NETWORKING AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG ENTRERENEURS

Youth Enterprise Exhibition (YEEX) will hold on July 20th from 10a.m-6p.m at LCCI Convention and Exhibition Center, Alausa, Ikeja; just behind Marwa Gardens.
The Exhibition which is organized by 3wise Magazine and supported by Office of Limited Partnerships of Lagos State Ministry of Justice is endorsed by Lagos State Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The Exhibition will have youths in enterprise exhibiting their products, and will provide Educational, Legal, Financial and Networking Opportunities for the Exhibitors and Participants.
The young entrepreneurs will also go through a mentoring programme by Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Seasoned Entrepreneurs.
Other Exhibitors and supporters include; Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Access Bank, LIRS, BellaNaija, Jobberman, Naij, FATE Foundation, School of Media and Communication of Pan-Atlantic University, Ipublicizenaija and US-Nigeria Trade Council. Special guests are Mr. Ade Ipaye, Lagos Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; Chief John Odeyemi, former Chairman of Eco Bank; Professor Ibidapo Obe, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos, Mr. Muda Yusuf, the Director-General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other celebrated young CEOs.
Side Attractions: Cocktail, Mocktail, Shawarma, Barbeque and Special Musical Performance
For further enquiries and details visit www.yeex.com.ng or call 08088038606 or 08055375908. Email: info@yeex.com.ng

Resolution On Marriage Age For Women Contradicts National and International Law - Nigerian Feminists

The Nigerian Feminist Forum (NFF) criticized a resolution of the Nigeria Senate to amend section 29(a) of the constitution that stipulates that a woman shall not be qualified for marriage until she is 18 years old. NFF argued that the decision to abolish age limitation for marriage contradicts a bunch of national and international laws, and urged the National Assembly to alter the resolution. This information is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday at the NFF website.

In their statement, NFF pointed out that the discussed amendment "will remove the age specification of women who can marry and would further deem a woman to be of “full age” once she is married, irrespective of the age she did so."
According to NFF, this decision will be a "clear violation" of Article 21(2) of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child that prohibits child marriage and betrothal, and of Article 6(b) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa that stipulates that the minimum age of marriage for women is 18 years.
Furthermore, it will run counter to Section 21 of the Child’s Rights Act of Nigeria that prohibits the marriage of persons below 18 years and imposes a punishment of N500,000 or a 5 year jail term, or both; Article 18 (3) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights; the Conventions on the Rights of the Child and Article 27 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
The feminists called the National assembly to reconsider their decision. They also urged the African Commission to encourage the Government of Nigeria to fulfill their obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and under the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

