Yenagoa – A notable Nollywood actress, Mrs Omotola
Jelaide-Ekeinde, has criticised the recent Senate approval of early child
marriage.
Jelaide-Ekeinde expressed her feeling on the issue while
speaking as a Special Guest at the MBGN beauty pageant on Saturday night in
Yenagoa.
According to her, approving early marriage of the girl-child
will expose her to various abuses and exploitation.
Omotola
“The number of the Nigerian children on our streets today is
alarming and this is due to the abuses and exploitation they suffer in their
homes.
“Many of the girls out of school today have been abused, raped
and neglected.
“Who cares about the helpless and neglected girl children that
are being raped on daily basis?
“Must we have to wait for another Malala Yousafzai before we do
what is right for the future of our children?” Jelaide-Ekeinde asked.
The actress, who was honoured with ‘SilverBird Unique
Personality of the year’ award, called on the government to rather empower the
girl-child through sound and compulsory education programmes.
She enjoined Nigerians to rise and say ‘no’ to the enslavement
of the girl-child through early marriages, noting that the time had come for
Nigerian girls to be free from all forms of bondage and deprivation.
“That I am the most influential actress in Africa today is
because my parents never gave me out to early marriage. I stand up to say ‘no’
to the National Assembly’s endorsement of child-marriage.”
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