The Parents of the 4-year-old girl who last month got married to a 54-year-old man at Akeddei community in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and three others were on Thursday, handed a temporary relief by the State Government through the Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) over the 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; Bayelsa State Coordinator of the Child Protection Network (CPN), Kizito Andah; Bayelsa State Chairman of BANGOF, Comrade Taritei Boco; DO Foundation, NAWOJ, other non-government organisations (NGOs), National Human Rights Commission and civil society groups, heard 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 their separate submissions before the team of experts, they all insisted that the purported child marriage was a traditional practice called “Koripamo” to save the little girl’s life.
Glo
They pointed out to the team that it is a cultural practice in the Akeddei community, Oyakiri clan in Sagbama Local Government Area whereby if a girl child always fall sick, a man will be required to drop a symbolic amount in order to save the 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 nor will he stop her from marrying any man of her choice when she is up to the age of marriage. According to them, this can be done to a boy or girl child.
Father of the girl, Elder Morris Aboma, who spoke in Ijaw language, said his daughter was always sick to the point of death, adding that, according to Akeddei tradition, the only way to save her is for a man to pay a symbolic amount and save the child’s life, adding that it has nothing to do with a real marriage.
Speaking, the alleged groom, Akpos Napoleon, said, “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. Such a 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 said if I don’t do what she says she will die I had to look for money and do it since it involves life. As it is, I am frustrated by this whole issue.”
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 who got married in the community.
Binabo further said he had to invite the parents of the girl to get detailed information on what happened on December 27 and the parents told him that the 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 fulfilment of a cultural practice.
He, however, said that what surprised him was the demand of the little girl that food be cooked and canopy and sound system be hired to celebrate the marriage.
The paramount ruler noted further that the man who paid the token to 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 girl’s parents, 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 immediately 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 updates whenever a collective decision is taken by the State Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Development and all stakeholders.
“As 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,” he said.
