The Nation Newspaper

Tag: marriage

  • Marriage is more than a contract, says Adewale

    Marriage is more than a contract, says Adewale

    The President of Family Booster Ministry (aka Living Home Foundation), Pastor Bisi Adewale, has challenged popular notion that marriage is a contract.

    Marriage, he said, is more than a social contract but a covenant relationship between God and the spouses.

    He spoke last week ahead of the annual Lagos Singles’ Conference slated for September 29 with the theme “solid foundation, solid marriage”.

    Adewale warned that considering marriage as a contract will hamper the institution, pointing out this is one reason why divorce is rising these days.

    According to him: “Marriage is much more than a contract. It is a covenant between Almighty God, the man and his wife.

    “Marriage is about keeping a covenant as Jesus does with his bride, the Church. The devil hates Christian marriages, he wants the family to fall apart and he will stop at nothing to achieve this. So Christians must be prayerful.”

    The marriage counselor added: “In a covenant relationship, there is no tolerance of competing affections in either party. God has serious consequences for those who violate their covenant vows.”

    He took a swipe at ministers that encourage divorce and remarriage, stating they will have to answer before God about the distortion of the first institution.

    He said the singles’ conference offers a platform for young Christians to meet, mingle and learn life-changing teachings on marriage.

    Adewale assured that participants will leave the venue better informed and prepared to face the challenges of matrimony.

  • Group tackles Yerima on child-marriage

    Group tackles Yerima on child-marriage

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Association for Orphan and Vulnerable Children in Nigeria (AONN) has said they believe that Senator Sani Yerima and his group which supported a child-marriage law were not in their right frame of minds when they rose in support of the Bill at the red chamber recently.

    Addressing a press conference tagged: “Slavery disguised”, in Abuja, FCT co-coordinator of the group Mrs. Priscilla Nwachukwu said “it is madness” for somebody to marry a child without considering health, social and economic challenges, adding that marrying off Nigerian girls in childhood will only deepen their trauma and further enslave them.

    “Child-marriage has far- reaching health, social, economic and political implications for the girl-child and her community. It truncates a girl’s childhood, creates grave physical and psychological health risks and robs her of internationally recognised human rights.”

    While identifying poverty, social ties and protection as reasons why some parents indulge in child-marriage, Nwachukwu noted that research has shown marriage by the age of 20 years has a risk factor for HIV infection in the girls, adding that the girls’ virginal status and physical immaturity increase the risk of HIV transmission.

    The group therefore called on governments at all levels to implement health outreach programmes for girls and boys and also incorporate preventive and treatment programs for the for reproductive health issues into their health services.

    The coordinator enjoined all Nigerians to “say no to this form of slavery and join in educating the girl-child”

  • Principal pleads review of child marriage law

    The principal of Ansaru-Deen Girls High School Surulere, Lagos, Mrs Fatima Ajani, has appealed to the Senate to review the section in the Nigeria Constitution that condones child marriage.

    Mrs Ajani made the appeal at the school’s valedictory service. If expunged, Ajani said it will further sustain girl-child education in the country.

    According to her, it is inhuman for anyone to force minors to become mothers when they are still under the tutelage of their parents who will raise them to become responsible adults.

    She wondered what a minor knows about parenting a child when she is a child who needs to be trained and nurtured to become a mother.

    Addressing the graduands, Mrs Ajani implored them to uphold the values and virtues that make up for a safer and peaceful society.

    The fun-filled ceremony which featured seminar and comedy, among other activities, had parents, staff and pupils gathered at the school hall to celebrate the graduands, especially nine who stood out among the lot across Basis Six up to Senior Secondary School classes.

    The best outgoing pupil, Akinsanme Zianat Abike, urged her juniors to be prayerful, hardworking and obey civil instruction given to them by the school authority.

    When asked how she excelled among her peers, she said: “Throughout my stay in this school, I was always prayerful; besides, I’m an avid reader and with obedience to my teachers, God crowned my effort with success.”

     

  • Okonkwo kicks against girl- child marriage

    Wife of presiding Bishop of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Bishop Peace Okonkwo, yesterday condemned the proposed girl- child marriage Bill.

    She described it as unacceptable, urging the National Assembly to throw it out.

