The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, clarified on Friday that the lawsuit challenging the proposed mass marriage of 100 orphaned girls in Niger State has not been withdrawn.
“The case is not yet withdrawn. I want to make that clear. How do I withdraw a case in a day?” the minister stated on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Kennedy-Ohanenye explained that before withdrawing the case, it must go through a formal court process. “We have to go back to court and then tell the court that we have settled. We are withdrawing the case. Do you understand?” she said.
Background of the Case
The lawsuit was filed in response to a proposal by Niger State House of Assembly Speaker Abdulmalik Sarkindaji for a mass marriage of 100 orphaned girls in his constituency. The proposal received significant pushback, prompting the minister to take legal action.
Despite recent discussions between Kennedy-Ohanenye and Sarkindaji aimed at resolving the issue, the minister emphasized that the legal process must be followed. “I filed a motion ex parte. I equally filed a motion on notice. Why did I do that before I met with my brothers and we decided to make peace?” she explained.
Kennedy-Ohanenye pointed out the importance of the ex parte motion to prevent the weddings from proceeding before the court could address the matter. “If I didn’t get the motion ex parte, the wedding could go on before they would be able to file and the whole thing must have been overtaken by events,” she noted.
Empowering the Orphaned Girls
The minister reiterated her commitment to providing a better future for the orphaned girls. She outlined plans to empower them through education and vocational opportunities.
“Those that have finished secondary school, they could enter an open university while they’re doing their businesses or we would get a job for them while they’re doing their business when they’re going to school,” Kennedy-Ohanenye said.
“For those that have not finished secondary school, they will go back to school and finish. This is something that will be applicable to them: going to an open university and equally having something to do. Like this PoS, those that have finished secondary school and are both 18, we could allow them to start earning money while they are going to school,” she added.
