₦airaland Forum

Marriage of 4-yr-old child to 54-yr-old man conducted to save toddler’s life — parents
Marriage of 4-yr-old child to 54-yr-old man conducted to save toddler’s life — parents


The Dec. 26, 2023 marriage between a four-year-old ‘bride’ and a 54-year-old man in a Bayelsa community is a traditional rite to save the child’s life, according to her parents.

They claimed that the marriage, conducted in Akeddei community in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa, was a spiritual rite to ‘untie’ the duo who were betrothed in their “previous lives”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the girl’s parents, the 54-year-old man, a traditional ruler and others, who participated in the marriage, were summoned by Bayelsa Government following a public outcry.




Parents of the ‘bride’ and three others on Thursday appeared before the state government’s Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) to explain their roles in child marriage.

The government team comprised the Chairman of GRiT, Dr Dise Ogbise-Goddy and the Bayelsa State Coordinator of the Child Protection Network, Kizito Andah.

Others are the Chairman of Bayelsa Non-Governmental Forum, Mr Taritei Boco and representatives of DO Foundation, National Human Rights Commission and Civil Society Groups.

The team heard submissions from the father of the toddler, Mr Morris Aboma, the “groom”, Mr Akpos Napoleon and the Paramount ruler, Chief Moneyman Binabo.

In their separate submissions before the government team, they all insisted that the purported child marriage was a traditional practice termed “Koripamo” aimed to save the little girl’s life.

They explained that it was a cultural practice in Akeddei community, Oyakiri clan, that if a girl child always fell sick, a man would be required to drop a symbolic amount as token to save the little girl from dying.

The community representatives said that what transpired between the little girl and Napoleon was not a marriage but an Ijaw cultural practice called ” Koripamo”.


They further explained that whenever the traditional rite of “Koripamo” was conducted, the man who paid the token was not required to take the girl as a wife.


“The traditional rite will also not stop the girl from marrying any man of her choice when she grows up to the age of marriage.

According to the Ijaw tradition, this rite can be done on a boy child or girl child.

Father of the child, Aboma, who spoke in Ijaw language, said his daughter was always sick to the point of death.

He said that according to Akeddei tradition, the only way to save her life is for a man to pay a symbolic price and save the child’s life and that it had nothing to do with a real marriage.


According to the “groom”, the outcry that trailed the rite is regrettable as all he did was just to save the child’s life as she is no longer sick again.

He said that such tradition had been going on but it had not been elaborately celebrated with fanfare like the Dec. 26, 2023 event which drew widespread reactions and outrage.

“But since she says if I don’t do what she says she will die, I had to look for money and do it since it involves life; as it is, I am frustrated by this whole issue,” Napoleon lamented.

The paramount ruler of Akeddei community, Binabo said he heard of a marriage in the community during the festivities.

The traditional ruler said that he did not, however have full details, not until the DPO of Sagbama Police Station asked him to produce those that got married in the community.


Binabo further said he had to invite the parents of the little girl to get detailed information of what happened on the marriage day.

He said the parents told him that the little girl had been sick and that one Napoleon had to drop a symbolic amount.

He emphasised that what happened in Akeddei community was not a formal marriage but a fulfilment of a cultural practice.

He, however, said that what surprised him was the demand of the little girl for an elaborate ceremony involving foods, canopy and a sound system be hired to celebrate the marriage.

The paramount ruler noted further that the man who paid the token on the girl was not expected to take her home to live as husband and wife, nor stop the girl from marrying any other person of her choice when she got old enough to marry.


On their parts, Andah and Boco said from the submission of the parents of the little girl, the ‘husband’ and the paramount ruler of Akeddei community, what happened was not a formal marriage but a cultural practice known as “Koripamo”.

The duo noted that from the information gathered, the little girl had not been sexually abused as confirmed by Dr James Omietimi at GRIT office and that the child was living a normal life with no relationship with the 54-year-old.

Immediately after the meeting, Chairman of GRIT , Ogbise-Goddy stated that the deliberation was frank and fruitful and promised to give further update on the matter.

She said that the Bayelsa Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Development and all stakeholders would review the situation and take a decision.

“Like I had stated earlier, the Bayelsa State Government is child-friendly and will do anything to protect all the children of the state from any form of perceived abuse,” Ogbise-Goddy said


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/01/marriage-of-4-yr-old-child-to-54-yr-old-man-conducted-to-save-toddlers-life-parents/


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Mynd44
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koondog:
Even Yorubaas too. Based on WAEC results in recent years, they are not far from Northerners. Evidenced in how both of them vote failures.

Which WAEC results in recent years ?

Yoruba have always have the highest numbers of students that passed WAEC every year.

Fishandchips:
Pump and Dump

What do you mean by pump and dump ?

Do you even understand what stable coin mean ? The value will always be equal to the naira so it won't pump, it mean 1cNGN will always be 1Naira.


It will be like USDT that is pegged to US dollar, using the same blockchain technology.

