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By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
Parents of the 4-year-old girl who last month got married to a 54 years old man at Akeddei community in Sagbama Local Government area of Bayelsa State, and three others were on Thursday handed a temporary relieve by the state government through Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) over alleged child marriage.
The state government team, made up of the chairman of the Gender Response Initiative Team (GRiT), Dr. Dise Ogbise Goddy Harry Esq, the Bayelsa State coordinator of the Child Protection Network, Kizito Andah, CPN and the Bayelsa State chairman of BANGOF, Comrade Taritei Boco, DO Foundation, NAWOJ, other non-governmental Organization, NGOs, National Human Rights Commission and Civil Society Groups heared submissions from the father of the four year old girl, Elder Morris Aboma, the alleged husband, Akpos Napoleon, and the paramount ruler, H.R.H Moneyman Binabo.
In separate submissions before the team of experts, they all insisted that the purported child marriage was a traditional practice termed ‘Koripamo’ in order to save little girl’s life.
They pointed out to the team that it is a cultural practice in Akeddei community, Oyakiri clan in Sagbama Local Government Area whereby if a girl child always falls sick, a man will be required to drop a symbolic amount in order to save the little girl from dying, saying that what transpired between the 4 year old girl and Akpos Napoleon was not a marriage but an Ijaw cultural practice called ‘Koripamo.’
The trio noted that whenever the traditional rite of ‘Koripamo’ is conducted the man who pays the “token” is not required to take her as a wife neither will he stop her from marrying any man of her choice when she is up to the age of marriage. According to him this can be done on a boy child or girl child.
Father of the four years old girl, Elder Morris Aboma, who spoke in Ijaw language, said her daughter was always sick to the point of death, adding that according to Akeddei tradition the only way to save her life is for a man to pay a symbolic and save the child’s life and that it has nothing to do with a real marriage.
According to the 54 year old man, “as it is now I am regretting doing all I did just to save the child’s life as she’s no longer sick again and such tradition has been going on but it has not been celebrated to the extent of hiring canopy, sound system and cooking of food.
“But since she says if I don’t do what she says she will die I have to look for money and do it since it involves life. As it is I am frustrated by this whole issue,” Akpos Napoleon said.
The paramount ruler of Akeddei community, HRH Moneyman Binabo in his submission said he heard of a marriage in the community during the Christmas festivities but did not have full details not until the DPO of Sagbama Police Station asked him to produce those that got married in the community.
Binabo further said he had to invite the parents of the little girl to get detailed information on what happened on the 27th of December and the parents told him that the little girl had been sick and that one Akpos Napoleon had to drop a symbolic amount “in order to save the life of the little girl,” adding that what happened in Akeddei community was not a formal marriage but a fulfillment of a cultural practice.
He however said that what surprised him was the demand of the little girl that food be cooked, canopy and a sound system be hired to celebrate the marriage.
The paramount ruler noted further that the man who pays the token on the girl is not expected to take her home to live as husband and wife nor stop the girl from marrying any other person of her choice when she is old enough to marry.
Kizito Andah, Bayelsa State coordinator of the Child Protection Network, CPN and Taritei Boco, Bayelsa State chairman of BANGOF said from the submission of the parents of the little girl, the alleged husband and the paramount ruler of Akeddei community what happened was not a formal marriage but a cultural practice known as ‘Koripamo.’
The duo noted that from the information gathered the little girl has not been sexually abused as confirmed by Dr James Omietimi at the Grit office and that the child is living a normal life with no relationship with the 54 year old man.
Speaking after the meeting, the chairman of the Bayelsa State Gender Response Initiative Team, Barr. Ogbise stated that the deliberation was frank and fruitful and promised to give further update whenever a collective decision is taken by the State ministry of women affairs, children and Social Development and all stakeholders. Like I had stated earlier the Bayelsa State Government is child friendly and will do anything to protect all the children of the State from any form of perceived abuse
