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Africa reveals plans to eliminate child marriage by 2030

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AS part of accelerating efforts to eliminate child marriage in Africa by 2030, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called for the economic empowerment of young girls.

The President who was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataaha Museveni was yesterday speaking at a high level side event on the margins of the 72 Session of the United Nations General Assembly under the theme; “Accelerating Efforts to Eliminate Child Marriage in Africa by 2030” at the UNICEF Labouisse Hall in New York.

President Museveni said that because of poverty, parents marry off their children so that their husbands can look after them but if the young girls are empowered economically and through education and skills, this could reduce on the rate of child marriages as the girls would spend more years in school.

“In the past many young girls in the old African societies were immediately married off the moment they started their menstrual periods due to poor knowledge about biology. Biology now tells us that menstruation does not mean a child is ready for marriage,” he said.

Citing Uganda, the President said that there is need to sensitize people about the right age for one to get married and then for the governments to come up with laws that ban early child marriages. “Once we sensitized Ugandans that before the age of 18 children are too young to be married government legislated and banned marriage before the age of 18 years,” he said.

President Museveni added that there is need follow up the discussion with action, and to find social programs to occupy children such as free education so that children of the poor can study and acquire skills.

“Accelerating Efforts to Eliminate Child Marriage in Africa by 2030”

According to UNICEF, more than 700 million girls and women alive today were married as children. Child marriage is a violation of human rights, compromising the development of girls and often resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation. Young married girls face onerous domestic burdens, constrained decision-making and reduced life choices. This is a human rights violation on a vast scale and a major obstacle to sustainable development. While the practice of child marriage has slowly been declining, particularly for girls under age 15, additional, more concerted efforts are needed to accelerate the pace of change.

The UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage offers a framework promoting the right of girls to delay marriage, addressing the conditions that keep the practice in place, and caring for girls already in union.

The programme targets adolescent girls (ages 10-19) at risk of child marriage or already in union, in 12 selected countries: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia.

President Edgar Lungu Chagwa of the Republic of Zambia said that if there is no reduction in child marriages, up to 280 million more girls alive today are at risk of becoming brides before they turn 18 and that the effects of population growth mean that this number will approach 320 million by 2050.

“If current trends continue, the total number of women alive today that were married in childhood will grow from more than 700 million to almost 1 billion women and girls by 2030,” he said.

President Arthur Peter Mutharika of the Republic of Malawi called for political commitment to enable girls at the risk of child marriage to choose and direct their own futures, supporting households in demonstrating positive attitudes towards adolescent girls, and strengthening the systems that deliver services to adolescent girls.

“It will also seek to ensure laws and policies protect and promote adolescent girls’ rights, and highlight the importance of using robust data to inform policies relating to adolescent girls,” he said.

The Executive Director UN Women Phunzile Malmbo Ngcuka, the Canadian Deputy Minister for International Development Diane Jacovella, the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liliane Ploumen, the African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs H.E Mrs. Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil, the Deputy Executive Director UNFPA Ms. Laura Londen and the African Union Goodwill Ambassador for Ending Child Marriages Ms. Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda attended the event.

 

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Winning Election Before the Ballot: How Oseni Is Silencing Opponents with 500KVA Transformers

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In an era when many politicians are remembered more for promises than for performance, Hon. Engr. Aderemi Oseni stands out as a rare exception — a lawmaker whose impact is visible, measurable, and felt in the daily lives of his people. The latest testament to this people-centred leadership is the ongoing delivery of 20 additional 500KVA transformers for distribution to communities across Oyo South Senatorial District.

This is not just about electricity. It is about powering dreams, businesses, and hope.

Oseni, who currently represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and chairs the strategic House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), is contesting for the Oyo South Senatorial seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC). His candidacy is already being defined not by noise, but by concrete results.

The new consignment of transformers is part of a sustained intervention to address the chronic electricity challenges confronting communities in the district.

For months, residents of Oyo South — traders in Beere, artisans in Ibarapa, welders in Ido, cold-room operators in Ibadan South-West, and students burning the midnight candle in Ibadan North-East — have groaned under the weight of an epileptic power supply. Transformers that have served for over two decades are either overloaded, vandalised, or completely grounded. In many communities, darkness has become a way of life, and with it, economic activities grind to a halt.

Hon. Oseni understands this pain. As an engineer by training and a grassroots politician by conviction, he knows that electricity is not a luxury; it is the oxygen of economic growth, community development, and improved living standards.

The 20 new 500KVA transformers are, therefore, a strategic economic intervention.

The greatest beneficiaries of this initiative are those in the informal sector — the backbone of Oyo South’s economy. For the woman frying akara in Oja Oba who needs power to grind beans early in the morning, for the barber in Apata who loses customers when there is no light to clip, for the fashion designer in Challenge whose electric sewing machine is idle, and for the young graduate running a computer business centre in Ibarapa — this intervention means everything.

When power returns, productivity returns. When productivity returns, poverty reduces.

It is instructive that one of the beneficiary communities is Ita Baale/Olugbode in Ibadan North-East Local Government — the home community of Governor Seyi Makinde. By extending his intervention even to areas traditionally seen as opposition strongholds, Hon. Oseni has demonstrated that good governance knows no political boundaries. Light has no party colour. Development should have no discrimination.

Many other communities across the nine local governments that make up Oyo South — Ibadan North, Ibadan North-East, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan South-West, Ibarapa East, Ibarapa North, Ibarapa Central, and Ido — are already celebrating while waiting to take delivery of the transformers, with installation already ongoing in phases in some areas.

This transformer project is not an isolated act. It fits into a larger pattern of purposeful representation that has defined Hon. Oseni’s tenure in the Green Chamber.

