President of the Christian
Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor, has said that he will
lead Nigerians to protest against the
Senate resolution to amend Section
29 (4) (b) of the 1999 Constitution
under which married underage girls
are deemed to be adults.The
association afrowned former
Governor of Zamfara State Ahmed
Yerima assertion that the proposal
for the deletion of the section
contravened Islamic Law.
Oritsejafor, in a statement, described
Yerima’s argument as offensive,
saying, “It presupposes that Nigeria,
a secular state, is populated only by
Muslims.”
He said, “By the grace of God, I will,
personally mobilise Nigerians and
lead the street protest against this
oppressive and dehumanising
resolution. Why would the Senate,
after voting recoil, simply because of a point of order premised on religious basis? We, Christians, also have Canon Law, which frowns on marriage of girls who are not of age.Christianity abhors such marriages.
The protest will be soon. Finally, I
urge the Yerimas in the Senate to
toe the path of the Holy Qur’an,
which states that one who kills a
person unjustly in effect has killed
everyone and one who saves another,has saved everyone. They shouldsave these girls and Nigerians the agony of having their children married off at ages below 18 by unfavourable legislations.
Thank goodness that we still have someone like him, who can stand up against such obnoxious rule. I believe change would happen in this great nation.
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