REJOINDER TO FEMI FANI-KAYODE'S ARTICLE TITLED "A NATION OF PERVERTS AND PAEDOPHILES”
I just saw the piece of Femi Fani-Kayode’s write-up in the Leadership newspaper of July 21, 2013 and felt the need to enlighten him on some important issues which he might have either misunderstood or have no knowledge about. Though if you read the write up without looking at the name you might think it is written by a small boy who has no grasp of the reality on the ground. This is partly because of the abusive terms he used and his glaring display of timid ignorance. Notwithstanding, I will try to see that I did not use such offensive terms, for Islam does not allow its true adherents to be abusive no matter the circumstances, except in cases of physical offensive attacks launched against the person of a Muslim in which case he is permitted to act in self-defence.
Mr. Femi carelessly stated that “We must accept the fact that the interpretation of biblical and Quranic provisions are evolutionary and are ever changing. Jesus Himself said, “laws are made for man and not man for laws”. (Sic) - See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/210713/nation-perverts-and-paedophiles#sthash.FToxGKDW.dpuf
I have a tremendous respect for Jesus (Isa, A.S.) and the Holy Bible – the one in its pristine contextual form as was revealed by Allah. In fact, one cannot be a Muslim/Mu’umin without believing in the prophet-hood of Jesus (May Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him) and the scripture revealed to him by Allah (the Holy Bible {Injeela}, but not the one of today as its contents was secretly and severely tempered with by people without conscience like Femi Fani-Kayode) through their dubious misinterpretations – interpretations according to their whims & caprices.
Nevertheless and of course, interpretation of the Bible is evolutionary which is why some group of people giving themselves different designations and names will sit somewhere and abrogate or add something to it which is the main reason why I find it very difficult to call it “Holy Bible” but rather, the bible. The alterations in the bible are so enormous so much such that we keep having different versions of it with seemingly the same but conflicting verses such as King James Version (KJV) and the rest of them, which is why today we have “Religion-My-Foot-People” like Femi Fani-Kayode whom strived so hard to misinterpret biblical verses thereby resulting into having different version of it with different contents that are just mere thinking of men who are bound to make mistakes as human, unlike anything that is from God.
The case is not the same with the Holy Qur’an Mr Femi. This is because Allah (simply meaning God) says in Qur’an chapter15 verse9: “Surely, it is We Who have revealed the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'an) and We will most surely be its guardian (from addition or subtraction)” and this is why the Holy Qur’an is the only universal scripture in the world that is still in its pristine contextual form. If you can understand this, then you should know that the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an is not evolutionary as you alleged, but evolutionary interpretation could be the case with the bible even if not for anything, for having different versions and conflicting verses. But for the Qur’an, it must be followed by its true adherents as it is till the end of the world Mr Femi.
Secondly, Mr. Femi also alleged that: “The truth is that there is no Muslim country in the world that has adopted the paedophile charter where six or nine-year olds can marry and be bedded except for possibly Saudi Arabia and Iran”. Get this straight and clear Mr Femi, they (the countries you referred to) could be Muslims but, is not all that Muslim does that is Islamic. For anything done by any person purporting to be a Muslim to be Islamic, it must be first vetted and endorsed by Islam itself and not any other. This is why we have wrong doers among the followers of all the religions and whose actions can never said to be that of the religion merely because they are its followers unless and until if such actions are in conformity with the tenets and teachings of such religion
One of the major differences between Islam & other religions is that no creature has the right to add or remove any thing from it (Islam). The Holy Qur’an and the Ahadith of the Prophet (s.a.w), the Ahadith being the explanatory notes to the verses of the Holy Qur’an for clearer understanding of its verses most especially in the event of having different understanding of its verses by different Islamic Scholars, is what should be used as criteria for accepting or rejecting anything that has to do with the religion of Islam. This is why Allah says in Qur’an chapter3 verse19: “Decidedly, the (only) true Faith acceptable to Allah is Islam. Those who were given the Scripture were not at variance (with Islam) but after the knowledge had come to them; (their differences were) due to mutual envy and to spite one another. And whoever denies the Messages of Allah then surely Allah is quick in reckoning”. Also in Qur’an chapter3 verse85 Allah says “And whosoever seeks a Faith other than Islam (complete submission to the will God), it will never be accepted from him, and he shall be of the losers in the Hereafter”. To this end whosoever think he will use his position as a scholar to deceive Muslims, will only deceive himself not knowing and if he does not repent before his death his Islam will not be accepted by Allah and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter.
Mr Femi have also said Saudi Arabia and Iran are the only countries that has no age limit for child marriage but at least two countries should be added to his list which are: Sudan and Brunei.
