Omotola speaks against child marriage

Star actress and one of the most influential person in the world, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde spoke against the debated child marriage law in Nigeria. She spoke during the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant in Bayelsa state, Nigeria. Her words:

Let me first and foremost thank The Lord almighty, my saviour and help for this award.

Thanks also to Silverbird group the organizers of MBGN

Thanks to my wonderful husband, Capt Matthew Ekeinde, my support and best friend whose also here tonight. I am Today one of the Most influential person/people in the world because I wasn’t given off to marriage before the age of 18.

It scares and totally shocks me that the Senate in Nigeria (the most populous Black nation in the world and Giant of Africa) would not be passing in a law ensuring that every child should compulsorily be enrolled in school.

A very alarming number of children today are on the streets hawking or have been abused, raped or are married to men/women who should be protecting them.

Who protects the children of Nigeria?

Would we wait for another Milala before we act?

Should we now remove the parental caution on movies that say “Not for persons below 18″.

This is a call for justice and equity for children especially the Nigerian Girl child, who has the right to quality education, a childhood and the decision of whom and when to marry.

My Name is Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and I say No to phedophilia and No to the senate Bill endorsing Child marriage in Nigeria.

Underage marriage: Ondo Senator weeps, says I ‘voted in error’

The only South West senator that voted in support of the Underage marriage law in Nigeria has apologized to his people, stating that he voted in error. He prostrated, wept and plead for forgiveness before the people of the state.

 Senator representing Ondo Central, Senator Ayo Akinyelure ( Ondo Central) on Monday  wept and apologized to the people of the state for supporting underage marriage law.

He was summoned to a stakeholders’ meeting held at Adegbemile Cultural Central Hall in Akure, to explain why he backed the law

He claimed that he mistakenly pressed “NO” instead of “YES” when the lawmakers embarked on voting since the voting style was electronic.

“Nobody is above human error. What happened has made me to become wiser, because nobody is perfect except God. I will like to make the following clarification on the subject matter to correct the wrong allegations of voting in favour of underage marriage as widely reported in the national dailies.

Before this issue occurred, what the Senate considered for determination under the review of the Nigerian Constitution was renunciation of citizenship under the Constitution as contained in section 29 (4b) which provides that ‘any woman who married shall be deemed to be a full age.’ it is worthy of note that full age has been defined under section 29 (4a) to mean the age of 18 years and above,” he said.

Senator Akinyelure and Sen. Ugbesia Odion (Edo Central) were the only two senator from the Southern part of the country that supported the law which has generated wide criticism from Nigerians.