It is not unusual for Nigeria’s media, which consists of many highly unprofessional scriptwriters, to present junk and trash for public consumption. NewsRescue was created among other things, for this very purpose. Cleaning a filthy and propagandist, dangerous media.

Here are the facts of the senate proceedings in question:

The topic voted on in the senate was not, “age of marriage,” as it has been made to appear.
The presentation by senator Yerima, was not, the age a woman should marry.
35 Nigerian senators who voted against the deletion of the segment, did not vote for age of marriage, rather they voted to uphold women’s unaleniable rights, even over men.
Senator Yerima did not introduce any thing new, rather he simply pointed out in upholding Nigeria’s constitution, that segments can not simply be deleted without proper vote and due process.
And finally, underlined: the segment to be deleted threatened to deprive women of their rights.

We proceed to review the section 29 of the constitution that was to be deleted without proper process:
rescuedCitizenship renunciation Rights

(1) Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation.

(2) The President shall cause the declaration made under subsection (1) of this section to be registered and upon such registration, the person who made the declaration shall cease to be a citizen of Nigeria.

(3) The President may withhold the registration of any declaration made under subsection (1) of this section if-

(a) the declaration is made during any war in which Nigeria is physically involved; or

(b) in his opinion, it is otherwise contrary to public policy.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section.

(a) “full age” means the age of eighteen years and above;

(b) any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.

It is immediately seen from the above, that the section deals with conditions under which a Nigerian citizen is considered eligible to make a declaration to revoke his citizenship. “full age” to denounce/revoke/renounce Nigerian citizenship is used in reference to being allowed to make decisions, including this revocation. For both sexes, “full age” is 18 and above, however according to this section of the constitution, a woman is given greater and exclusive rights and authority, being regarded of “full age” to make decisions as serious as the revocation of her citizenship, once she is married.

When we think of what the Nigerian feminist forum created a petition to contest, it is very scary. They acted “hormonally,” without even taking a read of the constitutional segment in discussion. This constitutional permission, actually safe-guards women’s rights by allowing for instance, a married woman or girl, who feels cheated or otherwise deprived by Nigeria, the right to denounce her citizenship. This section is not related to and does not address what age a woman can marry.

It simply addresses what age a woman is eligible to make full fledgeling decisions, which of course can include divorce. If this section was deleted, then if for instance a 16 year old is married, she will not be considered “of age,” to challenge the marriage in court, or to revoke her citizenship if she wishes to seek asylum via the United Nations, or to any single citizenship nation. Such married young woman will have to wait and bear the pain till she is 18.

Senator Yerima had pointed out, that in Islam, once a woman is married, she is automatically of age to make all adult life decisions, including the right to divorce, this is as obtains in Nigeria’s constitution. Only the 35 senators listed below, voted to uphold these fundamental women’s rights of age unlimited choice, including the choice to denounce citizenship:
List of senators who upheld a woman’s right of choice once married

1. Sen. Abdulmumin M. Hassan (Jigawa South West, PDP)
2. Sen. Abdullahi Danladi (Jigawa North West, PDP)
3. Sen. Adamu Abdullahi (Nasarawa West, PDP)
4. Sen. Ahmed Barata (Adamawa South, PDP)
5. Sen. Akinyelure Ayo (Ondo Central, Labour Party)
6. Sen. Alkali Saidu A. (Gombe North, PDP)
7. Sen. Bagudu Abubakar A. (Kebbi Central, PDP)
8. Sen. Dahiru Umaru (Sokoto South, PDP)
9. Sen. Galaudu Isa (Kebbi North, PDP)
10. Sen. Garba Gamawa (Bauchi North, PDP)
11. Sen. Danjuma Goje Mohammed (Gombe Central, PDP)

Sen. Ugbesia Odion (Edo Central, PDP) stands out among the wise senators who voted for women’s rights