It have good potential

Animegirl:
I'm not at all. I was taught by life experience never judge a book by its cover.

but in that comment of yours you judged a book by its cover.

It is not your fault, that's the vibe that turn women on same way men can't resist a woman with big boobs, ass and fine face.

Animegirl:
I fear calm guys more than anything in life especially the ones looking like pastors better you know a yahoo boy through the way he dresses than someone looking like pastors, they're always sex starve.

Don't quote

You are like every typical girls, attracted to guys that look like bad boys.

Gadafii:
I will disagree with you slightly on your submission

I carefully select my girls, the type that are valuable and can take care of their basic needs
My girl for example has spent more on me that I have, she gifts more and some times I collect money from her to fix stuff and later send to her, with interest

I don’t have problem helping my girl, because of value we have added to each other, but you see all these entitled ones, Dem no fit see my five naira

Continue that practice make her invest in the relationship very well, the other thing that can make a woman stay very long in a relationship is if she have really committed a lot of things and invest.

Seun:
If you help a man, he will appreciate it for a long time. If you forget, he will remind you. It is as if he owes you a debt. The guy that helped me to bring back Nairaland in 2014 could do no wrong in my eyes until last year. And even now, you won't catch me saying anything against him.

If you help a woman, she will appreciate it for a short time. 3 days. A week. A month. 3 months. Then it's as if you never helped her. It's history. Your help is like a subscription. Once it expires, you can be ghosted. Unless you renew it. And there are many other subscribers, so stop feeling as if yours was such a big deal. 😭

PS: Please o; I don't do redpill. Women are not ungrateful. They recieve help all the time, which they deserve. I'm just speaking from pain.

You don't have to do the redpill but what most men don't know is that the knowledge helps.

Having knowledge of Redpills will help you in various aspects even if you don't use it.

Jeon:
Lolz.
nah one redpill sister be this.
Their sisters are not useless like Nigerian ladies.


😁 They have morals and dicknities . Because this is what their brothers are always teaching.

Redpill show you pepper to the extent of changing your gender on Nairaland

Killerofpigs:
Y-PIGs with IGR can't even change their roofs .

Just like Yours

vanbonattel:
We said it, excuses to remain poor and unable to change an old roof or renovate their grandfather's old houses.

It is not leaking, if it is no one will be living under it.

Changing your roof just because some monkeys that can't survive without your region say it's not aesthetic enough, isn't sensible.


If there is no single brown roof in South west you think they wouldn't say trash about south west?

Even as Lagos is the most developed state in Nigeria they still call it slum and so even if the whole south west have no single brown roof they will still find something bad to say about it.

kettykin:
No wonder they never traveled to the village even for salla celebrations all are becoming citizens of Lagos.

The land is a visual representation of a blackhole neighborhood, tufiakwa

Look at the black hole below

Nigercity:
South West
And it backward cities

South East is the smallest region in Nigeria but still very backward, Imagine 50m igbo taking forever to develop a region as big as Oyo State, all you know is beating chest.

This is Oyo state
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTLUfQUKXZU?si=53mcYuQCO9ILGrId


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiVrjES1LEs?si=-i93a9BNBKxwBCT2

killsmith:
They are coming to give excuses to glorify poverty.

Those roofs were shinning like silver when they attached it to the building. It is not poverty but just the type of roofing sheets that became corroded, the building are in good shape wouldn't even shake with heavy storm and rain

Isobug:
Initially, they thought the GOC was from South East and was already making moves their stupid head-slaming genocidal act until it became clear he was a South west man. Even yelobas were also busy online garnishing the moves just set up the North against the igbos only to understand later it was one of their own that gave the command and everything died a natural death.
You can never see the igbos setting groups against groups for any reason whatsoever. If they are coming for you, they would come for you knowing that you provoke them

The Ironic thing is that you are the one that couldn't hide your bigotry and an hypocrite.

The former GOC was no longer there the new GOC that was in charge is an Igbo man , Okoro. It was an Igbo man that gave the command , the gibberish you are spewing is false.

Ogun is the most industrialized state in Nigeria after Lagos and Abuja, you will still see one factory Job to do in ogun if you have the skills.


Some people are boasting of having indigenous companies if not for the sake of not making too much noise even the number of Indigenous companies in Ogun state beat them.

tempest01:
Terrorism will not be eradicated as long as security receives one of the highest budgets year on year.

If it stops, the budget reduces.

Which kind of mentality do you guys have ?

You truly believe terrorism will magically disappear if Nigerian military get peanuts as budgets ? The IQ of most Nigerians really baffle me.

The weapons and armory our forces uses are not cheap, our military suppose to have the highest budgets in Nigeria if we really want to eradicate terrorists and insecurities.

Do you know how much country like Germany, France, USA etc put in their military every year? even those that are not at war and manufacture most of their weapons and equipment.

Many of you claim our military forces are poorly equiped but don't want high budget for them and which sector truly deserve high budget more than our forces that put their lives on the line to defend the country. What you should be demanding is accountability not underfunding the military.

