Child Marriage: Emir of Kano Wants Islamic Community to Peg the Age of Consent

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II (born Sanusi Lamido Sanusi), has finally spoken up on the trending conversation about the spate of child marriages in Nigeria.

And this comes just a day after the Katsina Emirate Council declared the marriage between a 14-year-old girl and the Katsina Emir, Alhaji Abdulmumin Usman, irreversible.

“The era when people gave out their daughters in marriage at early ages and asked the husbands to wait till they were ripe was nothing but a deception,” said the ruler who is also the leader of the Tijaniyya Sufi order, the second most important Muslim position in Nigeria after the Sultan of Sokoto.

Adding, “The marriage age in Egypt at present was 18 while that of Malaysia and Morocco were 19 and 17 respectively. Why not we here urgently call for pegging of marriage ages within Muslim Ummah in Nigeria?”

In September 2015, the Emir came under attack after the news of his marriage to an 18-year-old bride broke. However, he explained his reasons for taking the young Sa’adatu as his wife.

“The lady in question is 18 and therefore legally of age to marry under all laws and certainly under Muslim law,” he said in his letter to Nigerians.

Emir Sanusi has many times, spoken up against the marrying off of young girls to men. Now, the influential ruler is pushing for the age of consent to be pegged in the Islamic community.

Read his full note:

(Marriage Of Women Below 18 Years) – Women Are Suffering From Reproductive Health Challenges Were Products Of Such Marriages. Time Had Come When The Muslim Community Should Live By The Reality Of Economic Recession And Consequences Of Early Marriage. The Era When People Gave Out Their Daughters In Marriage At Early Ages And Asked The Husbands To Wait Till They Were Ripe Was Nothing But A Deception. According To Me, Strategy No Longer Worked As It Had Led To Cases Of Divorce And Other Ugly Situations. In The Past The Rich And The Poor Married Four Wives And Bore Between 30 And 40children Because The Economy Was Not Only Buoyant But Also Because People Were Not Relying On Government For Sustenance. Though The Harsh Economic Realities Now Make It Impossible For People To Feed Twice A Day These Days, “Unfortunately Our People Do Not Change And Somebody With Virtually Nothing Still Give Birth To 20or 30 Children And This Must Stop”. There Was A Need To Peg The Marriage Age Now Because Of The Challenges Early Marriage Was Posing. The Marriage Age In Egypt At Present Was 18 While That Of Malaysia And Morocco Were 19 And 17 Respectively, Asking "Why Not We Here Urgently Call For Pegging Of Marriage Ages Within Muslim Ummah In Nigeria?" Nigerian Muslims Also Practice The Malikiyas School Of Thought As These Countries, “We Should Follow Suit And Peg Our Own Marriage Ages For Our Own Good”. I Urge The Relevant Authorities To Create A Law That Would Punish Anybody That Gave Birth To Children And Allowed Them To Suffer. Most Of Those Neglected Children Not Only Turned Victims Of Social Vices But Also Engage In Terrorism. – Muhammadu Sanusi II

A Photo Posted By Muhammadu Sanusi II (@Sanusilamidosanusi) On Oct 15, 2016 At 1:40am PDT

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