Minister Of Women Affairs Backs Niger Mass Wedding, Makes Donations
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, on Thursday, announced scholarships and gave several gift items to 100 orphaned girls in Niger State, in preparation of their mass wedding today (Friday).
The mass wedding is being sponsored by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji.
The minister had kicked against the mass wedding of the young girls, saying it was a violation of the Child Rights Act.
Kennedy-Ohanenye, who addressed a press conference in Abuja, stated that she had petitioned the Inspector General of Police to stop the wedding, adding that she also filed a lawsuit, seeking an injunction to restrain the Speaker from going ahead with the mass wedding.
In response, the Speaker lambasted the minister for being involved in a religious and cultural issue she was clueless about.
He said the minister acted without first making any effort to understand the circumstances that confronted the girls, which made it paramount for their weddings to be sponsored.
The Speaker also received the backing of the Niger State Council of Imams and the Muslim Rights Concern, which both warned the minister to steer clear of the mass wedding, which they insisted must go on as scheduled.
Ahead of the mass wedding, the minister, represented by her Special Assistant on Private Sector, Adaji Usman, was in Niger to announce scholarships for the girls and to also give them other items, such as wrappers and foodstuffs.
The items were given out to the 100 young girls at the palace of the Emir of Kontagora, Mohammed Muazu.
The minister, through Usman, presented 10 Point of Sale machines, 100 wrappers and 350 bags of 10kg bags of rice.
She also announced a scholarship to university level for any of the girls who wish to go to school.
The Emir of Kontagora as well announced the donation of a sewing machine to each of the girls.
Kennedy-Ohanenye also ordered that bank accounts be opened for all the 100 intending brides where a stipend will be sent to them for the next six months to enable them to settle down in their husband’s houses.