As Chairman of the House Committee on FERMA, he has been pivotal in pushing for the rehabilitation of federal roads that crisscross Oyo South, easing the movement of farm produce from Ibarapa’s agrarian belt to Ibadan markets and reducing man-hours lost in traffic.

In Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, his current constituency, his footprints are everywhere: boreholes sunk in water-scarce communities, classroom blocks renovated, financial support for market women, scholarships for indigent students, and the facilitation of federal employment opportunities for youths.

Colleagues in the House of Representatives describe him as “The Star Boy of the National Assembly.” He sits quietly but effectively, a man who prefers to let his work speak. Constituents describe him as accessible — a lawmaker whose phone number still goes through and whose gate remains open.

Oyo South is the economic heartbeat of Oyo State. It houses Ibadan, the political capital of the South-West. It needs a Senator who understands both urban renewal and rural development; a Senator who can navigate Abuja’s power corridors to attract federal presence, yet remain rooted in the palaces, markets, and streets of Ibadan and Ibarapa.

Hon. Oseni brings a rare blend: engineering expertise, legislative experience, and grassroots empathy. His years in the House have equipped him with the legislative savvy to sponsor and support bills that will address the peculiar needs of Oyo South — from urban electricity to rural roads, from youth unemployment to agricultural modernisation.

At a time when Nigeria’s energy sector is undergoing reform, Oyo South needs a Senator who will not just complain about darkness, but who has already shown he can deliver transformers, facilitate connections, and engage distribution companies to do more.

In Nigerian politics, many come with manifestos, but few come with evidence. Hon. Oseni’s campaign for Oyo South Senatorial District is not built on empty slogans; it is built on transformers delivered, roads fixed, boreholes working, and lives touched.

The 20 new transformers are not campaign props. They are installations that will outlive this election cycle. They will power homes long after the ballots are counted. That is the hallmark of genuine service — to do what is needed, not just what is popular.

As the 2027 general elections approach, the people of Oyo South are faced with a clear choice: to continue with politics as usual, or to elevate a proven performer to the Senate to do even more.

If a House of Representatives member can light up communities with 20 transformers, imagine what he can do with the greater influence of a Senator of the Federal Republic.

Indeed, Hon. Oseni is not just contesting to be Senator; he is contesting to bring more light — literally and figuratively — to Oyo South.

 

Joseph Okwuofu worked with The Nation newspapers and is the CEO/Publisher of Naija Examiner online newspaper.

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Oyo South APC Candidate, Oseni, Takes Delivery of 20 New Transformers for Distribution

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Oseni, has taken delivery of 20 additional transformers for distribution to communities across the district as part of efforts to address electricity challenges and strengthen local infrastructure.

The latest consignment is expected to provide relief to communities grappling with inadequate power supply, particularly households, traders, artisans and small-scale business owners whose economic activities are often hampered by unreliable electricity.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Saturday, Oseni, who currently represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), described electricity as a critical driver of economic growth, community development and improved living standards.

He said the intervention was informed by the need to respond to the everyday challenges confronting residents, noting that access to reliable electricity remained essential to both domestic and commercial activities.

“We recognise the difficulties our people face as a result of inadequate electricity supply. For traders, artisans, small business owners and families, reliable power is not a luxury but an important part of their daily lives. The arrival of these 20 additional transformers is another practical step towards responding to those concerns and supporting our communities,” he said.

The lawmaker explained that the transformers would be distributed to identified communities based on their electricity needs, adding that care would be taken to ensure the equipment served its intended purpose and delivered tangible benefits to residents.

He further stressed that effective representation should go beyond political promises and public pronouncements, noting that elected leaders must demonstrate their commitment through practical interventions that address the needs of their constituents.

“Our people deserve more than promises. They deserve leadership that pays attention to their challenges and is committed to finding practical ways to address them. We will continue to support initiatives that improve living conditions, strengthen local businesses and bring development closer to our communities,” he added.

The latest delivery adds to Oseni’s infrastructure support efforts across Oyo South, with electricity supply remaining a major concern for many communities in the senatorial district.

The intervention is also expected to complement his earlier efforts to improve electricity distribution and service delivery across the affected communities.

Oseni reaffirmed his commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of residents and promoting sustainable development across Oyo South.

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‎Oseni Hails Folarin’s Political Experience, Contributions at 63

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‎The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Oyo South, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, on his 63rd birthday, acknowledging his years of political experience and contributions to public service.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, conveyed his felicitations in a statement issued by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, on Friday and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He described Folarin’s birthday as an occasion to reflect on a career marked by years of involvement in legislative affairs and the political development of Oyo State and Nigeria.

‎The federal lawmaker noted that Folarin had established himself as a prominent figure in the state’s political landscape, having served in different legislative and political capacities, particularly as Senate Leader.

He said the former Senate leader’s experience in the legislature had given him valuable insight into governance, public service and the responsibilities of political leadership.

The APC chieftain added that Oyo State needed the collective wisdom and contributions of its political leaders, irrespective of their political affiliations, to sustain peace, stability and development.

He said, “Senator Teslim Folarin is a man whose years in public service have given him considerable experience in the political and legislative affairs of our country. His contributions to Oyo State and his commitment to public life are worthy of acknowledgement.

“On this special occasion, I celebrate him and wish him many more years of good health, wisdom and fulfilment.”

Oseni further wished the former Senate Leader renewed strength and greater opportunities to contribute to the development of his community, Oyo State and the country.

‎He also prayed for God’s continued protection, sound health and guidance for Folarin, expressing hope that his new year would bring him peace, happiness and greater accomplishments.

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