A marriage contracted between a 54-year-old Nigerian man and a four-year-old girl on December 26, 2023 in a Bayelsa State community has sparked indignation in various quarters.
The marriage which took place in the Akeddei community of Sagbama Local Government Area in Nigeria’s oil-rich Bayelsa State, was however explained as a traditional rite to save the child’s life by the girl’s parents.
They further explained it was a spiritual rite to the duo, betrothed in their previous lives.
The parents of the child and three others appeared before the state government’s Gender Response Initiative Team (GRiT) to explain their role in the marriage. They all insisted that the purported child marriage was a traditional practice aimed at saving the girl’s life.
Said Dr. Abayomi Alabi, Director of Child Rights International, in Abuja on Sunday:
“After hearing from the child’s parents, the traditional ruler of the community and other rights groups, we have ceased fire and let sleeping dogs lie.
“We were ready to free the poor girl from the perceived abuse, but the explanation came at a good time to defuse the tension the incident had generated”.
The girl’s parents, the 54-year-old man, the traditional ruler and others, who participated in the marriage, were summoned by the Bayelsa Government following a public outcry.
The parents of the ‘bride’ and three others appeared before the state government’s Gender Response Initiative Team (GRiT) to explain their role in child marriage.
The government team comprised the Chairperson of GRiT, Dr Dise Ogbise-Goddy, and the Bayelsa State Coordinator of the Child Protection Network, Kizito Andah.
Others were the Chairman of Bayelsa Non-Governmental Forum, Mr. Taritei Boco and representatives of the DO Foundation, National Human Rights Commission and Civil Society Groups.
The team heard submissions from the father of the child, Mr. Morris Aboma, the “groom”, Mr. Akpos Napoleon and the Paramount ruler, Chief Moneyman Binabo.
