Which way Nigeria? It is important we put an end to child marriage

The 25th anniversary of the African Union Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which has been dedicated to ending child marriage on the continent, could not have come at a more auspicious time in our country. Just last week, the Office of the Attorney General of Kano State withdrew the four-count charge of culpable homicide punishable with death against a child bride named Wasila. She was 14 at the time she committed the crime for which she was being tried.

The story of Wasila is pathetic. Without any foreknowledge of her responsibilities as a wife, she was compelled by her father to marry a 35-year- old married man. The agony she endured when her husband forcefully had sexual relations with her compelled her to begin plotting how to stop him from further hurting her. When the senior wife prepared the meal on her behalf (as is the practice with a new bride), she allegedly laced the meal with poison before serving her husband who ate the food with three friends, all of who later died.

While we commend the Kano authorities for discontinuing the case, we note with dismay that the state is yet to enact the Child Rights Law, which would have enabled the trial of Wasila under more compassionate protections. That fact notwithstanding, the Children and Young Persons Law, which covers the arrest, detention and trial of children in conflict with the law, provides some measure of cover, albeit without the same clarity in terms of age and penalties for offences committed.
As the law stands, therefore, a minor could be tried for the offence of culpable homicide punishable with death. But as a child below the age of 17, even if the prosecution is able to prove all the ingredients of the offence, she cannot be sentenced to death, although she can be detained in lawful custody 'at the pleasure of the Governor'.


As Nigerians therefore marks the 2015 Day of the African Child, it is important that we put an end to child marriage. Still in her formative years, a little girl is relocated upon marriage to an entirely new environment and, more likely, to a much older man. With such wide age disparity and possibly hostile co-wives, compounded with the overwhelming responsibilities of marriage and motherhood that she is ill-prepared for, the life of such girl is put in danger. Deprived of education, skills and the capacity for self-sufficiency, the child bride suffers physical, mental and emotional trauma.

The child bride is condemned to a life of diminished opportunities, without the hope of ever acquiring the self-esteem or confidence to negotiate critical decisions relating to her own life. These sundry challenges merely serve to entrench and exacerbate poverty, as the woman is rendered incapable of rising above her abject circumstances. Indeed, not being in a position to appreciate the value of education, the chances of her children improving themselves through formal structures are even slimmer.

It is noteworthy that after a careful reflection of Wasila's incident and the prerequisites of liability, the Attorney General of Kano State acted compassionately and within his powers in applying that the trial be terminated. The families of the deceased have since been approached and the matter closed, accordingly.

There can be no better illustration for the campaign to delay marriage, at least until the girl is educated, mature and sufficiently prepared for such an exacting institution, than the death of four men. Wasila's case only vividly demonstrates the danger endemic in thrusting a physically and mentally immature girl into an unbearable situation, thereby compelling her to devise any means of escape to freedom. We must put an end to such tragedies.

cc: Lalasticlala
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/day-of-the-african-child/212112/

Origin of the Day of the African Child.

The 16th of June is commemorated each year as the Day of the African Child. This commemoration was adopted on 16 June 1991 to honour those who had laid down their lives for the cause of freedom in South Africa. By adopting this day as the Day of the African Child, the African Union has drawn attention to the plight, not only of children in South Africa, but also to the plight of children across Africa.

The day has also become an opportunity to examine the progress of the implementation of the regional African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. This Charter, which came into force in November 1999 is the first regional treaty on the rights of the child and complements the African Charter on Human and People's rights as well as the United Nations convention on The Rights of the Child. Despite the progressive nature of the treaty and initiatives that accompany it, there remain enormous challenges such as poverty, violence and disease to overcome before justice to the status of the child can be claimed.

Each year a specific issue facing The African Child is chosen as a particular focus, and the focus for the day this year is ending child marriage in Africa.

cc: Lalasticlala
http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/day-african-child

The last senate passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Chris Anyanwu, (Sexual Offences Bill, 2015)
which prescribes life imprisonment for rapists and those who have sexual intercourse with children under 11 years.
Reference here: http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2015/06/03/senate-passes-sexual-offences-bill-rapists-get-life-imprisonment/

This is a very good bill on the surface but let really look at it.
What happens to the children between 12 to 18 years who are been molested daily?
Is the law giving them freedom since it only prosecutes evil done to kids below 11 years?
Or is the law now saying kids from twelve years should be viewed as adults when it comes to sexual issues? While they must get to 18 year to get a driving licence.

What is your view on this. Which way is Nigeria heading to?

Cc: lalasticlala

Ok so it has been shifted from may 27 abi



For the records African child's day is incomplete without the celebration of paedophiles, child traffickers, sex machineries aka born and sell


continue deceiving yasef



with the way things are going any child born into poverty or born by poor parents is already an endangered specie and a potential cause for unrest in africa

SHe will receive introduction to squalor and malnutrition at her elementary stage and then pushed into forced marriage at her formative stage. Education for her is a dream never to come true




the boy will be exposed to domestic and external vices he has to cope with from his elementary stage to his youthful stage. He will learn to find a way to overcome poverty on his own. If he's lucky to survive good for him if he's not lucky to survive or finds himself in juvenile detention to bad




vicious cycle that will keep engraving poverty and child abuse will continue



happy celebration

Nigerian children hustling to survive



their mothers aka sex slaves are busy churning them out without prior provision for nothing and their fathers are in front of their house playing draft with no plan of feeding protecting or educating the children. Continue

Many un catered African children are the potential destructionfof future Africa

its a shame that we have not done enough for our kids that the reason for

thugs in lagos

militants in niger delta

boko haram in the north

had we given them a good education they would be meaninfull to the society

and for the girl child her case is worse... sex slave, early unwilling marriage, domestic slave