    Okonkwo said girls below puberty age are still forming and should not be given out in marriage under any circumstance.

    She spoke at TREM headquarters in Lagos during a free health screening.

    The cleric argued that girls under 18 years are not fully developed and prepared to handle family responsibilities as wives.

    She pegged the appropriate age for marriage at 21 and above when ladies would have received adequate education to develop and face life challenges.

    According to her: “This is a serious issue and I want the National Assembly to look at critically.

    “I don’t support girl child marriage and I don’t think any Christian would. A child grows when she is 18 and above.

    “For me I will allow my daughter to go to school and be educated because marriage is what you do for life.”

     

  • Suswam: Child marriage violates Child Right Act

    Suswam: Child marriage violates Child Right Act

    Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam yesterday said the resolution of the Senate was not in the interest of the Nigerian child.

    The governor said the passing of the bill was against the Child Right Law, the interest of the Nigerian child and human rights.

    He decried the decision of the Senate, which supported child bride marriage, saying the National Assembly should consider the people’s interest before passing the bill.

    Suswam spoke yesterday at the third Criminal Justice Reform Conference organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Minna, the Niger State capital.

    He advised the legislators to be careful when passing such resolution and to understand that Nigeria is a multi-religious state with several ethnic groups tribes and beliefs.

    Represented by Paul Harris, the governor warned that before the passage of such bills or laws, the people’s opinions should be considered.

    He noted that in the child marriage controversy, the people were not considered before such decision was taken.

     

     

     

     

  • Child marriage is crime against humanity

    SIR: Oliver Gold Smith said, ‘Law grinds the poor and rich men rule the law’. That is the case in Nigeria. Education is progressing to a level at which it becomes a game exclusive for the rich and robbers. As if evil is pleasant, as if the people pray for pain and poverty, a greater burden and evil is being introduced, to drain and dry the value of the poor.

    Child marriage, basically for underage girls, is a baseless issue which overtly opines that the essence of the existence of the female folk is to be used and overused or misused by the male folk at will.

    It is irritating that despite hard facts about the evils of child marriage, such as hard evidences of medical implication, many of the people’s representatives prefer to allow child abuse, female oppression, female abuse, in term of child or early marriage.

    There are several cases of Vesico Virginal Fistula (VVF) in Nigeria.

    Nigeria is said to record the highest cases of VVF in the world. The minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina revealed that Nigeria has the highest cases of VVF in the world with an ‘estimated’ 400, 000 to 800,000 cases of which 20,000 cases added annually.

    Why then, should some people fail to consider the well being of the young girl and risk their health by making them liable to becoming victims of VVF? No good reasons for this other than selfishness, Wickedness and heartlessness. Even in slavery, this was extremely unpleasant, infact, not practiced, and only in slavery can people be treated against their comfort, according to the owner’s wish. Children are not commodities, they are not disposable valueless-valuables, but assets worth protecting no matter their sex.

    There are claims that the law makers did not legalise child marriage in their recent resolution; that something similar to child marriage has been in the constitution; that the people should be grateful to the law makers for creating awareness and that many of the critics should not speak as if it is a new thing in the constitution. These claims seem correct- the law makers only refused to delete that law. But, must we retain evil because we did not initiate it? Is it compulsory that only those who make a law or initiate something can alter it? Must we continue everything that was done in the past?

    Concerning error, is it not because we are involved, is it not because it is in us, is it not because we agree with it and because we love to practice it, that make us to conclude that error should remain?

    Child Marriage affects mostly the female (and the poverty stricken frustrated parents). So it is still an aspect of the many evils of ‘a blind patriarchy system’ which still sees female as a property just for man comfort.

    Child Marriage is a crime to humanity. If we discuss the issue according to custom or culture of some people and conclude that it must be allowed, why did we not allow human sacrifice even though it used to be part of the custom of some people?

    Child marriage is a crime to childhood, womanhood and humanity. It is not as if the marriable or the mature are finished or scarce, it is not as if the underage will not attain the proper age so what is the essence of child marriage?

    •  Kuye Samuel O.

