Lack of Schools Driving Child Marriage in the North — Emir Sanusi II
The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has blamed the rising rate of child marriage in Northern Nigeria on the lack of access to education and basic social infrastructure.
Speaking on Channels Television on February 4, Sanusi said although Nigeria’s constitution guarantees every child the right to education, poor enforcement and the absence of schools—especially beyond primary level—have made the provision ineffective.
He explained that many girls finish primary school as early as age 11, with no secondary schools, skills centres or support systems to engage them afterward. According to him, this leaves poor families acting out of fear rather than culture, marrying off young girls to prevent unintended pregnancies.
Sanusi stressed that child marriage cannot be addressed through moral arguments alone, insisting that government must invest in schools and social facilities to give girls real alternatives.
