Three reasons why dem dey marry out girl pikin for northern Nigeria

One report wey di World Health Organization (WHO) bin publish on April 23, 2025, show say each year, estimated 21 million girls aged 15 to 19 for low-and middle-income or developing kontris dey get belle.

For many parts of di world, young pipo no get access to informate wey reach for dem to fit decide wit sense about mata wey concern sexual and reproductive health.

Dis dey put dem inside unplanned belle wahala. To come add to dat mata, pikin marriage dey add salt inside dat wound.

Recently, WHO come out wit new methods wey dem go fit use prevent early pregnancy and reduce di serious health complications wey dey follow pregnancy and childbirth for young pipo, most especially girls.

Di problem of early marriage of small small girls wey no pass di ages of 12, 14 and 15 don dey rise. Dis mata no just dey popular for developing kontris but don turn trend for kontris for Africa, Asia and di Middle East.

Even sef, na just recently hia, wey di di Nigerian First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu draw ear give parents, leaders and di community in general to collabo and end pikin marriage.

She also call on dem to make sure say dem protect di right of girls dem.

Oluremi Tinubu tok dis one for di 2026 International Day of di Girl Child wey bin hold wit di theme, "Ending Child Marriage and Investing in di Rights of di Girl Child".

She bin add say evri girl gatz get way to go school get healthcare and stay for wia go help am achieve her dreams.

She also torchlight say evri girl get right to go school, grow and build future witout say she go through discrimination, kasala and oda negative cultural tins wey no go allow am achieve her goals.

Di First Lady say "wen girls get chance to thrive, families dey benefit, communities go dey stronger, and kontris go fit hit dia developmental goals".

Wetin be early marriage?

Pikin marriage dey happun wen one or di two spouses dey under di age of 18 and dey happun for social, cultural, economic, and family reasons.

For northern Nigeria and oda parts of di world, dis na di reasons wey dey make parents marry dia pikin away for young age.

Dis dey happun no mata dia age or wetin dem sabi say dia eye go see afta di marriage happun.

Wetin dey drive early marriage for girls for di north?

Lawyer Huwaila wey be women rights activists tell di BBC say di problem don dey increase for northern Nigeria and she tok three reasons for am

Poverty

Poverty dey play ogbonge role in forcing parents to marry off dia daughters at young age.

She say most of di problems dey start as soon as pikin reache puberty, as di issue of going to school fit become problem either becos of wahala for di education process, including school fees.

Dis fit make di parents comot dem for school and say make dem begin hawk, and as soon as pesin express interest to marry di girl, dem go marry am off.

Some parents dey see dis as easy way to relieve demsefs of di burden of feeding, clothing, and oda needs of dia daughters.

Culture

Culture get ogbonge role for early marriage for girls. Some societies dey see early marriage as custom or way to protect family honour. Culture and tradition dey ginger pikin marriage.

Relationship

Some parents believe say marriage na im go protect dia pikin or go improve di relationships wey dem get wit families wey dem no get blood relation wit witout say dem reason di stigma and problems wey come afta di marriage.

According to one report wey United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) release, dem estimate say ova 24 million women for Nigeria bin marry for young age.

Di report tok say out of evri 10 women, three of dem don face early marriage, wey mean say di rate na 30 percent.

Anoda group of women marry bifor dem reach 18 years old, and dem be about 12 percent.

Most of di girls wey dey marry early come from poor families. Afta dem, na pipo wey get low income, den di middle-class families. Di number no too much among families wey get plenty money.

Wetin dey happun sake of early marriage?

Early marriage fit cause plenty serious problems for children, especially girls.

Barrister Huwaila list some of di bad effects like this:

Pikin wey dem marry off early dey normally stop school. Dis one reduce dia chance to get beta education and good work for future.

Wen young girls get belle and born pikin too early, e fit cause health problems for both di mama and di pikin bicos her bodi neva fully mature.

Wen pesin no get education and skills, e fit make husband and wife continue to live for poverty. And na so dem go raise family wey no get enough money for food, clothes, and education, wey go make dia pikin dem follow suffer.

Di responsibility of marriage and taking care of family as small pikin go make di girl to dey face anxiety, fear, depression, and oda mental health wahala.

Pikin wey marry early no get chance to tink for diasef, solve problems, and make important decisions wey fit improve dia lives.

Some pikin dem wey marry early dey face abuse and different problems for marriage bicos dem neva mature enough to defend demsefs or handle family responsibilities. Di problem fit become worse wen di pikin dem wey dem born also grow up inside hardship and suffering.