The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has reaffirmed that justice, fairness, respect and mutual understanding among couples is the only way out of the myriads of problem bedeviling the institution of marriage in our society.
The Emir of Kano who spoke at a one-day interactive and consultative session organized by the Women’s Right Advancement and Protection Alternative in conjunction with the Centre for Gender Studies, Bayero University, Kano on Kano Social Reform Project, held at Musa Abdullahi Auditorium, in BUK, Emir Sanusi II, decried the growing violence and maltreatment against women and children.
According to him, for any society yearning for growth and development, it must find a way of treating women and children fairly and just, pointing out that, Islam abhor any form of discrimination, maltreatment and injustice against humanity, hence, his agitation for the promulgation of laws that would enforce strict compliance with the doctrine of Islamic sharia such violence against women and children particularly.
“A situation where an adult married a girl and gruesomely maltreating her is untenable, even as it is un-Islamic and must be condemned by all men of goodwill. We are not saying that a person has no right to marry a minor or teenager up his daughter, but, what we are saying is that any husbands must treat his wife(s) with respect and dignity in accordance with the religious injunctions<” he declared.Islamic Scholars from different sects and health experts have presented position papers on their views and the way out. Professor Hadiza Shehu Galadanci a consultant gynecologist in her presentation titled “Safe Motherhood in Teenage Girls,” explained that pregnancy is not an illness, but poor management of the pregnancy could lead to death.Professor Galadanci who is the Director of the Centre for Advanced Medical Research, Bayero University, Kano also identified that early marriage is the causative agent of VVF disease among teenage mothers, advocating that as a way out, society must discourage early girl marriage, so that it would allow the hormones of the girl to grow before taking pregnancy.In her presentation, the Secretary General of WRAPA, Hajiya Saudatu Mahadi, opined that, government must take drastic measures to address the growing incidence of violence against women, and therefore, wholeheartedly of the opinion that only strong legal backing in line with the provision of the religious injunctions that can stem the incidence.Another Scholar, Dr. Kabiru Abubakar, argued that VVF and other pregnancy related sickness has no linkage with the age of a person, and therefore debunked the insinuation that early marriage or teenage pregnancy is the cause of the sickness. Some other speakers were of the opinion that Government should not limit the marriage age of a girl, arguing that, it may have economic and social repercussions.They argued that many parents, because of the level of poverty, cannot afford to pay the school fees of their wards and so, they have left with no option than to marry them up, pointing out that if they allow them at home for more than necessary there would be a serious social problem, although, they were quick to add that Government should have come up with other measures such as reducing or eliminating school fees, return of school feeding among others.A Communique read by Dr. Muhammad Babangid Muhammad, said the participants have equally noted of the grave dangers of violence against women as well as the problem associated with violence against women. It also noted that no consensus reached yet on the fixing of marriageable age, and that there is need for further consultations with a view to reaching a consensus. (NAN)
