No Culture Justifies Abuse of Women, Child Marriage — Emir Sanusi

 

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has condemned all forms of violence against women and the practice of child marriage, insisting that culture cannot be used to justify oppression.

In an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday, the former Central Bank governor said every Nigerian, regardless of gender or background, is entitled to protection under the law.

“You cannot beat a woman because your culture allows it. She is a Nigerian citizen entitled to protection,” Sanusi said.

He explained that many acts often blamed on tradition are actually rooted in poverty, unequal power relations, and government neglect in providing basic social services.

“Violence against women is not unique to Africa; it happens in all societies. It is not about African culture,” he stressed.

Sanusi noted that abuse becomes widespread when men wield unchecked power in societies where women lack legal and social safeguards. Women, children, the poor, and persons with disabilities are often the most affected.

“When men have power and women are not protected, they will exploit that power to oppress them,” he said.

On child marriage, the Emir urged Nigerians to look beyond cultural explanations and consider the realities of rural communities, where many girls finish primary school by age 11 without access to secondary education, vocational centres, or safe spaces.

“Between ages 11 and 18, what arrangements have you made for her? Poverty often forces parents to marry off girls at 12 or 13 to prevent unwanted pregnancies,” he explained.

Sanusi also criticised urban elites for ignoring rural realities, noting the lack of roads, schools, and functioning local government services.

“It is easy to blame culture or the victim. But when the government has not provided schools or basic infrastructure, the burden falls on poor families,” he said.

The Emir emphasised that Nigeria must uphold moral and legal standards, insisting that violence against women and children is unacceptable, no matter what culture claims.

He concluded that many practices wrongly attributed to tradition are deliberate abuses of authority—a “culture of oppression” sustained by exploitation and violence—which must end to protect Nigeria’s most vulnerable citizens.