The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, recently announced scholarships and distributed various gifts to 100 orphaned girls in Niger State.
This initiative took place ahead of a mass wedding sponsored by Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly.
Initially, Kennedy-Ohanenye had opposed the mass wedding, citing concerns over potential violations of the Child Rights Act.
However, she clarified that her intention was not to halt the wedding but to ensure that the girls were of legal marriageable age and were not being coerced.
Represented by her Special Assistant on Private Sector, Adaji Usman, the minister visited Niger State and provided the girls with scholarships up to university level for those wishing to pursue education. Additional gifts included 100 wrappers, 350 bags of 10kg rice, and 10 Point of Sale machines.
These items were distributed at the palace of the Emir of Kontagora, Mohammed Muazu, who also contributed by donating a sewing machine to each girl.
Furthermore, Kennedy-Ohanenye instructed that bank accounts be opened for all the brides-to-be, where a stipend will be deposited for the next six months to help them settle into their new homes.
She emphasized that the media had exaggerated the controversy surrounding the wedding, reiterating her concerns about the age and consent of the girls involved.
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