So You Are…

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By Adetayo Adetokun

So you are  11…

You are 11, and the world still belongs to you.

Ripple Effects of Poverty: Child Marriage

Photo by Dick Scholten on Pexels

by Grace Anaja

Child marriage is a plague that affects millions of girls all around the world. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) describes child marriage as 'any formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child.' In developing countries like Niger, Nigeria, and Central African Republic, 36% of girls are married before age 18, and 10% are married before age 15. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights also states that marriage must be entered by individuals who are fully consenting and at full age.

Here Comes the Bride (4)

Picture from: THE FEMINIST WIRE

Bimbo Omotosho woke up wanting to pee. She went into her bathroom and when she returned, sat on her bed and stared at the night light. She wasn’t sure she could fall right back to sleep. 'Maybe a glass of milk would help’, she said to herself. She looked at her bedside clock and saw that it was 2am. Her mother always snapped about having late-night snacks and Bimbo really didn’t listen. When she was hungry, she ate. She had a stash under her bed which helped her cravings.

Here Comes The Bride (3)

Nollywood actor, Foluke Daramola, campaigns against domestic violence.
Image: Kokolife

Iniabasi look her husband wit corner eye as he dey sleep. Ukeme just dey roll up and dan like say spirit dey purshoo am. She don bone tire! Why dis her mumu husband dey snore like olden days Volkswagen? Ha ahn! One day, she go fit carry pillow press press im head make he for quiet! Ah ahn!

As if Ukeme know wetin she dey tink, he turn im nyash face her come release one kine mess wey smell pass egg wey done rotten. De mess go straight go her face like say na wetin in bin dey target.

Here Comes The Bride (2)

Sad Muslim Girl.
Image: Deposit Photos

This series starts here. Catch up on it and enjoy the sequel.

The number of people in front of her compound was daunting. Salamatu Yakubu smiled as she thought of that word; daunting. She had seen it in the newspaper at the principal’s office when she had gone to get chalk. She memorized the spelling and got her teacher to explain the meaning. As usual, her teacher had told her to find it out herself; urging her to search the dictionary starting at ‘D’ and then, the next letter. She couldn’t help but smile at how much she was learning, which was far better than her classmates and especially, than ALL the boys in her class.

A Glimpse Into Child Abuse And Marriage

Young girl holding a child.
Image: UNICEF Australia

Zireme Azimba remembered the first time she came to Yola. She was brought to the city from Galabje, her small village in Toungo, Adamawa State. Before then, she had never imagined leaving the routine of her home; waking up at dawn, sweeping the compound, cooking, farming, cooking again, and on weekends, laundry at the small stream. Her Uncle Golfa, whose wife – Daufe – had just put to bed, came to take her from her parents to help with house chores.

Here Comes The Bride

Marriage

Ameera was shaking. The lavish wedding ceremony was over. She was finally married to Alhaji Aminu Dahiru, a longtime friend and business partner of her father. She was brought to her husband's house by her mother and her friends. They met a number of the groom's relatives who told everyone but her mum to leave. These relatives were there to collect the sheets after the first sexual communion. They wanted to be sure Alhaji married a 'good girl'.