Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has announced the suspension of the planned mass wedding of 100 girls in Niger State, following a meeting with the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, and the Emir of Kotangora, Mohammed Mu’azu.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Minister had earlier petitioned the Inspector-General of Police and sought a court injunction to stop the wedding, citing concerns about the girls’ welfare and rights. Sarkindaji subsequently cancelled his participation in the event and asked the minister to take over.
Kennedy-Ohanenye told journalists that she and Sarkindaji have reconciled their differences and are now working together to find alternative solutions for the girls.
“I want to let you know that as I speak to you now, I’m at peace with my royal father, Emir of Kontagora, Mohammed Bara’u Mu’azu, and I am in good terms with my brother, the Speaker. We have made peace,” she said.
The Emir of Kotangora also confirmed that the proposed wedding has been suspended and expressed his emirate’s willingness to partner with the ministry to provide a new lease of life for the girls. Kennedy-Ohanenye said her ministry has taken “the entire village as a job” and promised to extend opportunities for education and skill acquisition beyond the 100 girls to other orphans in the community.
The minister described herself as a “protective mother hen” committed to defending the rights and safety of the vulnerable girls under her care. A meeting with the girls will be held to discuss their individual needs and preferences, and the ministry will work to provide a better future for them.
The court injunction obtained by the minister remains in place until all issues are resolved.
She added: “So, I have no problem with anybody. I have no problem with any religion, all I want to say is please don’t tamper with my children, don’t tamper with my women.
“My brother, the Speaker came to my office, and we have partnered (ministry of women affairs and the Speaker) to empower these women.
“The ones that want to go to school, we will send them to school. This ministry has taken up this village now as a job, and I am promising Nigerians. I am going to empower them with sustainable economic empowerment.
“By talking to them, I will know the kind of things they like to farm, and I will give them huge machines. If it is rice, beans, or corn, I will put one for a whole village to manage themselves and onboard them in the system on our portal.
“And whatever the federal government is doing for every other person, all of them will get it.
“I will go to the extent of giving them small phones—at least one in each family—to enable them to communicate and get involved in the portal so that they will be like every other woman.
“Because the speaker told me a lot of things concerning the village, like how they are always tormented by the bandits, everybody ends up there. If bandits want to hide, they end up there.
“But I am going to send them to this particular community, and these children will be able to go to school. We will empower them, teach them skills, and give them what to start off their skills with.
“I will equally help them on marketing whatever they will make out of their skills. We shall not, we will not abandon them.
“We are now working together to make sure we better the lives of these girls, not just the 100 girls but all the orphans, all the people that have been affected by this banditry and the insecurity we used to have before.”
The minister said her position on the matter reflects the wishes of President Bola Tinubu and thanked Nigerians for supporting her initiatives.
