32 senior lawyers to confront Nigeria’s women affairs minister for stopping girl-orphans mass wedding in Niger – MULAN
The Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN) said it was ready confront Nigeria’s minister of women affairs and social development, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, with 32 senior lawyers, five of them senior advocates, in court.
MULAN was reacting to the minister’s interference in the planned mass wedding of 100 girl-orphans from Niger State.
The proposed wedding was sponsored by the Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly, Niger State Speaker Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji.
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The minister felt the wedding amounted to an abuse of a sort, ans went to court to obtain an order stopping it.
Reactions have followed her intervention, with the communities involved saying she lacked knowledge of their social needs and cultural norms.
MULAN’s intervention
In a statement issued and signed by its president, Barrister Saeed Muhammad Tudun-Wada, late Friday, MULAN said the planned wedding was in line with the principles and tenets of Islamic and Nigerian laws, faulting the minister for arrogantly flaunting her ignorance.
According to the group, the proposed mass wedding scheduled for May 24, 2024, has been subjected to needless controversy arising from the recent intrusion of the minister.
The statement said, ‘’We understand that Mrs Ohanenye has instituted legal action to stop the noble course and further petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokum against the move of Niger State Speaker Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji to sponsors the marriage of 100 girls who have lost their parents to banditry.
‘’In the light of this, the Muslim lawyers have resolved to meet the minister at the court of competent jurisdiction. Already we have assembled not less than five Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) and 27 other members of the association to join challenge the minister.
‘’MULAN regretted that the minister has decided to venture into a matter she lacked the right and competent to delve into. By so doing, she has overstretched her limit by interfering into the private and personal interests of the Niger girls. We are prepared to join issues with her.’’
‘’For the purpose of emphasis, the constitution of the Federal of Nigeria is generous enough to allow every Nigerian to conduct marriage with whoever he or she so wishes, so long such act did not violate any provision of the constitution.’’
‘’MULAN is fully behind the proposed mass wedding and the genuine interest of the Speaker to ease the burden of the marriage is well in line with Islamic principles.’’
‘’By the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, every Nigerian has the fundamental right to marry who he or she is so willing or wishes to marry. The constitution does not limit our activities as far as the mass wedding is concerned.
‘’We would encourage the speaker of the Niger state to continue with the planned and proposed sponsorship of the mass wedding. The Constitution did not prohibit anybody from getting married or limit the right but rather gave us the leverage to marry a choice suitor. ‘’
‘’We want to make it known that we the Muslim Lawyers are ready to remove any clog on the wheel of progressive exercise of Muslim rights and to put our strength behind the noble course of our brothers in Niger State.”
Minister drops suit
Meanwhile, Mrs Kennedy-Ohanenye said she has withdrawn her legal action over the marriage of 100 orphaned girls in Niger State.
She confirmed reaching an agreement with the Emir of Kontagora, Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Muazu and the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdul Malik Sarkindaji, to empower the girls through alternative means.
The minister stated this during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday.