The implication of his assertion is that we have a majority number of underage marriage in those countries, and yet they have not recorded Vesico-Vaginal fistula (VVF) cases as we did here in Nigeria. What then went wrong here that we happen to record such high number than those countries? What are the bases of our medical practitioners’ research saying that child marriage is the cause of VVF in Nigeria and same not being the cause in those countries? Or what then have you (Nigerian Medical Practitioners) to tell us about the case of a VVF patient who had neither got married nor bear a child in their womb? I therefore urge the government of this country to make provision of separate and adequate fund for the medical personnel in Nigeria to embark on further and in-depth research of the stimulus of VVF.
Nigerians should be careful with blind copying of other territories’ laws without critically studying the circumstances that brings about such laws in those territories. Most educated Nigerians, excluding the likes of Femi Fani-Kayode who mostly portrays his ignorance, do talk about and quote what they have little or no understand of. This is one of the reasons why you will hardly read such people’s written-work without seeing contradictions in their writings.
Just take your time and carefully study the letters of the US’s and most part of the Western World’s laws concerning marriage age, you will discover that what the law is talking about as per marriage age is when can a person, as of right, got married without the consent of his or her parents and when such person cannot unless with the parents’ consent and/or judicial approval, not because under 18 are not due for marriage or will be infected with VVF. Is that what the advocates against early marriage advocating for in Nigeria? In other words, are the advocates against early marriage advocating that when our children attained the age of 18 they should got married for themselves without their parents’ consent and/or judicial approval? They answer to these questions is NO, because we have heard several times what they advocated for.
Even in the western world where true democracy is alleged to have been practiced many years before us, things that are truly worse had happen and many of such things are still happening Mr Femi, not even to talk of country like ours, why not handle the truly worse things first instead of attacking our religion in disguise?

For you (Mr Femi) and your likes to study or better still, a homework. In Bolivia, a state in South America, the age limit for female to get married without the consent of her parent is 14; In Scotland of the United Kingdom, the marriage age for a girl child without the parent consent is 16; In Asia, taking Thailand as an example, 17 is the marriage age for females to get married without judicial approval, but under age (below 17 years) is allowed to marry under certain circumstances with judicial permission. In New York if you are 16 or 17 years of age, you will need to have a completed parental consent form filled out by both parents. If you are either 14 or 15 years of age, you will need to show the written consent of both parents and a justice of the Supreme Court or a judge of the local Family Court in order to get married. In Michigan if you are 16 or 17 years old, you can get married with written parental consent. If you are 15 or younger, you will need both parental consent and the approval of the probate court.
From the foregoing, you will understand that what the laws of these countries are talking about is the right of a child to get married on their own without the consent of their parents and when they cannot except with their parents’ consent and/or judicial approval, not that they are not matured enough to bear a child or have sexual intercourse. If you think otherwise, then why do you think they allow underage with pregnancy to get married and deliver the baby without punishing them for impregnating and childbearing? Make a wider research anytime you want to talk on a national issue of this sensitivity or else, sniff the coffee Mr Femi!
The laws of the west have little or no concern for morality. In fact, most of their laws are aimed at promoting immorality, for instance Florida, Georgia, Maryland, and other US States allow pregnant teens or teens who have already had a child, of whatever age, to get married without parental consent. Here the interest this law is protecting and promoting is that of immorality, which is if teens want to marry all they need to do is to get pregnant or deliver a baby. Make a wider research anytime you want to talk on a national issue of this sensitivity or else, sniff the coffee Mr Femi!
The bitter truth of the matter is that what Sen. Yarima did is in line with the teachings of Islam. Whether it favors him or not and whether it pleases you people or not that is another thing entirely which we have less concern about, because this is the matter of our faith. Why are you people so concerned about marriage and not about prostitution of the under age, same sex marriage, and other obnoxious in the society? You people should tell me what the law prescribe as punishment for parents whose child engages in prostitution? Is prostitution of underage allowed while marrying them off is punishable? Is it Sen. Yarima that enacts the law or it was there before he even got to the senate? Sen. Yarima simply advocates the status quo of the law to be maintain and not to enact a new law permitting early marriage. I therefore advised people like you (Mr Femi) and your likes to first understand our differences and respect same in order for us, as a people, to move forward. Make a wider research anytime you want to talk on a national issue of this sensitivity or else, sniff the coffee Mr Femi!
Lastly, I will wrap up with one quotation from Holy Quran in chapter 109 verse 6 that says “To you is your religion, and to me is my religion” Make a wider research anytime you want to talk on a national issue of this sensitivity or else, sniff the coffee Mr Femi!
Abubakar S.M. Nagoggo
yerimasadiq@gmail.com