USA have one of the best forces in the world today because their military have the highest budgets.

BitterTruth0001:
How many yoruba people’s properties have been destroyed in Anambra ?

How many Igbo people properties have been destroyed in Lagos ?

Yoruba would target your properties and you people would still be in Lagos state ?

Fire can not happen in Lagos again without you people giving it a tribal profile, most of the people affected in the market fire occurred were even Yoruba but you are the one crying victimization with it. Ironic and Pathetic

Tallesty1:
Okay.... Obi got six thousands votes in Lagos, but according the statistics from your brothers; at least 10 Ekenedili Chukwu buses[two per state in south east] load Igbos and drop them in Lagos every day so one can say that the votes Obi got is not even up to number of Igbos that enter Lagos monthly.

Secondly you and Falz who saw and agreed to what I am saying were disowned by your people. Omo Ale trended because you supported an Igbo person.

FKK is celebrating the NEW NIGERIA formed by Yoruba and hausa/fulani.

Igbos were threatened by your people, their businesses were destroyed and some of them had gunshot injuries.

Igbos have never killed any Yoruba person in his or her farm, I am not sure they have started any riot in Yoruba land.

Yoruba and Hausa and Fulani have been fighting and killing each other in recent history.

There was a massacre in a church by Fullani Herdsmen in youba land.

But when it was the time to unite and remove the leaders that watched while people were killed, Yorubas aligned with Hausa Fulani.

So why should I pity anyone that dies or even feel sorry? 

Bro, it is unfortunate that your people who see things the way you do are few.

Tinubu came first, Atiku came second, and Obi came third but Obi is constantly under attack by your people. Nobody talks about Kwankwaso or Atiku. Your people are the one calling for Obi's head, not any other group.

Bro, if you are online here during operation python dance, then i am sure you saw how your people used the pictures of our dead brothers and sisters to taunt and torment us for months.

I sincerely don't know why we are having this discussion. You and I know that this killing started again because Tinubu and his vice won, it is the truth and you know it.

It is not because of Tinubu this issues is as old as Nigeria and it happens in all region of the country


It wasn't Fulani herdsmen that massacred a church in Ondo it was bandits from Kogi state when they captured them they were not Fulani.

Fulani excesses in the west don't excuse you guys disrespect for Yoruba and that doesn't mean we must tolerate your excesses.



Very soon Fulani will attack somewhere in the East too and we shall gloat to it.

a4cube:
That means the train will run at a loss. You think the Alabarus and the Agbo sellers can afford the train ride?

The Gov will crucify you for writing this nonsense.

So it is wheel barrow pushers and traffic Fan yogo and gala hawkers that can afford the train ? They can only sell gala and meat pie around there and start constituting nuisance around the place until it turn to a pigsty like your region.

Only dead brain IPOBs will believe 3 people can push a train.

The guy speaking in the video was an Igbo guy according to his accent, see the rate at which Igbo are in oppositions to Lagos government to the extent of posting propagandas against the government won't end well for you people.

Igbo in Lagos won't see anything good in Lagos government unless they have their guy as the governor. Yoruba in Lagos won't allow Igbo to be the one deciding who is going to be our governor in Lagos state.


Your propaganda can only fool gullible Yoruba, if someone like GRV become governor of Lagos State tomorrow your people will also be the one defending any of his bad policies and actions because he is your guy. Leave Lagos and South west politics for Yoruba if you don't then expect the consequences, you can start meddling in Lagos politics the day Yoruba in Anambra come out to declare as oppositions against APGA in Anambra.

Ogene001:
For your information, there is also Seriki Hausawa all over Igboland. Only weak people like you feel threatened by these things

Shut up

We shall see what you will say If the Oba in Awka threaten to invite OPC to Awka or Seriki Hausa threaten to Invite Bandits witk Ak47 from the north to Awka.

obyrich:
Cite one incident of any attack on Yoruba residents in any part of Igboland? Are you not even surprised that this is the 3rd Oba in succession in Awka? Why are Yorubas burning down Igbos businesses in Lagos?

Besides nobody invited IPOB to Lagos.

Which Yoruba are burning down Igbo businesses in Lagos ?

Yoruba businesses were also among the businesses burnt down during the fire incidents in Lagos state.

Why don't you talk about your brother that burnt down BRT buses in Lagos during end sars ?

would any Yoruba man survive burning down any government infrastructure in Anambra ?

#KemitalksNigeria

When our uncle Adekunle Fajuyi was murdered in the 1966 counter coup, he had no house of his own and died a poor man. Late Aunty Eunice never remarried and lived a great life. The kids were so young. It was Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialasiwajubat who built her a mansion and some members of Afenifere who helped educate the kids in school.

https://www.facebook.com/405398802881268/posts/pfbid02ov6CoKDfho48T5Fp46QzTFQV2dcxcs2fZKCBYBzfVXfqXHaj8xzJSMcxjyToqLeFl/?app=fbl



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Mynd44
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