List Of Senators Who Voted In Favour To Legalize Underage Marriage In Nigeria

We now know how senators voted on the constitution amendment bill which caused an uproar in the senate on Tuesday.
The part up for ammendment relates to persons qualifies to renounce Nigerian citizenship. The constitution in Section 29 says anyone of age can do so.
Section 29(4) (b) says that ” any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.” It means that even a child if married can be seen to be of full age and as such can renounce citizenship. The committee proposed that that provision be deleted.
When it was put to vote, 2/3 of members present voted for it which meant it was deleted. 2
Senator Yerima had kicked and mobilised his fellow Muslims in the Senate which was threatening to cause confusion. Despite the senate president, David Mark insisting that it could no longer be revisited as it had been voted upon, Yerima continued his objection.
Due to the sensitive nature, Mark had to call for another vote. At this point the Senators who were in favour of this clause could no longer muster 2/3 of the votes that will retain Section 29, Clause 4 (b). Senators still voted 60 votes to 35 votes for the clause to be deleted, but it did not satisfy the 2/3 requirement and so, according to the senate version, “any woman who is married shall be deemed to be of full age.”
Thanks to Sen. Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti Central, ACN), we have the full list of the senators who voted NO)
The senators who voted NO, that is those who did not want the clause deleted, include the following:
1. Sen. Abdulmumin M. Hassan (Jigawa South West, PDP)
2. Sen. Abdullahi Danladi (Jigawa North West, PDP)
3. Sen. Adamu Abdullahi (Nasarawa West, PDP)
4. Sen. Ahmed Barata (Adamawa South, PDP)
5. Sen. Akinyelure Ayo (Ondo Central, Labour Party)
6. Sen. Alkali Saidu A. (Gombe North, PDP)
7. Sen. Bagudu Abubakar A. (Kebbi Central, PDP)
8. Sen. Dahiru Umaru (Sokoto South, PDP)
9. Sen. Galaudu Isa (Kebbi North, PDP)
10. Sen. Garba Gamawa (Bauchi North, PDP)
11. Sen. Danjuma Goje Mohammed (Gombe Central, PDP)
12. Sen. Gobir Ibrahim (Sokoto East, PDP)
13. Sen. Gumba Adamu Ibrahim (Bauchi South, PDP)
14. Sen. Hadi Sirika (Katsina North, CPC)
15. Sen. Ibrahim Bukar Abba (Yobe East, ANPP)
16. Sen. Jajere Alkali (Yobe South, ANPP)
17. Sen. Jibrilla Mohammed (Adamawa North, PDP)
18. Sen. Kabiru Gaya (Kano South, ANPP)
19. Sen. Lafiagi Mohammed (Kwara North, PDP)
20. Sen. Lawan Ahmad (Yobe North, ANPP)
21. Sen. Maccido Mohammed (Sokoto North, PDP)
22. Sen. Musa Ibrahim (Niger North, CPC)
23. Sen. Ndume Mohammed Ali (Borno South, PDP)
24. Sen. Sadiq A. Yaradua (Katsina Central, CPC)
25. Sen. Saleh Mohammed (Kaduna Central, CPC)
26. Sen. Tukur Bello (Adamawa Central, PDP)
27. Sen. Ugbesia Odion (Edo Central, PDP)
28. Sen. Umar Abubakar (Taraba Central, PDP)
29. Sen. Usman Abdulaziz (Jigawa North East, PDP)
30. Sen. Ya’au Sahabi (Zamfara North, PDP)
31. Sen. Zannah Ahmed (Borno Central, PDP)
32. Sen. Ahmad Rufai Sani (Zamfara West, ANPP)
33. Sen. Ahmad Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central, PDP)
34. Sen. Bello Hayatu Gwano (Kano North, PDP)
35. Sen. Ibrahim Abu (Katsina South, CPC)
Some senators did not register to vote, while some abstained.
After the second voting, Yerima tried to get up to thank the Senate Present and his colleagues in an attempt to claim victory, he was shouted down and booed.
Here is the photos of the list:

Nigeria Senate Approves Marriage for Underage Children

The Senate of Federal republic of Nigeria has approved the marriage of under-aged children irrespective of their age in the country.

This new law will proscribe the 18 year-old rule for any Nigerian child to qualify to engaged into a conscious agreement of marriage.

The Senates claimed that a woman is deemed to be full of age once she is married irrespective of her age.The Proponents or supporters of the under-age marriage rule includes Senator Yerima Ahmad Sani, Zamfara West, who claimed that the provision which stipulates a certain age for women before getting married, was at variance with Islamic law.

The resolution was made by lawmakers on Tuesday after a vote on recommendations of the Senate Committee on the Review of the Nigerian Constitution.

The Executive Director of PROJECT ALERT on Violence Against Women, Josephine Effa-Chukwuma, described the resolution as a selfish one.

She said that (the resolution) would contradict the Child Rights Act which stipulated that “a child is anyone below the age of 18″.

“That is very reckless of them and insensitive of them to the plight of young girls, especially in this time and era of child sexual abuse; the implications and complications that come up from early marriage which we all know; VVF, RVF and all that.

“So, if they go to the constitution to remove the age restriction that says one cannot marry a teen, then, they might as well throw the Childs rights acts out of the window.

“The Childs Rights Acts says clearly that a child is any one below the age of 18; or are they oblivious to it , it is completely
unacceptable,” she said.