Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has taken a proactive step to support 100 orphaned girls in Niger State, who are set to undergo a mass wedding today, Friday.
Gatekeepers News reports that the minister announced scholarships and distributed various gift items to the girls, despite initially opposing the mass wedding due to concerns about child rights violations.
The mass wedding, sponsored by the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, has sparked controversy, with the minister petitioning the Inspector General of Police to stop the wedding, citing the Child Rights Act.
However, the Speaker and other stakeholders, including the Niger State Council of Imams and the Muslim Rights Concern, have defended the wedding, stating that it is a cultural and religious practice.
In a press conference, the minister explained that her initial opposition was misunderstood and that she only sought to ensure the girls’ safety and consent.
She announced scholarships for the girls up to university level and directed that bank accounts be opened for each of them to receive a stipend for six months.
The Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, expressed regret that the issue was politicized and thanked the minister for her intervention. He emphasized that the mass wedding was intended to support the girls, mostly orphans, due to insecurity in his constituency.
The Emir of Kontagora, Mohammed Muazu, also supported the girls with a donation of a sewing machine each. The minister’s representative, Adaji Usman, presented 10 Point of Sale machines, 100 wrappers, and 350 bags of rice to the girls.
This intervention highlights the ongoing efforts to balance cultural and religious practices with the protection of child rights and empowerment of young girls in Nigeria.
