Free HABIBA

Aggressive and Massive Advocacy is sincerely needed at this point to fight child marriage in Nigeria. This is equal to abduction. This is totally unacceptable. We can no longer take it any longer.

"Let's advocate for the 14 years old girl abducted by the Emir of Katsina"

At 21, I have a re branded future. What I could have 'never' achieved if I was married out at age 16. My mum disapproved my decision to marry David, a man who came to ask my hand in marriage because she knew the importance of education, she knew I had potential and greatness in me.

At 16 I graduated from secondary school. I was excited! I was with my Grand ma in the Village, I started following her to the Market, she will ride me in her Motocyle to the market where she sells Vegetables. Suitors started coming. My Grand ma was happy. I was ignorantly happy too because many girls are getting married in the village, the girls we finished secondary school together were all getting married. Then I finally got hooked up with a spouse. My mum was totally against it. Well she doesn't want to break my heart but she ask me to come to lagos with my suitor. Then I travelled to Lagos... My mum had a talk with the man. At the end. My mum told him I was the first child and she would love me to be educated if only he can wait.

Mum equally talked to me, she reminded me of how I have always wanted to be great. my suitor travelled back to Anambra while I remained in lagos with mum. I looked for a job and was employed, I started teaching and was paid 5000 monthly. I was excited.

Got admitted into the Federal Polytechnic Offa. Kwara state. Life was good. One of my mentors introduced me to campuslife. Campuslife is a platform where students reports the activities of their campuses. Being a campuslife writer was a dream come true. My voice was heard through writing. It's always a good thing to have my report on the page of a Newspaper. I will always call people to buy the newspaper and read. It was great. Yet it wasn't enough. I will always go online to search for opportunities. I will always engage myself in one thing or the other.

During my I.T, I saw a fully funded opportunity in Lagos. It was Educate a girl workshop. That was where the inspiration came. After I had attended the Educate a Girl Nigeria workshop in Lagos. The workshop was an eye-opener to me as I became aware of too many illicit behaviours bedevilling the girl child around the world such as child marriage, sexual assault, violence against girls, Lack of Education etc. I saw the need to help young people, I desired to speak out so that my voice to be heard. I said to myself, if only my voice could change the status quo in Africa, why should I hold back.  I approached some NGOs indicating my interest to serve as a volunteer. I joined Her Voice Africa, YALI Network, One African Child, Earthplus, and Mentor a girl child fellows.

In order to be exuberant and to ensure that my voice is loud enough, then I founded Hope for African Girls Initiative (HAGi).

This is it, if I can, 14 year old Habiba Isa can. I want the world to be part of this global campaign to make sure all girls get an education, there are so many girls who are ignorantly in marriage due to lack of opportunities and situation they find themselves . What is the essence of being married when you lack what to educate your children. It's simply referred to "Student giving birth to Student" I want the world to stop seeing girls as part of a global poverty problem and to see them instead as co-creators of new solutions.

The best protection against marriage is education. I have seen some parents who know what an education can bring and they
chose to delay marriages for their children. My mother was an example. Many times she tell me that had it been I she allowed me to marry my spouse. I could have become mother of two. I have seen girls demand an education instead of getting married and having children, because they have been empowered by the freedom that
comes with being able to read and write.

Oh we need to be positive when we talk about child marriage. What did a child of 14 years know about sex? Most of them are ignorantly accepting it. Let's give them chance to decide their future, who they want to marry, what they want to become and freedom to explore the greatness in them!

we must educate girls to help bring about changes quickly in our society. As you can see, education gives girls dignity. You can’t change your life if you don’t know how. If girls and women are empowered they can take control of their own lives and their bodies. That is why education is priceless and important for girls and women all around the world

This is war on girls.
Little girls with no value.
If only our Governments saw this as important as human rights abuses. It's time to address basic governmental protection laws internationally. All women need to be protected at all costs. Even if it will cause local elders of villages distress. It's time to implement force if necessary, and I believe it is. Hopefully these girls will be allowed to live. It makes you realise just how much further we need to come in terms of addressing the rights of young women all over the world.

Let us come together and help create a 'new normal' for girls. A world in which girls are not held back from reaching their full potential: either by themselves, their families or their communities. A world in which girls can stay in school, get access to health services, get married and have children when they choose, realise their economic potential and their dreams: because they demand it and because the others in their
lives demand it, for them too.

I want girls to feel empowered enough to stand up for themselves. I want them to be able to say: "I don't want to drop out of school or jump into marriage. I want to finish my education and then chase my dreams." It is impossible for me to imagine a life in which I didn't have the freedom to choose what I wanted. It suffocates me even thinking about it. I want others to feel that way too.

I just want everyone to know that education is the only solution to a better life for us all. We must never forget that an educated mother will
result in a healthy, educated and prosperous family.”

So what?
Why HABIBA ISA?
Why the silence over her abductions by the emir of Katsina, the homeplace of Muhammadu Buhari the president of Nigeria???

Please #FreeHabiba because at 21, I am empowered enough to speak and defend my self, I am a student, multiple award winning writer, An author, CEO with international experience. Oh at 21, I am so proud and if I can, Habiba Isa and many other young girls in Nigeria can.

I am Jennifer Umeh! End #Childmarriage in Nigeria #Mystory #Shewill decides #EducateAgirl and give her a future. #HAGi #GirlsTakeover

Please join us and support this struggle!