The Bayelsa Government has extended an invitation to the parents of a four-year-old girl and a 54-year-old man allegedly involved in a marriage in the Akeddei community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state. This intervention follows media reports of a marriage between the young girl and the older man on December 26.

In a statement jointly signed by Dr. Dise Ogbise-Goddy, Chairman of the Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) Bayelsa, and Mr. Paniebi Jacob, Director of Child Development in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Development, the state government expressed its disapproval of the "illegal marriage" based on tradition and customs, deeming it repugnant to natural justice, equity, and good conscience.

The Ministry of Women, Children Affairs and Social Development and GRIT acknowledged receiving a formal complaint from a child rights advocacy group, DO Foundation, regarding the controversial marriage. The traditional ruler of the Akeddei community has committed to producing the child, her parents, the groom, the youth leader, and the chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC) in response to the government's invitation.

The government emphasized its stance against child marriage and highlighted the passage of the Bayelsa State Child Rights Law. It vowed to take steps, in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Police Command, to prevent such incidents from occurring in the state in the future. The government also expressed gratitude to non-governmental organizations, including FIDA and DO Foundation, for their involvement in the case and affirmed its commitment to pursuing a resolution.

However, it was learned that the alleged marriage involving the man, identified as Elder Akpos, was reportedly at the behest of the girl's parents. According to a community source, the parents claimed that the 54-year-old man was the girl's husband in their previous life, as the girl narrated that he was her husband who had died mysteriously in their previous life. The community decided to organize a glamorous wedding ceremony to mark the union of the two based on these beliefs.

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