I have made this argument about a year ago when the rumor of Emir
Muhammadu Sanusi's marriage to a "minor" raised some dusts. The age of
consent varies according to culture and religion, I had argued.
I don't know why one would combust energy criticizing cultural
practices that are contrary to his religion, culture or warped
intuition. Nigeria has two major religions which don't prohibit
marriage at the age of 18. The constitution doesn't also prohibit it.
Writing about age of consent, Professors Richard Wortley and Stephen
Smallbone said girls married very young in European society prior
to19th century.
"In Medieval and early modern European societies, the age of marriage
remained low, with documented cases of brides as young as seven years,
although marriages were typically not consummated until the girl
reached puberty (Bullough 2004). Shakespeare's Juliet was just 13, and
there is no hint in the play that this was considered to be
exceptional. The situation was similar on the other side of the
Atlantic; Bullough reports the case in 1689 of a nine-year-old bride
in Virginia. At the start of the nineteenth century in England, it was
legal to have sex with a 10 year-old girl."
That was the Western society, which guides our sense of reasoning. If
you think you are copying the Western society by criticizing the
marriage of an 18-year-old, then you are wrong.
I know you will say what I quoted above is an old practice. You should
know that currently, in England and Wales, the minimum legal age for
marriage is 16, that is with the consent of parents. At 18, both the
male and female are free to marry even WITHOUT parental consent.
Ever wondered why the Westerners still celebrate Sweet 16 party? The
Western society that is characterized by debauchery and all manner of
secular practices, 16 year birthday party is marked because it is
considered a bridge between young age and adulthood.
In view of Muslim religious practices and tradition, I know Muslims
won't whine over someone's marriage to 18-year-old. In our village,
hardly can you spot an 18-year-old that is not married. In a typical
Hausa household, you can't claim not to have a grandma, a mother, an
aunt or a sister who was married off before 18.
As I noted last year, in Christianity, canon law previously provided
that the minimum age for marriage was 12, yes 12 years. The law was
later repealed in 1917 and increased the age from 12 to 14 for girls
and 16 for boys. But why would a true Christian condemn a practice
allowed by his religion?
Even if you are adherent of Buddhism, the founder of the religion,
Gautama Buddha, married his wife at age of 16.
Of course there are certain cultural practices that are universally
condemned like caste system, slavery and incest. But despite the
near-universality of incest taboo, among the Polahi nomadic tribe of
the Gorontalo province of Indonesia, incest is not a taboo. It is
permitted for father to marry daughter or mother to marry son, and so
on. In the Polynasian societies/languages, there is nothing called
"incest" because it just a normal practice. You have to respect their
culture since they perhaps see the exogamy you consider a morally
right practice as a bad practice.
What I still do not know is the basis on which the argument is
specifically hinged. Is it because of religion or culture? Sense of
cultural relativism is poor in this country.
I see criticism to Emir Sanusi as an affront and insult against my
religion and culture. When 72-year-old publisher of the Champion,
Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu impregnated and later married a 26-year-old, I
didn't talk because I have respect for people's choice. I was also mum
when 82-year-old Chief Tony Anenih married a damsel in her early 20s.
When Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu married Bianca, I didn't raise alarm over
their wide age difference. We see it as a triumph of love. When
76-year-old Alaafin of Oyo married 16-year-old, I didn't whimper. When
74-year-old Italian fashion designer, Roberto Cavalli, frolics on the
beach with a girl in her early 20s, hell didn't break loose. When King
Mswati of Swaziland picked 18-year-old as his 14th wife, the Swazis
saw nothing wrong with it because it is part of their culture.
A Hausa proverb observes that if you are hated, you will be criticized
for raising dust when you fall into water.
I think we deserve some respect from our brothers from different
religious and cultural backgrounds in order to live in harmony.
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