12. Sen. Gobir Ibrahim (Sokoto East, PDP)
13. Sen. Gumba Adamu Ibrahim (Bauchi South, PDP)
14. Sen. Hadi Sirika (Katsina North, CPC)
15. Sen. Ibrahim Bukar Abba (Yobe East, ANPP)
16. Sen. Jajere Alkali (Yobe South, ANPP)
17. Sen. Jibrilla Mohammed (Adamawa North, PDP)
18. Sen. Kabiru Gaya (Kano South, ANPP)
19. Sen. Lafiagi Mohammed (Kwara North, PDP)
20. Sen. Lawan Ahmad (Yobe North, ANPP)
21. Sen. Maccido Mohammed (Sokoto North, PDP)
22. Sen. Musa Ibrahim (Niger North, CPC)
23. Sen. Ndume Mohammed Ali (Borno South, PDP)
24. Sen. Sadiq A. Yaradua (Katsina Central, CPC)
25. Sen. Saleh Mohammed (Kaduna Central, CPC)
26. Sen. Tukur Bello (Adamawa Central, PDP)
27. Sen. Ugbesia Odion (Edo Central, PDP)
28. Sen. Umar Abubakar (Taraba Central, PDP)
29. Sen. Usman Abdulaziz (Jigawa North East, PDP)
30. Sen. Ya’au Sahabi (Zamfara North, PDP)
31. Sen. Zannah Ahmed (Borno Central, PDP)
32. Sen. Ahmad Rufai Sani (Zamfara West, ANPP)
33. Sen. Ahmad Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central, PDP)
34. Sen. Bello Hayatu Gwano (Kano North, PDP)
35. Sen. Ibrahim Abu (Katsina South, CPC)

Sadly, it is evident that many of Nigeria’s senators are slightly more than barely literate and the Nigerian press is no better.

Quoting other sources:

2. CITIZENSHIP
The Section 26 of the 1999 Constitution defines who is a Nigerian citizen and how same may be acquired by naturalization and by registration. The Constitution makes no provision for the process by which non-Nigerian men married to Nigerian women and who are so desirous, may become Nigerian citizens. The silence here has continued to wreck untold hardship on the stability of many marriages.

Furthermore, section 29(4) (b) of the constitution provides for the renunciation of citizenship and thus allows an under aged woman to revoke her citizenship even when she has not attained the age of majority or the constitutional voting age. http://gtdn..com/2010/01/gender-gaps-in-nigeria-constitution.html

Update: July 20, 2013; Ayo Turton, a US based lawyer explains the same:

The clause that is really causing this unnecessary hullabaloo is Section 29 (4) (b). That clause has always been part of our laws, but the Senate moved to remove it as infringing on child’s right by making every married woman an adult. At the taking of the vote for the first time, they got two-third to remove it from the Constitution. But Yerima stood up and whipped up religious sentiment by galvanizing his Muslim brothers who ignorantly believed him into action. When the peace was threatened, David Mark, the Senate President capitulates and asked that the vote be taken again, at this point they were no longer able to garner two-third votes to remove the provision from the Constitution, so it remains.

Now to the legal issue: Section 29 (4) CLEARLY states: “for the purposes of subsection 1″ Section 29 subsection (1) CLEARLY states: “Any citizen of Nigeria of full age WHO WISHES TO RENOUNCE HIS NIGERIAN CITIZENSHIP (emphasis mine) shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation”

This is called “narrow definition” Subsection (1) narrowly defined under what circumstances the definitions stated at clauses (a) and (b) would be applicable. Therefore clauses (a) and (b) of section 29 (4) are only relevant to “renunciation of citizenship” alone. What made this clearer and should leave no one in doubt is the fact that clause 29 (4) (a) re-emphasized that “full age” shall be 18, but if you are already married, for the purposes of renunciation of citizenship you shall be automatically qualified to do so even if you are not 18 yet. Because you are deemed of “full age” for renunciation reason based on the unambiguous definition given by subsection 29 (1) In any case S. 29 (4) (b) is referring to someone already married not about-to-marry.

As a matter of fact, if you ask me, the Constitution as it is, threatens Yerima status than support it.

Read more: http://newsrescue.com/how-nigerias-gutter-media-misconstrued-the-yerima-underage-marriage-senate-proceeding/#ixzz2ZaFn4PnV
In my opinion, I think someone is trying to manipulate the truth here as usual......... Unfortunately for this guys, Nigerians have known the truth already.

