Islamic Group Urges Nigerian Government to Allow Married Women to Retain Fathers’ Names, Gives Reasons

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called upon the Federal Government to revisit Nigeria’s marriage laws, advocating for a change that would permit married women to retain their fathers’ names.

Issuing a statement on Monday, Prof Ishaq Akintola, the executive director of MURIC, expressed his concerns about the existing practice that restricts women to adopting only their husbands’ surnames. He labeled this tradition as both gender discriminatory and archaic, emphasizing the need for a more equitable approach.

Prof Akintola argued against the fairness of a system that allows a man, who may not have been involved in a woman’s upbringing, to unilaterally alter her surname upon marriage. He highlighted the extensive role that parents play in shaping a woman’s identity and education before marriage.

He stated, “No woman dropped suddenly from the sky, and even if some appear out of nowhere, they must have been born, bred, nurtured, and marmaladed by certain parents before they grew up and matured into womanhood.”

Prof Akintola further pointed out the inherent injustice in a husband assuming control of a woman’s parental identity solely through marriage, especially considering the financial and emotional investment made by her parents in her upbringing and education.

The MURIC executive director lamented the prevailing situation where educated women feel compelled to publicize their name changes in newspapers to safeguard the validity of their documents and properties acquired before marriage. The call for a review of marriage laws aligns with MURIC’s stance on promoting fairness, logic, and natural justice within the societal framework.