Hundreds of Ondo State residents, particularly those in Akure, the State Capital, today converged at Adegbemile Cultural Centre Hall to express their displeasure over the legalisation of underage marriage.
The aggrieved protesters who were mostly parents, blamed the Senate over its refusal to delete section 29(4)b of the 1999 constitution which backed the early age marriage.
Though, most of the people who came to append their signatures on the petition written against what they termed obnoxious law, said they got the message from the social media.
The residents who started signing the petition as early as 10.am noted that having a provision in the nation’s constitution that trivialise the citizenship of females would have negative effect on the human rights of women for generations to come.
Some of the residents who came with their children described the Senate’s action as an injustice against Nigerian women and girls, for retaining section 29, sub sections 4b of the nation’s constitution.
They added that such an action would leave minors to shoulder adulthood obligations, which they claimed was not only morally wrong but totally absurd.
They expressed confidence, affirming that the signing of the petition would force the Senate to give the nation a constitution that would be acceptable to all Nigerians.
The chief press secretary to the ondo state governor, Eni Akinsola was one of the people who was at the protest scene to sign the petition.
He described the Senate’s action as uncalled for, and a move to render the girl child useless.
Akinsola urged all Nigerians to rise against such move.
Also, a nurse in an insurance company, Miss. Deborah Ogunduyile described the bill as absurd.
She noted that the bill would grossly abuse the right of the girl child.
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