Shameless Senate

OUR Senate is in the caves. We have a duty to save it, from itself,
and for Nigerians. How can the Senate in the 21st century be proposing
that Nigerian girls can be married at an indeterminate age? The Senate
is shamelessly broadcasting its determination to insert the profane
provision into the Constitution.
Those limiting impacts of the Senate's decision that girls are ready
for marriage at any age they are married to abuse of the girl child
massively miss the point about its implications for the future of our
society.
What would a society be where children are meant to raise their own
children? How can a girl by law attain womanhood once someone marries
her? Is the Senate banning childhood for girls?
Our laws recognise adulthood at 18 – for rights of litigation, voting,
and the definition of "minor". A woman married at less than 18,
according to the Senate, would be an "adult" by an act that has
telling effects on the health of the girl child.
At what age would the "senate adult" have any legal rights? Is a
definite age for adulthood unimportant? Is it not discrimination,
contrary to Section 42 of the Constitution, to have different
adulthood age for female and male Nigerians?
Under Section 29 (4a and 4b) of the Constitution, a woman shall notbe
qualified for marriage until she is 18 years of age. The Senate, on
Wednesday, proposed to change that provision to 'a woman is deemed to
be of full age once she is married', irrespective of the age she did
so. What importance does this provision have for the welfare of the
society? Is the provision for pleasures of some gentlemen, who delight
in marrying children under guises of religion, culture and personal
preferences?
A senator is facing charges for allegedly marrying an under-aged girl.
Would the Constitution also be retroactive to protect him? Is the
provision for those who harbour similar ambition?
Granted, most of the proposed changes in the Constitution are
self-serving, it would be stretching things to shattering for
Nigeriansto permit this provision.
Further protections for the girl child are in Articles 21 (2) of the
African Charter on Rights and Welfare of the Child, Article 6 (b) of
the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, Section 21 of the
Child's Rights Act of Nigeria (2003), Article 18 (3) of the African
Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.
Nigeria will be in perpetual danger if provisions like these are in
theConstitution. It would damage our demographics beyond immediate
contemplation. Nigerians have to stop this provision andother
obscenities the National Assembly can insert into the Constitution.