Sanusi To Katsina Emirate Council- Release Habiba

THE EMIR OF KANO. HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi NARRATE  HIS ORDEAL.
I have just read the statement made by the Katsina Emirate
Council on the issue of Habiba Isa, the 14 year old Christian
girl that allegedly converted to Islam at the emir's palace
and thereafter got married to the Emir of Katsina, his Royal
highness, Alhaji Abdulmumin Usman.
According to the Katsina Emirate Council, 14 year old
Habiba's marriage to Emir Abdulmumin Usman, is
"irreversible"!
The council said the marriage and Isa’s conversion to Islam
were voluntarily and willingly entered

into by the girl.

I urge the Katsina Emirate Council to reconsider their
assertion that a girl of 14 has the capacity to not only change
her religion from Christianity to Islam but to also consent to
marriage without her parents permission.
The emir of Katsina is 65 years old. Habiba is 14. Between
them there is a 51 year age gap. The emir is powerful,
Habiba is powerless. Under such a situation, how can the
Katsina Emirate Council justify this decision?
A girl of 14 can't vote and can't get a driver's license which
are much less complicated than marriage, so how can she
consent to marriage.
Let us reverse the situation. Let us assume that a Christian in
Kano met a 14 year old Muslim girl on her way to school or
perhaps to the market and engages her in conversation that
leads to her conversion to Christianity and then announces
to the world that they are to be married. How would that
situation go down in Kano? Would it be acceptable?
The Katsina Emirate Council should consider the Hadith of
prophet Mohammed that says:
"None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother
what he wishes for himself."
The emir is meant to be a father to all the people of Katsina
emirate. I appeal to him to consider the distress of Habiba's
family. Even if he wants to marry Habiba, at least let her
attain the age of 18 and if he cannot wait until she attains
that age then parental consent is a must!
The emir should be mindful of the fact that Nigeria is a very
fragile nation and we need respected and beloved royal
fathers like his royal highness, Alhaji Abdulmumin Usman,
to help us strengthen our union.
I sincerely urge the Katsina Emirate Council to reconsider
their decision. Also, I urge the Body of Christ in Nigeria, to
exercise restraint in their reaction to this matter.
Disrespectful and angry reactions will not help Habiba Isa
and will even undo years of inter faith understanding that
many have been building between Christianity and Islam.
I am confident that the Katsina Emirate Council and his
Royal highness, Emir Abdulmumin Usman of Katsina would
do the right thing and return Habiba to her Christian family.