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Imams Commit to Proceeding with Niger Mass Wedding, Issue Warning to Minister |
The ceremony is planned for May 24, 2024. However, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Barrister Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, retracted his support for the event involving orphans from his district.
The Niger State Imam Forum, comprising Chief Imams of Friday Mosques and Islamic Organizations within the state, has affirmed their commitment to proceed with the mass wedding of 100 orphans in Mariga Local Government Area.
The ceremony is planned for May 24, 2024. However, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Barrister Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, retracted his support for the event involving orphans from his district.
His retraction came after the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, questioned the wedding's legality, specifically inquiring if the girls' consent and legal age for marriage, as stipulated by the law and the Child Rights Act, were verified.
Despite this, the Forum insists the wedding will proceed as it does not violate any part of the Nigerian constitution or Islamic teachings.
Dr. Umar Farouk, the Director General of Niger State Religious Affairs, announced the forum's emergency meeting resolutions in Minna, the state capital, on Wednesday. He issued a 7-day ultimatum to the Minister to retract her legal challenge and petition against the Speaker of the Niger Assembly or face legal repercussions.
Additionally, the forum demanded an apology from her to the citizens of Niger and the Speaker for what they allege to be defamation.
Dr. Farouk emphasized that the May 24, 2024, date for the wedding is non-negotiable, stating that the Imam Forum, along with the brides' parents, will continue with the plans since the Speaker has already contributed to the wedding's success.
He urged President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to dismiss the Minister for purported incompetence and for potentially inciting religious discord in Nigeria.
Dr. Farouk also encouraged other philanthropists, affluent individuals, and politicians to follow the Speaker's example and sponsor similar marriages to help purify society. He clarified that the brides-to-be, ranging in age from 18 to 25 and including widows, have given their consent, and all required formalities have been observed.
