The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says the persistent child marriage in parts of northern Nigeria is as a result of the failure of the government to provide adequate schools and structured opportunities for young girls after primary education.
Sanusi made the revelation in a televised interview today while speaking on culture, education and social reform.
According to him, while public discourse often focuses on child marriage, the structural conditions that push families into such decisions are frequently ignored.
The royal father maintained that many girls complete primary education at a very young age, with no pathway for further schooling or skills development adding that in such circumstances, poor families are often driven by fear rather than cultural preference when marrying off young girls.
The monarch, however, criticised urban perspectives that ignore rural realities, noting that roads are often unsafe, schools are distant or non-existent, and local government services are lacking.