Let's start with a burning issue. CHILD"S RIGHT ACT. Signed into law in Nigeria by the Senate and House of Representatives in 2003, the same law makers are publicly breaking it. What future for Nigeria? One of its provision is protect a child from all forms of abuse- physical, verbal, sexual etc, and more especially child labour and marriage. Female genital mutilation has been abolished and we see results in that aspect, but for a senator and former state governor to openly, and unashamedly marry and celebrate the "union" in the Federal capital, tells us what a country we live in.
Many have cried, screamed, voiced their displeasure, anger and frustration at the type of "rulers" we have in Nigeria, who flaunt laws and go scot free, occasionally celebrated by their peers and relations, but nothing is been done to address this. The same law "breakers" are asking for a review of their take home pays, yet the common Nigerian can not feed daily, does not have shelter over his head and can not travel from one place to another without been mogged or his vehicle broken by deteriorating road networks.
The senator in question still has the 13 year old girl in his house and I wonder what he really intends to do with her. A wife is supposed to support her husband, help him raise a family, discuss issues relating to family, serve him meals he has contributed to produce or provide, make his loins relaxed after a hard day's work and bring forth children that will propagate the specie. Now I ask law breaker, 'What is this 13 year old girl going to do for you in your house hold as a child and wife?' Her first child will only be 14 or 15 years younger, and we have siblings with similar age differences. She will stay home to provide for this child and forfeit her education in so doing. This breaches another crucial aspect of the child's right act. Right to education. She is left uneducated, unempowered and totally dependent on the husband and country's economy.
If in her misfortune, she has prolonged and obstructed labour, she will have vesico-vaginal fistula, allowing urine to flow freely from her vagina, predisposing her to infections, social discrimination and eventually, she will be ostracized. This is the future she might face.
The remedy is unknown. Will he return her to her parents? retrieve his bride price? I really do not have a solution to this problem other than he return the girl to her parents, and be remained bethrothed to her, until she is ripe in all ramifications, age, education, physical, mental and sexual maturity, then he can marry her, and consumate the relationship and live as man and wife, NOT MAN AND CHILD.