Open Letter To Muslim Senators In Nigeria Who Voted For Underage Marriage

My name is Omanlara Tetede, I am a proud Muslim and I am against underage marriage!

I am PROUD to be Muslim, and I’m sick and tired of all those illiterate Muslims using Islam as cover up to justify their abuse of little girls!

I don’t claim to know a whole lot about Islam either, but I’m always in search of more knowledge, as Islam taught us to “search for knowledge from your crib to your grave”.



In this open letter, I would like to address the issue of the marriage of underage girls in the name of Islam.

I hereby challenge all those Senators to bring their proof from whatever Quran they are basing their claim on. I’m sure they won’t be able to, because THERE IS NONE IN THE QURAN.

The Holy Quran ( 4:21) states, marriage is a “Strong Covenant”. In Islam, marriage is a contract wherein both parties bring their clauses, and they both agree on them or amend them to fit their needs. Now tell me Mr Senators, how can a minor enter into a covenant with someone old enough to be her father or even her grand-father sometimes?

What does she know about marriage contract? What experience or intellectual maturity does she have to make such a lifelong commitment? Is her opinion even sought beforehand?

I bet you don’t know that, for a marriage to be valid in Islam, there has to be a “Yes…At-will” from both sides! In other words, there is no room for forced marriages in Islam. As such, all those involved in this abomination in the name of Islam should stop! You are a shame to Islam and you should all fear the punishment of Allah and stop lying in the name of Islam !!!

As a matter of fact, anyone found guilty of child abuse or pedophilia should be brought to justice, no matter their rank.

I’m going to end my letter with two calls: first, I would like to call on all TRUE Muslims, Believers, to please search for knowledge in your religion. Because if you don’t, you will have to listen and blindly follow what some illiterates say in the name of your religion.

Second, I would like to urge the clergy and all TRULY knowledgeable people, to speak out about what Islam REALLY is and denounce what is not part of Islam.

Remember the saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) “Everyone of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is in his custody”

And all of us, no matter our religion, should come together and be the voice of those without one, in this instance, the little girls.

[Article written by Omanlara Tetede]