I love to produce documentaries on social issues. I find them more engaging. A few years ago, I decided to do one on early marriage so I got in touch with a local government council officer in a locality not far from the city I lived in, and he took me to a Fulani settlement in thvery heart of their town.

It was a long drive through the inroads but eventually we got to a small settlement. The first building I saw walking 100yards into the community was a government primary school, something strange made me stop and look around a bit and my guide asked me what the problem was. I asked him “is this school functional”? And he said “yes, it is” and I asked why the school was almost empty and it was just 10 o’clock in the morning and then there were children playing all over the streets”. He smiles and said “most parents believe education is a waste of time, the children just learn a trade”. I couldn’t believe my ears.

We walked on and soon entered the first house. I saw a little girl who was just twelve years old; she was heavily pregnant, precisely 8 months was gone already. I froze for a moment, then I moved into the hut, greeted everyone and sat next to her on the mat, she was a child. I just wanted to hold her and undo everything that has been done to her, I wanted to turn back time and give her back her childhood.

I started having a conversation with her through my guide who was also my interpreter. She said her name is Amina and she was twelve years old. I asked her about her husband and she pointed to an 18 years old boy sitting across her in the room. I was speechless at this point. I asked how they met and she pointed at her mum and uncle also sitting in the hut and said “they brought him”. Her eyes were teary at this point so I asked her, “Amina, do you want to be married now? She said “NO, I want to go to school, I want to learn how to read and write.” at this point she broke into tears and I held her close, comforting her as tears streamed down my eyes too.

Joy Idoko