The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has linked the continued practice of child marriage in parts of northern Nigeria to systemic failures in education and social planning rather than deep-rooted cultural preferences.
Speaking during a televised discussion on culture and social reform, Sanusi argued that public debates often misdiagnose the problem by focusing narrowly on tradition while overlooking the conditions that leave families with few alternatives.
According to him, many girls complete primary school at an early age and are subsequently abandoned by the education system, with no access to secondary schools, vocational centres, or structured life opportunities.
“When a girl finishes primary school at 11 or 12 and there is nothing after that, society has effectively left her in limbo,” the monarch said.
“Families are then forced to make decisions out of fear, not ideology.”
Moreover, Sanusi explained that in impoverished rural communities, parents often worry about safety, exploitation, and unintended pregnancy, especially where schools are distant, roads are unsafe, and public services are largely absent.
“In those settings, marrying off a young girl is seen as protection against social risks created by neglect,” he noted, adding that poverty, rather than culture, frequently drives such choices.
The emir also criticised urban narratives that, in his view, oversimplify the issue and unfairly blame rural communities without acknowledging government failure at the grassroots.
“It is convenient to accuse culture, but much harder to admit that the state has not built schools or provided basic infrastructure,” he said.
Citing constitutional provisions, Sanusi stressed that every Nigerian child is legally entitled to education, describing school withdrawal as an offence in principle.
However, he questioned the credibility of enforcement when the state itself has failed to meet its responsibilities.
“Laws cannot be enforced in a vacuum. You cannot punish parents when there are no schools to send their children to,” he said.
He further observed that enforcement remains virtually nonexistent because governments at various levels have not created the capacity to absorb children into the education system, particularly in rural areas.
Sanusi concluded that meaningful progress against child marriage would require sustained investment in education, skills acquisition, and social infrastructure, rather than moral outrage alone.
“Until girls are given real options for learning and development, these conversations will remain symbolic,” he added.