Nigerians have been asked to shun child trafficking as well as the move to legalise child marriage in order to safeguard the future of youths of the country.
Former Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Ibadan, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, gave the advice on Saturday at the Dorcas Oke Hope Alive Public Lecture on Human trafficking and challenges of the African child at the UI’s Faculty of Law.
The DOHAL foundation was founded in 2003 in memory of Dorcas, only daughter of the President, Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Wale Oke, who died following a complication arising from typhoid.
Olanipekun, who extolled Dorcas’ virtue, said, “Early marriage is part of child trafficking. The people should rise against the vices. Tell me where it is written in the holy books that a girl-child should be given out in marriage.
“A child of 13 years would first see it as a child’s play. It is evil. It is a vicious circle that has extended to the embassies. Why do the embassies give visas to our children? Human trafficking is a recurring habitual circle backed by a strong cartel.
“We need to ask what happens to a Senator, who married a girl of 13. We are compounding our problems the more if we have outlaws making laws for us in the country. What do you expect from such personalities?”
Oke said, “Child trafficking and child marriage are becoming a terrible menace. A prostitute voluntarily gives her body. In this case the girl child has no choice; she has no liberty and is given no right at all.”
Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Bolanle Awe, said, “The Federal Government should address the problem of unemployment in the land. This is contributing to child trafficking”.
In a related development, leader of Women of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Mrs. Nkasiobi Okoh, on Saturday in Abuja protested against the legalisation of child marriage.
“Girls should be trained and not married as under-aged,” Okoh, who is the wife of the Primate of the Anglican Church, said.
Okoh, who also doubles as President of Mothers’ Union/Women’s Guide in the Anglican Church, said this during the Cathedral Archdeaconry Women’s Conference at Cathedral Church of the Advent Archdeaconry, Gwarinpa, Abuja.
The Proprietress, Excel Nursery and Primary School, Osogbo, Mrs. Titilayo Atobatele, cautioned the Senate against promoting underage marriage.
Atobatele said, Categorising female babies as adults upon being married will promote rape, licentiousness and victimisation of the female gender.
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