Section 29 of the Nigerian constituition , allows citizens who are of age to renounce Nigerian citizenship if they wish; and the constitution says, 18-year-old and above shall be considered to be “of age”. Adding that a woman or girl who is married, shall also be considered to be of age; a section that could be interpreted to imply that even a day old child, once married, shall be considered to be “of age”.
The Upper Legislative Chamber of Nigeria s House of Assembly has ratified that early child marriage be made legal, this new act of parliament subject to ratification from the lower House of Assembly before it becomes law, as triggered, a tidal wave protests from the civil society and ordinary man on the street.
According to Nollywood actress, Stephanie Linus Okereke, “this new bill, when referenced in the larger picture will make a paedophile, who married an 8-year-old (as I have seen in Nigeria) not liable because his “Child wife” is automatically considered an adult. The likes of him will immediately point you to section 29, subsection 4b that says “Any woman who is married shall be ‘deemed to be of full age’,.adding that “The child that got married did not chose to do so on her own will, she was forced into marriage and should not be deemed an adult as a result.”
Of a truth, we all need to protect the girl child from abuse and stop those heartless and worthless parents & politicians who have sold their souls to the devil to steal childhood from those innocent kids. Click HERE to sign an online petition and watch the unofficial trailer of ‘DRY’ a Stephanie Linus film that talks about child marriage and makes awareness about the disease that goes with it.
VVF – VesicaVagina Fistula: This disease is caused by early marriage, it’s an abnormal fistulous tract in women and girls which extends between the bladder and the vagina and causes involuntary urination. It’s caused by prolonged complicated labour which is as a result of narrow pelvis bones, marital age etc. The leakage is often accompanied by repulsive smell which leads to social isolation. The disease has both socio-cultural and psychological consequences and it increases maternal mortality in a country.