    University of Lagos

     

  • Minors’ marriage: Don carpets Mark

    Lagos State University (LASU) senior lecturer Prof Prof Ishaq Akintola has criticised statement by Senate President David Mark on the amendment of the constitution that sparked outrage.

    Akintola described Mark’s blackmail’s claim as “an afterthought, laughable and infantile. The position of the Senate president is unacceptable as he puts the blame on blackmail from Senator Ahmad Sani Yerima. How can a single senator blackmail the whole Senate? Does it mean the Senate President is incompetent? We remind David Mark that the buck stops at his table. He is expected to have built a pressure-resisting system in his anatomy. He should simply resign if he is tired.”

    The amendment on the renouncement of Nigerian citizenship, he said, has been erroneously broadcast.

    Chapter 3 Section 29(1) of the Nigerian constitution states that to renounce citizenship, one must be of full age. Subsection 4 goes further to define full age as a) 18yrs and above and b) woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.

    The 2013 review sought to remove the second qualifier. That is a married woman before Senator Yerima pointed out the reason for the Senate not to do so.

    Akintola, the director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) accused the Senate President of showing signs of submission to coercion as he reportedly accused Senator Ahmad Sani of blackmailing the Senate to leave the controversial clause untouched.

    He described as unnecessary the criticisms which have greeted Islam’s approval of marriage to minors.

    According to him, contemptuous cartoons, satirical essays, dirty language and insults have all been used recklessly in the past few days to assail Muslims and intimidate lawmakers.

    His words: “MURIC will not descend so low as to exchange dirty language. We have respect for all homo sapien and for all groups. We also hold firmly to our avowed motto: ‘Dialogue, No Violence’. We will join none in heating up the polity because we know the value of peace in the society. Therefore we will not trade insults. Whether people abuse or not, it will not change the facts on ground. Superior argument based on facts will always remain superior, at least to intelligent minds. Nobody can intimidate us.

    “Instead of jogging people’s emotion, MURIC hereby presents facts and figures on legal marriage age around the world for Nigerians to see and judge.

    “In New Hampshire, United States, legal marriage age is 13 for girls and 14 for boys! In Michigan (US) it is 15 but girls can be married below 15 with parental consent. In Indiana (US) a girl can be married at 14 if she becomes pregnant. In Hawaii and Georgia (US) it is 15 with parental consent.

    “Now let us go outside America, in Britain it is 16, in fact it is 15 in most European countries; In Venezuela it is 14 with parental consent, 14 in Paraguay, 14 in Mexico, Bolivia 14. Coming to the African continent, the legal marriage age is 14 in Mozambique and 15 in Gabon. In Angola it is 15, Niger 15, Cameroon 15, Congo DR 15, Benin 15, Kenya 16 and Madagascar 14. In Equitorial Guinea it is 12!

    So what is all the noise about? Tanzania adds a more pragmatic scenario: the legal marriage age is 14 but girls below 12 can marry for religious reason with the proviso that the marriage will not be consummated until the girl reaches 12. Gambia, Maldives, Saudi Arabia and Sudan place no age limit at all on marriage. Nigeria ranks among the most conservative in this area as marriage age is still 18 under the law.”

  • Annie Idibia back on set after marriage

    Annie Idibia back on set after marriage

    MONTHS after her star studded wedding with African Queen crooner, 2face Idibia, delectable actress, Annie Idibia is back on set doing what she knows how to do best.

    The mother of one is now busy, saddled with a role in a movie produced by Uche Jombo. The movie is said to be the first Annie is working on after her marriage.

    Annie first hit the limelight as a housemate of the Next Movie Star in 2005 and she later made a bold impression on TV in the drama series tagged ‘Flat Mates’. She has also starred in movies like Blackberry Babes, Facebook Love, Irresistible Urge and others.

  • We didn’t vote on marriage age, says Senate

    We didn’t vote on marriage age, says Senate

    Overwhelmed by public reaction, the Senate yesterday said its members did not vote on Marriage Age.

    It said the Child’s Right Act is still intact and the lawful age of marriage is 18years.

    The Senate made the clarifications in a special note in Abuja by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinaya Abaribe.

    The note said: “For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did the senators vote, neither did they ever deliberate on any clause that has to do with marriage age. They also did not vote to introduce any new law on underage marriage.

