The Katsina Emirate Council on Thursday insisted that there is no going back on the purported marriage between a 14-year-old girl, Habiba Isa, and the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumin Usman.
The 64-year old Emir said the girl was neither forcefully converted to Islam nor coerced into marriage. This is despite the family of the girl insisting that they were not aware of the purported marriage of the minor and never approved of it.
To put this in context, the Emir lost one of his daughters last year to illness in India. His daughter was 17, older than the child who he has now vilely seized as wife.
This behavior from the monarch is shocking considering that he is an educated man with a sociology degree from the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and is currently the chancellor of the University of Ilorin, having also served as chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University in the past.
Officials of the Christian Association of Nigeria led by the chairman, Very Rev. Nelson Ugochukwu, who visited the Katsina Emirate Council to register their disapproval were granted access to the girl who will turn 15 tomorrow.
She was asked three questions by the Kaora Katsina, Alhaji Nuhu Abdulkadir, on behalf of the emirate council – whether she was forcefully converted to Islam (No, she said), whether she was forced into the marriage (No) and whether she was experiencing menstrual period by the time she met her abductor, the Emir (Yes).
“The three questions are in line with the dictates of the Islamic religion. Since Isa has voluntarily answered the three questions in our presence, there is no going back on her marriage,” said the Kaora Katsina.
The girl’s family accused a palace aide, Jamilu Lawal, of forcefully abducting their daughter on August 16, 2016, converting her to Islam and holding her incommunicado.
Father of the girl lodged a complaint with Stefanos Foundation, a humanitarian civil rights organisation, which took over the matter.
The CAN Chairman, Ugochukwu, however, told the emirate council that Isa’s marriage did not have the consent of her parents, who he said, were crying for justice in Abuja.
He said, “This girl (Isa) standing before us is 14 years. She is supposed to be in school and not given out in marriage.
“We are not pleased and we demand justice. Her parents are in Abuja, crying for justice. In my religion, you cannot give out any lady in marriage without the consent of her parents. This marriage does not have the consent of this little girl’s parent. The parents are not happy with what has happened.
“As the CAN chairman in Katsina, I am the father of all Christians in the state. Our people are not happy. The parents told me that the girl is 14 years. She is supposed to be in school. I want justice to be done in this matter. I want the emirate to look into the matter. To us, the girl is still a Christian.”