Wash

edwindprof:



It is not unusual for Nigeria’s media, which consists of many highly unprofessional scriptwriters, to present junk and trash for public consumption. NewsRescue was created among other things, for this very purpose. Cleaning a filthy and propagandist, dangerous media.

Here are the facts of the senate proceedings in question:

The topic voted on in the senate was not, “age of marriage,” as it has been made to appear.
The presentation by senator Yerima, was not, the age a woman should marry.
35 Nigerian senators who voted against the deletion of the segment, did not vote for age of marriage, rather they voted to uphold women’s unaleniable rights, even over men.
Senator Yerima did not introduce any thing new, rather he simply pointed out in upholding Nigeria’s constitution, that segments can not simply be deleted without proper vote and due process.
And finally, underlined: the segment to be deleted threatened to deprive women of their rights.

We proceed to review the section 29 of the constitution that was to be deleted without proper process:
rescuedCitizenship renunciation Rights

(1) Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation.

(2) The President shall cause the declaration made under subsection (1) of this section to be registered and upon such registration, the person who made the declaration shall cease to be a citizen of Nigeria.

(3) The President may withhold the registration of any declaration made under subsection (1) of this section if-

(a) the declaration is made during any war in which Nigeria is physically involved; or

(b) in his opinion, it is otherwise contrary to public policy.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section.

(a) “full age” means the age of eighteen years and above;

(b) any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.

It is immediately seen from the above, that the section deals with conditions under which a Nigerian citizen is considered eligible to make a declaration to revoke his citizenship. “full age” to denounce/revoke/renounce Nigerian citizenship is used in reference to being allowed to make decisions, including this revocation. For both sexes, “full age” is 18 and above, however according to this section of the constitution, a woman is given greater and exclusive rights and authority, being regarded of “full age” to make decisions as serious as the revocation of her citizenship, once she is married.

When we think of what the Nigerian feminist forum created a petition to contest, it is very scary. They acted “hormonally,” without even taking a read of the constitutional segment in discussion. This constitutional permission, actually safe-guards women’s rights by allowing for instance, a married woman or girl, who feels cheated or otherwise deprived by Nigeria, the right to denounce her citizenship. This section is not related to and does not address what age a woman can marry.

It simply addresses what age a woman is eligible to make full fledgeling decisions, which of course can include divorce. If this section was deleted, then if for instance a 16 year old is married, she will not be considered “of age,” to challenge the marriage in court, or to revoke her citizenship if she wishes to seek asylum via the United Nations, or to any single citizenship nation. Such married young woman will have to wait and bear the pain till she is 18.

Senator Yerima had pointed out, that in Islam, once a woman is married, she is automatically of age to make all adult life decisions, including the right to divorce, this is as obtains in Nigeria’s constitution. Only the 35 senators listed below, voted to uphold these fundamental women’s rights of age unlimited choice, including the choice to denounce citizenship:
List of senators who upheld a woman’s right of choice once married

1. Sen. Abdulmumin M. Hassan (Jigawa South West, PDP)
2. Sen. Abdullahi Danladi (Jigawa North West, PDP)
3. Sen. Adamu Abdullahi (Nasarawa West, PDP)
4. Sen. Ahmed Barata (Adamawa South, PDP)
5. Sen. Akinyelure Ayo (Ondo Central, Labour Party)
6. Sen. Alkali Saidu A. (Gombe North, PDP)
7. Sen. Bagudu Abubakar A. (Kebbi Central, PDP)
8. Sen. Dahiru Umaru (Sokoto South, PDP)
9. Sen. Galaudu Isa (Kebbi North, PDP)
10. Sen. Garba Gamawa (Bauchi North, PDP)
11. Sen. Danjuma Goje Mohammed (Gombe Central, PDP)

Sen. Ugbesia Odion (Edo Central, PDP) stands out among the wise senators who voted for women’s rights

