UNILORIN Scholar Calls For Amendment Of Child Rights Acts To Reflect Islamic Marriage Perspectives

Professor Azeezat Amoloye–Adebayo, a distinguished lecturer in the Department of Islamic Law at the University of Ilorin and the institution’s first female academic in the field, has called for a revision of the Child Rights Acts, 2023. In her inaugural lecture titled “The Islamic Law and The Woman’s Agency,” delivered this past weekend, she advocated for incorporating Islamic perspectives on early child marriage into the legislation.

Professor Amoloye–Adebayo argued that the current legal framework, which prohibits marriages involving young persons under the age of 18, should be amended to prioritise the “best interest of the child.” She noted that such a change would provide a religiously authentic basis for reviewing early marriages, reflecting the enduring influence of religious values as “soft laws” in the lives of many Nigerians.

In her remarks, she emphasised that the provisions of Section 15 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended—pertaining to inter-religious marriages for national integration—should be interpreted as a need for Islamic law to safeguard the rights of Muslim women, rather than as a rejection of Islamic principles.

The professor also urged Muslim women to break down barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field by pursuing scholarships in Islamic Law, underscoring the importance of education in empowering women within the legal sector.

Her call for legislative reform has sparked discussions among legal scholars and religious leaders on balancing statutory law with cultural and religious practices in Nigeria, particularly in the context of marriage and child rights.