The planned mass wedding of about 100 orphans has sparked widespread outrage across Nigeria.
The orphans, some of whom are feared to be underage girls, are set to be married off on May 24 in the north-western state of Niger. These children have all lost their parents to attacks by armed bandits, who frequently target civilians in the state.
Nigeria’s Women’s Affairs Minister, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, announced she has filed a court order to stop the ceremony. Reports indicate that the mass wedding is supported by the Speaker of the Niger State Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, who stated that local religious leaders had approached him for financial assistance for the event.
The Imams Forum of Niger insists the marriage ceremony should proceed, claiming the girls are not below the legal marriage age of 18. However, critics are concerned that some girls might be younger than 18 or being coerced into marriage for financial reasons.
Minister Kennedy-Ohanenye emphasized that the girls “deserve better” and that her department is investigating the identities, ages, and consent of the 100 girls. She stated that her department would provide education and training for the girls, warning that if the Niger State speaker attempts to obstruct these efforts, “there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Ministry of Women Affairs.”
On Friday, senior presidential aide Abiodun Essiet supported Ms. Kennedy-Ohanenye’s plan of action. Ms. Essiet urged stakeholders to avoid policies and programs that exploit vulnerable individuals, perpetuate poverty, and deepen ignorance.
Human rights activists in Nigeria have launched a petition to stop the plan, which had gathered 10,500 signatures by Friday evening. According to the international campaign group Girls Not Brides, 30% of girls and 1.6% of boys in Nigeria are married before the age of 18, with 12% of girls married before their 15th birthday. Child marriages are most common in northern Nigeria, among poor, rural households, where it is seen as a means to alleviate financial burdens or forge political and social alliances. The predominantly Muslim region also follows cultural norms, such as polygamy, that favor the practice.