The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has reportedly withdrawn her legal suit against the marriage of 100 orphaned girls in Niger State.
Disclosing this while addressing newsmen on Friday, Kennedy-Ohanenye, said that agreement has been reached with the Emir of Kontagora, Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Muazu and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abdul Malik Sarkindaji, to empower the girls through alternative means.
She emphasised the importance of ensuring the well-being of the girls beyond arranging marriages, adding that this concern was the motivation behind her initial legal intervention to seek an injunction.
She said: “The court injunction was gotten within 48 hours to stop the mass marriage of the hundred orphans. To think that this kind of thing still happens in Nigeria is unbelievable.
READ MORE: Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Jumai Alhassan resigns
“As soon as I got the court injunction, the Etsu of Nupe called me, asking for peace, next was the Emir of Kotangora coming to my office, and we later resolved the issue, taking decisions that would be beneficial for these ladies.
“The Emir assured me of a thorough investigation and said the marriage will not be carried out until the investigation is over. To me, this solves the problem. I want Nigerians to know that this has nothing to do with religion, I am just doing my job as a mother.
“Presently the Ministry of Women Affairs is in partnership with the Speaker Niger State House of Assembly, Abdul Malik Sarkindaji’s government to empower these ladies, those that want to go to school will be sent to school and the ones who want to learn trading will be empowered to do so, we are taking this as a challenge, I will empower these women with sustainable economic empower.”
