiyarsa ta gama wahala da shi amma ya girma ya manta da wannan wahala, wani abun mamakin har ya girman komai ta samu se ta tuna da shi, amma shi ya siyi abu mahaifiyarsa baza ta gani ba, ya siya a waje ya cinye a waje, Allah ya shiryemu, wallahi da ace tausayin da iyaye ke da shi a hannunmu yake da na bawa iyaye mata shawara da su Rage tausayi, se dai a Wajan Allah yake, Allah k bamu ikon tausayawa iyayenmu, Allah k bamu ikon kyawtatawa iyayenmu dan falalar wannan Rana ta JUMA’A