The Muslim Rights Concerns has admonished Muslims not to give in to provocation as the debate on the marriageable age for girls in the country is concerned. MURIC, in a statement by its Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said most people making comments about the issue, including the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, were ignorant about the position of the law and what obtains on other countries. He said that even in the United States of America, some states allow girls to marry at 13 years of age. He said that it was obvious that the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, was also beginning to cave in, hence his remarks that it was Senator Ahmed Yerima that blackmailed senators into approving the motion to support girl marriage. The statement by Akintola reads in full: “A tornado of criticisms has greeted Islam’s approval of marriage to minors. Contemptuous cartoons, satirical essays, dirty language and insults have all been used recklessly in the past few days to assail Muslims and intimidate lawmakers. “The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) will not descend so low as to exchange dirty language. We have respect for all homo sapien and for all groups. We also hold firmly to our avowed motto, ‘Dialogue, No Violence’. We will join none in heating up the polity because we know the value of peace in the society. Therefore we will not trade insults. Whether people abuse or not, it will not change the facts on ground. Superior argument based on facts will always remain superior, at least to intelligent minds. Nobody can intimidate us. “Even the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayo Oritsejafor, has reportedly threatened to mobilize Nigerians whom he would lead to the National Assembly to demonstrate against what he describes as Senate’s acceptance of the law on marriage to minors. Senate President, David Mark, is already showing signs of submission to coercion as he reportedly accused Senator Ahmad Sani of blackmailing Senate to leave the controversial clause untouched. “Instead of jogging people’s emotion, MURIC hereby presents facts and figures on legal marriage age around the world for Nigerians to see and judge. “In New Hampshire, United States, legal marriage age is 13 for girls and 14 for boys! In Michigan (US) it is 15 but girls can be married below 15 with parental consent. In Indiana (US) a girl can be married at 14 if she becomes pregnant. In Hawaii and Georgia (US) it is 15 with parental consent. “Now let us go outside America, in Britain it is 16, in fact it is 15 in most European countries. In Venezuela it is 14 with parental consent, 14 in Paraguay, 14 in Mexico, Bolivia 14. Coming to the African continent, the legal marriage age is 14 in Mozambique and 15 in Gabon. In Angola it is 15, Niger 15, Cameroon 15, Congo DR 15, Benin 15, Kenya 16 and Madagascar 14. In Equitorial Guinea it is 12! Hahahaha issok. You did not also mention that Nigeria has the second mortality rate in the world after Somalia. You did not say Nigeria has the highest rate of VVF in the world and this record we have are all from the North hahaha we simply dont have the structure of care, are you comparing American health delivery to Nigeria? Can you even compare us to Ghana? Abegiii
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 16:02:30 +0000
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