    “The senators only voted to amend some clauses in the articles that were already in the constitution. What is important is for the issue to be put in its proper perspective.

    “This clarification has become necessary because of the wilful and deliberate act to distort and misinform the general public on what was never discussed nor contemplated by the distinguished senators.

    “At no time was marriage as a section of the constitution discussed or voted for.”

    The Senate gave details on what transpired at its plenary last week during the consideration of proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution.

    The Senate said: “It is pertinent for the public to know that the section up for amendment had to do with persons qualified to renounce Nigerian citizenship.

    “The 1999 constitution as amended in Section 29, (which has suddenly become a hot issue for both informed and uninformed interpretation in the press and social media) states in Section 1 S29(1): ‘Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation”. S29(4): ‘For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, (a) ‘full age’ means the age of 18 years and above; (b) ‘any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age’

    “The prevailing view of the committee before the initial vote was that Section 29(4) (a) was gender-neutral but with section 29(4) (b) specifically mentioning ‘woman’, it now looked discriminatory and, as such, is in conflict with Section 42 of the constitution, which prohibits discrimination of any form. The committee thus sought for it to be expunged from the constitution.

    “Senators therefore voted earlier to expunge that sub section and it scaled through by 75 votes. Note that under the constitution, to amend any clause you will need 2/3 of the members of the Senate, which translates to 73 votes.

    “However, the revisiting of the voting on that section was to take care of objections raised by distinguished Senator Ahmad Sani Yerima, among others. He pointed out that removing the clause 29(4) (b) contradicts section 61 of the second schedule of the constitution which restricts the National Assembly from considering matters relating to Islamic and Customary law.

    “Revisiting the section was pure and simple a pragmatic approach. It had to be so, considering that the Senate as the representative of the people, represents all interests and all shades of opinion.

    “Therefore, a fresh vote was called and even though those who wanted that section expunged were more in number, they failed to muster the needed votes to get it through. What it meant was that majority of senators voted to remove it, but they were short of the 2/3 majority or (73) required to alter an article of the constitution.

    “Had voting in constitutional amendment not been based on the mandatory two-third or (73) votes of senators at the sitting, perhaps the issue would have been rested by now, but be that as it may the outcome of the voting remains the position of the Senate. S29 (4) (b) still remains part of the constitution.”

    The Senate insisted that by the provision of The Child Rights Act, the lawful marriage age in the country is still 18 years.

    It said: “The National Assembly in 2003 had passed ‘The Child Rights Act’ which specifically took care of the fears being expressed in a cross section of the media. The Act clearly states in Section 21: “No person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage and accordingly, any marriage so contracted is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

    22. 1. “No parent, guardian or any other person shall betroth a child to any person.”

    2. A betrothal in contravention of subsection (1) of this section is null and void.

    “Therefore under the Childs Right Act, the lawful age of marriage is 18 years.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Miss Nigeria takes campaign against child marriage to Reps

    Miss Nigeria takes campaign against child marriage to Reps

    MISS Nigeria Akudo Ezinne Anyaoha plans to petition the House of Representatives over child marriage.

    The Law graduate of Abia State University, Uturu will present a petition, in which she describes child marriage as a violation of human rights.

    She said: “These children are not prepared for the tedious demands of marriage and family life. Supporting underage marriage will keep relegating the girl-child to the background and will also reduce her chances of being educated to liberate herself.

    “Child marriage perpetuates poverty and leads to poor health as children will not only be withdrawn from their peers but will also have psychological trauma and physical challenges, such as Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF).”

    The beauty queen, who in the next few weeks will launch her pet project, said she is determined to use her office to fight sexual violence.

    According to her, child marriage is not only harmful to the girl-child but also to the family, community and the nation, because it stifles development.

    Miss Anyaoha urged Nigerians to unite against child marriage.

    “This is the right time for all well-meaning Nigerians to come out and speak against this shameful act. This is because it will go a long way to derail the current Transformation Agenda of the current administration and subsequently place the Nigerian girl far behind her peers across the world.

    “I want to urge the House of Representatives to follow the path of honour by rejecting this particular clause during their clause-to-clause consideration of the amended part of the constitution,” she added.