TO YOU WHO SUPPORT CHILD MARRIAGE by Toyin Fani-Kayode

You who for whatever 'solid and noble' reason have chosen to agree with legitimised child slavery, sexual abuse, psychological, emotional, physical and financial abuse under the guise of marriage. You who are silent about it or couldn't care less as it's not a topic worthy of inclusion in the constitutional review - all of you have freedom to choose your position on this issue. The freedom to wax lyrical or not so lyrical as is most often the case, on this issue. You enjoy the freedom to hold and have your own opinion. The freedom to air your opinion irrespective of whether l care for that opinion or not.

A girl child has no choice. A girl child has no opinion that anyone will listen to - a girl child learns quickly the horrific consequences of her unwanted opinion and her only goal is silent survival or only choice suicide.

There is no point in appealing to an iota of empathy in you that agree with child marriage for whatever 'noble', 'altruistic' or patriarchal 'reason' as time and time again, on issue after issue, day after day, we are reminded that there is none (empathy).

Everything is reduced to politics, religion and gain - financially or otherwise.

For those of you who think -'too much grammar' you are darn right - I have just enough (grammar ) to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves or those for whom the consequences of speaking out would be unspeakable, but not too little grammar that l might be tempted to stay silent.