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Samuel Ibok Writer @ The Handshake
city Lagos, Nigeria
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27021
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In People and Society • 2 min read • Oct 11, 2022 13:51p.m.
Girls, not brides

<span class="html-content"> <p>Hannatu grew up in one of the remote areas in Adamawa state, Nigeria. I didn't even know a place like that existed. She grew up playing with boys, which was a big issue for her parents and neighbours. She was only a child and her innocence blinded her to the prejudice that plagued her society. Boys were boys, but girls were women!&nbsp;</p><p>Also, boys were free while girls were bombarded with a plethora of chains. Their freedom came at a price, and defiance wasn't an option. Accordingly, Hannatu was given out for marriage when she turned 13. From birth, she was betrothed to a man who was her father's age. She became a woman overnight because it was the norm. Culture is, in many regards, peer pressure from the creators of the god concept. At this point, she lost her childhood forever. She could no longer go to their little village school and she was forcefully introduced to BEDmathics. A course she never opted for and wasn't ready for. Like other wives, she had to occasionally sleep with her husband. She was constantly in pain and kept to herself.&nbsp;</p><p>Before she turned 30, some relief workers from the government and UNICEF visited her village. They preached against child marriage and educated the villagers.... By this time, Hannatu's heart was already hardened, and she let her pain rule her. She was at the front of the fight against the relief workers. She wanted other girls to experience what she had felt as a child.&nbsp;</p><p>She had given up on society. She led other women to resist the relief workers. Hannatu was later arrested and she was placed in a rehabilitation center. She was eventually given an opportunity to share her story, which she did. Her story is similar to that of many other young ladies who married as children.</p> <p>There is a need for a strategic alliance between the government and the private sector to address this issue.</p><p>Social media can be used to raise awareness about the detrimental impact of child marriage.&nbsp;</p><p>Children's rights must be preached and protected. It's our responsibility to protect and empower children, as they are our future.</p> <p>Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.</p><p><br></p> <p>'Happy International Girl-Child Day'.</p> </span>

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