President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has expressed worries over the Nigerian Senate’s passage of a resolution to amend the provision of Section 29 (4) (b) of the 1999 constitution, which states that, “any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.”
In a release issued on Tuesday, he expressed belief that if amended, a girl of any age can be constitutionally allowed to marry. As the leader of Christians in Nigeria, he condemned the statement credited to Senator Ahmed Yerima, a former governor of Zamfara State that the proposal for the deletion of section 29 (4) (b) is at variance with Islamic Law.
“The President of CAN finds that argument offensive because it presupposes that Nigeria, a secular state, is populated only by Muslims,” a part of the statement reads.
“Yerima is again, advertently stirring up another controversy about the supremacy of Islamic Law to the Nigerian constitution after the one he raised when he introduced Sharia, the Islamic Legal code, in Zamfara State.
“I think the problem is that people like Senator Yerima are approaching Qur’anic teachings from extremes and disturbing the balance. It makes me wonder the source of their emotions and thoughts that nurture them.
Oritsejafor noted that as a Senator whose case of marrying a 13-year-old Egyptian girl is still fresh in the memory of Nigerians, Yerima should only be seen and not heard in matters of this nature.
“If now he is commenting on a case in which he has interest, it can only mean the action of a man frenziedly trying to get himself out of the hook through some undeserved legislation.
“I appeal to those individuals who have been educated along this line in the Senate not to use their rights as Lawmakers to harm children below the age of 18, but to choose the interest of these children above their own. These girls should be allowed to develop, individually because this resolution, if implemented, would hound girls below 18 years into marriages they know nothing about. This is only one dimension of this tragic resolution.
“I feel that when individuals attain a certain way of thinking and understanding and reach certain status in life, they should be able to comprehend that it is necessary to adhere to conventions in line with best practices the world over and not harm other members of society, no matter their ages within the same society.
“This is why I consider the resolution of the Senate to amend section 29 (4) (b) selfish, delusive and a contravention of all known international conventions, protocols and ethics on the rights of the child to which Nigeria is a signatory. Child bride should not be encouraged or allowed in Nigeria. With over 12,000 women quoted by the National Demographic Health Survey as living with the Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) every year in Nigeria, fine tuning laws that would enable desiring Nigerians to marry primary school pupils is not what our legislators should be involved in. Rather, the Senate should strengthen the nation’s constitution by protecting all citizens’ rights, especially those of children from abuse. This would amount to legalization of sexual abuse of underage girls.”
CAN rejected the resolution of the Senate and called on the upper chamber to be more reasonable by revisiting the issue while it calling on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist this provocative resolution before our female children are dehumanized.
“By the grace of God, I will, personally mobilize Nigerians and lead the street protest against this oppressive and dehumanizing resolution. Why would the Senate after voting recoil simply because a point of order premised on religious basis was raised. We Christians also have Canon Law which frowns on marriage of girls who are not of age. Christianity abhors such marriages. The protest will be soon.
“Finally, I urge the Yerimas in the Senate to tow the path of the Holy Qur’an in (5:32) which states that one who kills a person unjustly in effect has killed everyone and one who saves another has saved everyone. They should save these girls and Nigerians the agony of having their children married off at ages below 18 by unfavourable legislations.”
Women Group Seeks Punishment for Yerima Over Child Marriage
Also the Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA) coordinated by Mrs. Funmi Falana is demanding the prosecution of Senator Ahmed Yerima, former governor of Zamfara State and current senator in the country for marrying a 13-year old Egyptian girl in 2010.
Yerima and some of his colleagues have been facing serious criticisms from Nigerians over their decision to legalise marriage of underage girls in the country in the review of the country’s constitution, which is currently ongoing. Some of the senators have however apologised for supporting the proposal while the Senate has been finding a way out of the anger it has attracted.
Speaking on Tuesday with journalists in Lagos, Falana said the marriage violated Section 23 of the Child Rights Act of 2003, which had been domesticated in Abuja, where Yerima was living. She called on the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, to ensure that Yerima is prosecuted.
“If the Attorney-General does not take up the prosecution within one month, WELA will apply for a private fiat to prosecute him under Section 23 of the Child Rights Act,” she said, adding that prosecuting Yerima would send a signal to randy men like him who support child marriage in Nigeria.
While urging the Senate to delete Section 29 (4) (b) which states that any woman who is married shall be deemed of full age from the 1999 Constitution, she urged the 12 states yet to adopt the Child Rights Act, to do so immediately. She noted that early marriage disrupts the education of the girl child and constitutes a danger to her health.
“Looking at the section, it will be discovered that the judicial interpretation goes beyond child marriage.
“Regrettably, the interpretation of that section is that, any girl child who is married is deemed to be an adult and can, therefore, be presumed to have criminal liabilities.
“As a result, such a girl can be entitled to vote and be voted for in an election and has the right to own property. That is the dangerous implication nobody has gone ahead to look at.”
