[b] i have just read the statement made by the
Katsina Emirate Council on the issue of
Habiba Isa, the 14 year old Christian girl that
allegedly converted to Islam at the emir's
palace and thereafter got married to the Emir
of Katsina, his Royal highness, Alhaji
Abdulmumin Usman.



According to the Katsina Emirate Council, 14
year old Habiba's marriage to Emir
Abdulmumin Usman, is "irreversible"!
The council said the marriage and Isa’s
conversion to Islam were voluntarily and
willingly entered into by the girl.



I urge the Katsina Emirate Council to
reconsider their assertion that a girl of 14 has
the capacity to not only change her religion
from Christianity to Islam but to also consent
to marriage without her parents permission.
The emir of Katsina is 65 years old. Habiba is
14. Between them there is a 51 year age gap.
The emir is powerful, Habiba is powerless.
Under such a situation, how can the Katsina
Emirate Council justify this decision?
A girl of 14 can't vote and can't get a driver's
license which are much less complicated than
marriage, so how can she consent to marriage.
Let us reverse the situation. Let us assume
that a Christian in Kano met a 14 year old
Muslim girl on her way to school or perhaps
to the market and engages her in conversation
that leads to her conversion to Christianity
and then announces to the world that they are
to be married. How would that situation go
down in Kano? Would it be acceptable?
The Katsina Emirate Council should consider
the Hadith of prophet Mohammed that says:
"None of you [truly] believes until he wishes
for his brother what he wishes for himself."


The emir is meant to be a father to all the
people of Katsina emirate. I appeal to him to
consider the distress of Habiba's family. Even
if he wants to marry Habiba, at least let her
attain the age of 18 and if he cannot wait
until she attains that age then parental
consent is a must!
The emir should be mindful of the fact that
Nigeria is a very fragile nation and we need
respected and beloved royal fathers like his
royal highness, Alhaji Abdulmumin Usman, to
help us strengthen our union.

I sincerely urge the Katsina Emirate Council to
reconsider their decision. Also, I urge the Body
of Christ in Nigeria, to exercise restraint in
their reaction to this matter.


Disrespectful and angry reactions will not help
Habiba Isa and will even undo years of inter
faith understanding that many have been
building between Christianity and Islam.
I am confident that the Katsina Emirate
Council and his Royal highness, Emir
Abdulmumin Usman of Katsina would do the
right thing and return Habiba to her Christian
family.[/b]