12. Sen. Gobir Ibrahim (Sokoto East, PDP)
13. Sen. Gumba Adamu Ibrahim (Bauchi South, PDP)
14. Sen. Hadi Sirika (Katsina North, CPC)
15. Sen. Ibrahim Bukar Abba (Yobe East, ANPP)
16. Sen. Jajere Alkali (Yobe South, ANPP)
17. Sen. Jibrilla Mohammed (Adamawa North, PDP)
18. Sen. Kabiru Gaya (Kano South, ANPP)
19. Sen. Lafiagi Mohammed (Kwara North, PDP)
20. Sen. Lawan Ahmad (Yobe North, ANPP)
21. Sen. Maccido Mohammed (Sokoto North, PDP)
22. Sen. Musa Ibrahim (Niger North, CPC)
23. Sen. Ndume Mohammed Ali (Borno South, PDP)
24. Sen. Sadiq A. Yaradua (Katsina Central, CPC)
25. Sen. Saleh Mohammed (Kaduna Central, CPC)
26. Sen. Tukur Bello (Adamawa Central, PDP)
27. Sen. Ugbesia Odion (Edo Central, PDP)
28. Sen. Umar Abubakar (Taraba Central, PDP)
29. Sen. Usman Abdulaziz (Jigawa North East, PDP)
30. Sen. Ya’au Sahabi (Zamfara North, PDP)
31. Sen. Zannah Ahmed (Borno Central, PDP)
32. Sen. Ahmad Rufai Sani (Zamfara West, ANPP)
33. Sen. Ahmad Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central, PDP)
34. Sen. Bello Hayatu Gwano (Kano North, PDP)
35. Sen. Ibrahim Abu (Katsina South, CPC)

Sadly, it is evident that many of Nigeria’s senators are slightly more than barely literate and the Nigerian press is no better.

Quoting other sources:

2. CITIZENSHIP
The Section 26 of the 1999 Constitution defines who is a Nigerian citizen and how same may be acquired by naturalization and by registration. The Constitution makes no provision for the process by which non-Nigerian men married to Nigerian women and who are so desirous, may become Nigerian citizens. The silence here has continued to wreck untold hardship on the stability of many marriages.

Furthermore, section 29(4) (b) of the constitution provides for the renunciation of citizenship and thus allows an under aged woman to revoke her citizenship even when she has not attained the age of majority or the constitutional voting age. http://gtdn..com/2010/01/gender-gaps-in-nigeria-constitution.html

Update: July 20, 2013; Ayo Turton, a US based lawyer explains the same:

The clause that is really causing this unnecessary hullabaloo is Section 29 (4) (b). That clause has always been part of our laws, but the Senate moved to remove it as infringing on child’s right by making every married woman an adult. At the taking of the vote for the first time, they got two-third to remove it from the Constitution. But Yerima stood up and whipped up religious sentiment by galvanizing his Muslim brothers who ignorantly believed him into action. When the peace was threatened, David Mark, the Senate President capitulates and asked that the vote be taken again, at this point they were no longer able to garner two-third votes to remove the provision from the Constitution, so it remains.

Now to the legal issue: Section 29 (4) CLEARLY states: “for the purposes of subsection 1″ Section 29 subsection (1) CLEARLY states: “Any citizen of Nigeria of full age WHO WISHES TO RENOUNCE HIS NIGERIAN CITIZENSHIP (emphasis mine) shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation”

This is called “narrow definition” Subsection (1) narrowly defined under what circumstances the definitions stated at clauses (a) and (b) would be applicable. Therefore clauses (a) and (b) of section 29 (4) are only relevant to “renunciation of citizenship” alone. What made this clearer and should leave no one in doubt is the fact that clause 29 (4) (a) re-emphasized that “full age” shall be 18, but if you are already married, for the purposes of renunciation of citizenship you shall be automatically qualified to do so even if you are not 18 yet. Because you are deemed of “full age” for renunciation reason based on the unambiguous definition given by subsection 29 (1) In any case S. 29 (4) (b) is referring to someone already married not about-to-marry.

As a matter of fact, if you ask me, the Constitution as it is, threatens Yerima status than support it.

Read more: http://newsrescue.com/how-nigerias-gutter-media-misconstrued-the-yerima-underage-marriage-senate-proceeding/#ixzz2ZaFn4PnV
In my opinion, I think someone is trying to manipulate the truth here as usual......... Unfortunately for this guys, Nigerians have known the truth already.

