After her initial confrontation with the Speaker of the Niger House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, and traditional institutions in the state over the plan to marry out 100 orphaned girls, the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has resolved to work with stakeholders in the state in the interest of the would-be brides.
She insisted that the suit she instituted in court against the move would not be withdrawn for now.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, Kennedy-Ohanenye assured that she and His Royal Highness, Alhaji Mohommed Muazu, the Emir of Kontagora, Niger State, as well as the Speaker, had come to an agreement on empowering the ladies one way or the other.
She said she was concerned about how the husbands of the girls would take care of them, stating that marrying them off is one thing and taking care of them is another.
“This is among the reasons I went to court as soon as I heard, to get an injunction to stop the marriage from taking place”, she said.
According to the minister, the court injunction to stop the mass marriage of the hundred orphans was secured within 48 hours.
She said: “To think that this kind of thing still happens in Nigeria is unbelievable.
“As soon as I got the court injunction, the Etsu Nupe called me, asking for peace. Next was the Emir of Kotangora coming to my office.
“We later resolved the issue, taking decisions that will be beneficial to these ladies.
“The Emir assured me of a thorough investigation and said the marriage will not be carried out until the investigation is over.
“To me, this solves the problem.
“I want Nigerians to know that this has nothing to do with religion. I am just doing my job as a mother.
“Presently, the Ministry of Women Affairs is in partnership with the Speaker Niger State House of Assembly, Abdul Malik Sarkindaji’s government to empower these ladies.
“Those that want to go to school will be sent to school, and the ones who want to learn trades will be empowered to do so.
“We are taking this as a challenge. I will empower these women with sustainable economic empowerment”.
The minister quoted the Speaker as saying that the village where the ladies came from was overrun by bandits. The village, according to her, is a hideout for bandits.
“President Ahmed Bola Tinubu will not fold his hands and watch people suffer, so he will definitely do something about it”, she said.
According to her, the Ministry of Women Affairs will for now focus on empowering the girls as well as others affected by insecurity in the state.
She also said in a tweet yesterday that the case she instituted in court would not be withdrawn until due diligence had been done in the matter.
Last week, the Speaker, Sarkindaji, announced plans to marry off 100 orphans in his constituency as part of measures to alleviate their sufferings.
While the development sparked national outrage, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) urged the minister to withdraw the litigation and petition she wrote to the Inspector General of Police.
In a statement, the Chairman of Kano State Chapter of MURIC, Malam Hassan Indabawa, on Thursday night, urged Nigerians to learn to respect one another’s culture and tradition.
“We found harsh and hasty the decision taken by the Honourable Minister for Women Affairs over a matter that is entirely beyond the scope of her ministry.
“The minister’s attempt at media demonization of marrying off 100 poor and orphaned girls who were largely traumatised for losing both parents to brutal and bloody banditry and insurgency, exposed her ignorance to the culture and traditions of the Muslim North.
“This elaborate media blitz over the matter, MURIC observed, was deliberately done to sway public opinion against the marriage institution, and an attempt to vilify Sarkin-Daji after demonstrating his genuine concern for the needs of members of his constituency”, Indabawa said.
The marriage arrangement in question is slated to take place on 24 May 2024.
