Money Marriage in Becheve

Written By Kebe Ikpi

There is a video going round via different social media platforms on the issue of okèngorò (money woman). According to the narrator, the money woman (a sinister form of child marriage) is prevalent in Becheve, Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State. Several concerned platforms have been inundated with this video and there have been different reactions from different statekholder. At the end of the video, the content creator advertised his editing masterclass. This, in my view, was the ultimate goal of the video. 

In a swift response, the Wife of the Governor of Cross River State issued a statement saying that money marriage is an old practice that has been abolished. According to the statement, Reverend (Mrs) Eyoawan Bassey Otu, “undertook a comprehensive fact finding mission to investigate the current status of this ancient tradition in August 2023”. The statement says she drew her conclusion that the tradition has been abolished after that “fact finding mission”. 

A rally has now been proposed by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with the wife of the Governor to hold in Obanliku targeted at ending money marriage (the money marriage that has been abolished). The press release quoted above is dated January 30, 2024 and the rally is scheduled to hold on February 2, 2024.

The wife of the Governor should be commended for undertaking that “fact finding mission” in August 2023. Her fact finding mission confirmed that work had been done to eradicate the money woman practice. 

The circulating video makes it look like money marriage is a new discovery; thereby putting to disrepute the work that lots of people and organisations have done to end the practice. This write up is to make certain things clear. 

1. Money marriage is a prictice that was prevalent in BECHEVE (not Belegete) Community of Obanliku Local Government Area. One wonders why the statement from the wife of the Governor referenced Belegete only. Could it be a typographic error?

2. The content of the video is a collection of old videos and pictures taken by stakeholders who worked there. Government and Non-Governmental Organisations worked tirelessly to ensure that the barbaric practice came to an end. A major part of that work was done with funding from Spotlight Initiative through Government Ministries and Civil Society Organisations. Documentaries were produced by Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI) in 2020. Girls Power Initiative (GPI), Education Today For Sustainable Development Initiative (ETSDI), Centre LSD,  GREENCODE and other CSOs rescued survivors, empowered them while also building the capacity of community people to stand up and protect themselves. Ministries of Women Affairs, Social Welfare, Justice, Cross River Judiciary and National Orientaion Agency are some of the government Ministries and Agencies that also worked to ensure the eradication of the money woman practice. 

3. The Concerned traditional leaders publicly denounced the practice. At one of those engagement, they unanimously issued a communique stating that they are no longer in support of the practice and anyone caught will be handed over to the Police. For his heroic feat of ending money woman, the Paramount Ruler of Obanliku was appointed a He4She Ambassador by UN Women. 

4. Obanliku Legislative Assembly passed a Bye-Law criminalising the practice. In 2023, Governor Ben Ayade signed the Child Rights Amendment Bill into Law. The Cross River State Child Rights Law 2023 (As Amended) criminalises child marraige. There is, therefore, enough legal framework to prosecute anyone found practicing child marraige in any part of the State.

5. Survivors of money woman received second chance education, vocational skills training rehabilitation, in some cases where relocated to safer places and more. Lots of them are doing well. It is possible that some people might be involved in still giving out their children in exchange for debt Secretly, we owe ourselves the duty to report such to the appropriate Law enforcement agencies. The video did not bring to the fore any new case of money marraige. 

The only way to sustain the gains of development is to build on what has been done instead of starting new paths on an already charted track. There are things that can be done in place of a ray right now. 

i. Simplify, Print and disseminate the Child rights Law 2023 (As Amended) so more people can get to know about the law. 

ii. Engage the Police to enforce the Law. 

iii. Hold sensitisation meetings in schools to educate the pupils/students on their rights as contained in the law. 

iv. Strengthen the capacity of the already established Survellance team. 

iv. Provide infrastructure in the affected communities. There is no school or hospital in Keyi. There is no hospital in (K)Imale. The story is the same in other village under the Becheve ward. The only way to acces these places is on foot. One will have to trek for 3-8 hours (depending on the village) to get there - and much more. 

Kebe Ikpi.

Please follow Kebe on X (Formerly Twitter)