Emir of Shonga urges community leaders to prioritise girls’ education to curb early marriage and protect young girls

The Emir of Shonga in Kwara State, Haliru Ndanusa, has urged community leaders across the country to prioritise girls’ education as a critical strategy to curb early marriage and protect young girls from long-term physical and psychological harm.

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Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, the monarch warned that child marriage had devastating consequences, particularly for girls forced into pregnancy at a very young age.

“When you force them to school, you do many things. We can use that instrumentality to make them marry late because it is very devastating when they marry early,” Ndanusa said.

He described girls who marry and become pregnant at the age of 12 or 13 as “a baby carrying a baby,” noting that such experiences often leave lasting damage.

The Emir recounted a personal experience from his early medical practice during his National Youth Service Corps posting, where he encountered a 13-year-old girl bleeding heavily.

“A tall gentleman who said he was my friend told me, ‘That’s my wife.’ I thought he meant his daughter. He said, ‘No, my wife,’” he recalled.

Ndanusa stressed that enlightenment and awareness remained key tools in addressing the practice, urging traditional and community leaders to educate families on the dangers of early marriage.

“When you get information, break it down for them to see. This girl is leaking urine, too young,” he said, advocating the use of visual aids and clear explanations to help parents understand the risks.

He also encouraged communities to adopt local bylaws discouraging child marriage, noting that collective decisions by councils could help enforce compliance.

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“We can create smart bylaws ourselves. Once the council decides, people will listen. If they go against it, they know they are running afoul of the system,” the Emir added.