Groups, individuals and systems that continue to seek entrenchment of the culture of discrimination against married women have been called out to stop such acts and tendencies and embrace the status women assume when they become married.

The call was made by no less a person that a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the oil-rich Rivers State, Aleruchi Cookey-Gam.

Cookey-Gam, who was Attorney General of Rivers State during the tenure of then Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili, hails from the Ikwerre ethnic national but was married to Roland Cookey-Gam, a native of Opobo Town of the Ibani ethnic nationality.  

“Discrimination against married women should not be accepted or encouraged. Often times, women become stateless once they are married. Their state of origin asserts that she has adopted her husband’s state while her husband’s state refuses to recognise her as an indigene.”

The former Director General of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority (GPHCDA) was reacting to a news report in the Punch Newspaper claiming that President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Nimi Akinkugbe into the Ondo State slot for ambassadorial nominees.

Nimi Akinkugbe, who is originally from Rivers State but was now married to Yinka Akinkugbe, who hails from Ondo State, the basis for her consideration to fill in the slot for the State.

Cookey-Gam stated that “Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe is an indigene of Ondo State as she has been married to Mr. Yinka Akinkugbe, an indigene of Ondo State, for well over 30 years and they are blessed with three children.” 

“Nimi is eminently qualified intellectually sound, and is well exposed and capable.  Nimi’s name was certainly recommended and submitted by government officials to the Federal Government.”

“President Muhammadu Buhari has in exercise of his powers appointed Nimi as a Non-Career Ambassador Designate and forwarded her name to the Senate for confirmation. Ondo State should be proud of her.” 

“Only recently, Governor Hope Uzodinma swore in Justice Ijeoma Agugua as Chief Judge of Imo State. The new Chief Judge is from Anambra State by birth and married to a man from Imo State. Married Women who excel should be celebrated and appreciated.”

She lamented that “Women’s rights have been trampled upon over the years. It is disheartening and regrettable that the notes of discontent and resentment is in fact emanating from youth groups such as Chairman, Ondo Youth Coalition, and the President, Yoruba Afenifere Youth Organization of Nigeria”.

To further buttress her point, the former chief law officer of Rivers State, referred to Section 15 of the 1999 Constitution which provides that:

“15. 1. The motto of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress. 2. Accordingly, national integration shall be actively encouraged, whilst discrimination on the grounds of place of origin, sex, religion, status, ethnic or linguistic association or ties shall be prohibited. 3. For the purpose of promoting national integration, it shall be the duty of the State to: … c. encourage inter-marriage among persons from different places of origin, or of different religious, ethnic or linguistic association or ties; and … 4. The State shall foster a feeling of belonging and of involvement among the various people of the Federation, to the end that loyalty to the nation shall override sectional loyalties.

Section 42 further provides:

42. 1. A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:-

43. be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religion or political opinions are not made subject; or …

2. No citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth.

3. Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall invalidate any law by reason only that the law imposes restrictions with respect to the appointment of any person to any office under the State or as a member of the armed forces of the Federation or member of the Nigeria Police Forces or to an office in the service of a body, corporate established directly by any law in force in Nigeria.

She warned that “Nimi Akinkugbe should not be discriminated against as she is an indigene of Ondo State. We should not allow the discrimination playing out in Cross Rivers State in the appointment of the Chief Judge repeat itself in Ondo State in respect of this ambassadorial appointment”.

“We recall that Hon. Justice Ikpeme (an indigene of Akwa Ibom State) married to an indigene of Cross Rivers State is the most senior and eminently qualified judge but is being discriminated against.”