- * Speaker's Decision Attracts Controversy, Criticisms, Condemnation
By Princess Simon Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
The Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji have rescinded his decision to sponsor the marriage of no fewer than 100 girls from his Constituency, Mariga as more condemnation trails the controversial mass wedding.
The Speaker in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) Media and Communications, Shamsudeen Lawal Binaira, gave reasons for his decision to include the fact that the girls have no parents and nobody to foot the bills for their marriages to already waiting suitors as tradition and custom of the Hausas demand.
The Speakers decision has however attracted more condemnations than commendation from a cross section of Nigerians, including the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye who joined other Nigerians to raise concerns over what becomes of the home because majority of the suitors are jobless and have no source of livelihood to sustain the marriage.
There are also fears that the 100 girls were being forced into the union that is full of uncertainties because the Speaker is only concerned about their unmarried status and not their future and/or empowerment to secure their future.
Others are also concerned that the Speaker should have been more intrested in encouraging the girls to further their education after which they can get better suitors instead of mortgaging their future with men that may not be ripe and ready for marriage with its inherent responsibilities.
Though the beneficiaries, according to the Speaker, are orphans drawn from the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Mariga, the Speaker should have looked into the security situation in the area or how to end the reign of Boko-Haram and armed bandits so that the people can return to their homes.
Sponsoring marriage for 100 girls as his priority have in no way brought about the much needed solutions to the security challenges facing about 8 out of the 25 Local Government Areas of the state, hence the Speaker should have used his good office to end siege by the terror groups.
In a twist of events however, the Speaker is accusing the Minister of Women Affairs of misleading the public and therefore rescinded his earlier decision on the marriage.
The Speaker who however said all the expenses have been taken care and the needed materials purchased ahead of the marriages, said the items will be handed over to the parents of the brides he had earlier claimed were dead.
Hon. Sarkindaji announcing his formal withdrawal from the planned mass wedding when he spoke to some journalists further hinted that, "If the parents wished to go ahead with the marriage of their daughters so be it, but I have removed my hands".
Describing as unfortunate and embarrassing the actions of the Minister for Women Affairs on the planned mass wedding, Hon. Sarkindaji accused the Minister of blowing the issue out of proportion. NNL.