Culture cannot justify violence against women, child marriage — Emir Sanusi

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has strongly condemned violence against women and child marriage, emphasizing that cultural claims cannot justify abuse and that every Nigerian is entitled to protection under the law.

In an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday, Sanusi said, “You cannot beat a woman because your culture says you can beat her. She’s a Nigerian citizen entitled to protection.”

The former Central Bank governor explained that abuse often attributed to culture is actually rooted in unequal power dynamics, poverty, and government failure to provide basic services.

“When men have power and women are not protected, men will take advantage of that power and oppress them. Women, children, the poor, and persons with disabilities are all victims,” he said.

Sanusi also addressed child marriage in rural communities, urging Nigerians to understand the structural causes.

He noted that many girls finish primary school around age 11 but lack access to secondary schools, skill centres, or safe environments. Families, he said, are often forced to make difficult choices.

“Between 11 and 18, what arrangements have you made for her? The poor man basically finds that she’s 12 or 13; he’s afraid she might get pregnant, so he marries her off.

“Sometimes these practices reflect poverty, not culture,” he explained.

Highlighting the challenges faced by rural communities, the Emir noted that poor infrastructure, unsafe roads, and distant schools exacerbate the problem.

“It’s easy to blame culture. It’s easy to blame a victim. But the government has not provided the schools,” he said.

While recognizing the complexity of these issues, Sanusi stressed that Nigeria must uphold clear moral and legal boundaries.

“As a nation, we need certain common agreements and values. Violence against women and children is simply unacceptable. Nigerian law does not allow it,” he said.

He concluded that many practices blamed on tradition are actually deliberate abuses of authority, describing them as a “culture of oppression” sustained by violence and exploitation, and called for urgent reforms to protect vulnerable citizens.