On slippery slope to legalised paedophilia
B y Emmanuel Edukugho The Yerima Doctrine: When a girl has seen her menstruation, develops breasts and has pubic hair, she is mature to be married. Not many people would have thought a time would come when paedophilia would be celebrated in Nigeria. But that seems to be the case with the Senate's much-touted bid to legalise child marriage. [caption id="attachment_406021" align="alignnone" width="412"] Senator Ahmed Yerima[/caption] Specifically, the Senate voted in support of a resolution to amend the provisions of Section 29 (4b) of the 1999 Constitution. Section 29 (1) states: “Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in the prescribed manner for the renunciation.” Subsection (4a) states: “Full age means the age of 18 years and above,” while (4b) says: “Any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.” But with the proposed amendment, a married underage girl of 10, 12, 13 ...