Can you hear yourself?

Abuja lapboys.. I see you

Must Monkey Quote The Whole Post To Make His Point?

may ur daughter be raped at d age of 3.....anumanu!

I made these same exact points in another thread but nobody addressed it. What Yerima defeated was an attempt to delete S29(4) of the Nigerian constitution, which section has been in force since the constitution came into force.

Sorry i am not interested in the article, but we knew ahead that he had an underage from Egypt as a wife. That alone is a minus on him to stand for whatsoever age he wants the senate to review.

pistol:



Can you hear yourself?

Shooo,na why u quote everthing?! Dude park well o. I believe someone is trying to play smart

Its really absurdity of the highest order for someone to blatantly comment on a post without reading between the lines...
when i saw the above excerpt, i was wondering if it actually means that Nigerians don't understand what is going on considering the post here: https://www.nairaland.com/1365926/protest-against-child-marriage-hold
So i actually mean that again the truth has been found out, and someone is trying to cover it up with nonsense write ups such as the above.
we must say no to this
we must all fight to defend our young girls

Well, we know the Law is bound to be misinterpreted because a particular phrase may have different meanings, but to say those senators were trying to give women more rights is a lie. Giving section 29(4)(b) a literal interpretation which will appeal to a reasonable man,it would mean any woman who is married will be regarded to be of full age irrespective of age. This justifies underage marriage since you'll be considered to be of full age once you're married as a woman. Your argument is based on female right to denounce citizenship, we are arguing that a woman should not be considered to be of full age just because she's married, the provision should be deleted, it provides an excuse for those who are married, or intend to marry an underage girl, people like Yerima himself. Yerima pointed out himself that the provision is at variance with the islamic law which he obviously believes support underage marriage and even thanked his colleagues for supporting him. So wat r u talking about?

May the sisters and daughters of the OP suffer the same way that married underage girls are suffering.
Like this post if you agree.

Op, you an a**hole for trying to sugar-coat Yerima's intention with claim of citizenship rights. The issue is simply; should we continue to allow children (girls) get married in order to satisfy the sexual predatory urges of people like Yerima while using religion as a cover? This is a moral issue, and I think it's wrong to sell your soul for a few naira you idi*t!
If Mohammed did that 1400 years ago does not mean it should be applicable in modern times. We all know better now.

@BabaAlabi........that's if the Op supports the nonsense move made by the myopic senate.........i ve made my point that as a christian, i will never sport such a highly immoral and inhumane idea.

This OP na konfam Abuja LapBoi, see as him dey quote constitution in support of Paedophile Yerima. Ol boy how much dem dey pay U??

If you were man enough and complete mentally and physically, you will not need to marry a child all in the name of religion who would have never married you if she was given the choice. I am so ashamed of this country that this is a priority. Passing a bill for child brides. When there are other pertinent bills. At least we are now able to identify the pedophiles in government. You want to take away the choice of the Nigerian girl child in 2013. How about passing a law that you cannot enter the NASS without a bachelors degree, so we have less of these illiterate, fanatic monsters in power. This country is totally regressing. What is so manly about marrying a child forcefully? What is right about it? Which child will prefer to marry a 50yr old dying man against a boy/man of her peers? If she is below 18, leave her alone! Perverts! Dirty animals!

Yeah, the media sensationalised the issue without educating Nigerians on what the Senate resolution was all about. The Child's Rights Act(2003) already takes care of child marriage. One of the provisions of the Act is that, "Marriage and Betrothal of Children are prohibited". What should be paramount now is for all the 36 states to domesticate, adapt and implement the Child's Rights Act to facilitate adequate protection of children from abuse, exploitation
and all forms of violence. Some states in the North are yet to domesticate the Act, and it is not enforced in most states that have domesticated the Act.

Secondly, the National Assembly should be blamed and not just Yerima and his cohorts. The National Assembly is required to specify a minimum marriage age by statute law. Argument for or against the deletion of Section 29(b) would have been defeated If there was provision for "age of consent or marriageable age" in the constitution.