Chukwuka Utazi, senator representing Enugu north, says in Africa people do not marry for love, but to have children.
Utazi made the comment while contributing to a debate on a bill seeking to prevent, control and manage sickle cell anaemia in the country, on Tuesday.
The bill is being sponsored by Sam Egwu, senator representing Ebonyi north.
While making his point, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator said it is painful to realise that an individual cannot marry his or her choice because of blood group.
“This bill is taking me down the memory lane because I’m an AS carrier and when I was about getting married, several years ago, I moved into this orbit and I know what I went through because I was in love. I knew the trauma. After that incident, for five years I didn’t come out of it,” he said.
“So I am speaking from experience and I know how it pains that you have made a choice and you discover that the choice can’t work. Because in Africa, we marry for children, we don’t marry for love.”
At this point, Senate President Ahmad Lawan interrupted, saying: “Senator Chukwuka Utazi, I think you should be speaking for yourself.”
Continuing, Utazi said: “In the developed world, particulars of a child’s blood group is given at birth.
“A test is done to show the blood group, the genotype before leaving. In the birth certificate of the child, all those things are put in place.
We should not be waiting for when people want to go and marry, that is when they will start checking their genotype and their blood group, it shouldn’t be.”
Also speaking on the subject, Biodun Olujimi, senator representing Ekiti south, asked Nigerians to look at ways of addressing health needs.
“The time has come for us to look inwards to solve some of these health needs and also support institutions that are doing so. Going forward we need to take serious blood testing for intending couples,” Olujimi said.
“We will not allow love take away the best part of our marriages.”
The bill passed second reading after it was put to a voice vote by Lawan.
from the cable.ng
“We will not allow love take away the best part of our marriages.”
ReplyDeleteAmen....
I thank God I am out of this grave, it can be really painful breaking up with someone who is compatible with u every other way aside from genotype. I wrote Chronicle tire
DeleteMy Story: I used to live in Nigeria and I've done my genotype test about 3 or 4 times and it's always been AA plus I always had malaria and I was told AA are prone to it.
DeleteFast-forward to after University, I got married to my friend from Primary school who had relocated abroad after his primary school.
While we were courting, I went to visit him in the US and his Specialist Dr asked him to bring me for a genotype test because my Fiance is SS. The Dr said they have had so many couples come from Nigeria who are AA and they have their test done and it shows AS.
I went for the genotype test and we were told they would get back to us if anything was wrong, of it was good they won't get back to us.
After 16 months, we got married and I became pregnant a year after we got married and we were excited. I went to my GP, saw the midwife, got blood tests done and asides morning sickness I was good.
On a Friday when we got back home from work, we had posts come in and my husband opened one of my own letters which was from the GP. The letter said Congratulations once more on the pregnancy, your genotype has showed that you are AS, please bring your partner 😱.
Hmmmmmmm, sad day for us, i was going crazy. I am a medical Dr so I will never ever venture in AS and SS if we never planned on adoption or surrogacy.
I died and woke, my husband was so calm about it and said let's wait till Monday to go and see the GP and I said no way was I going to bring a child into this world to suffer because I know what it is like when he his in crisis.
Because I was going crazy and confused, my husband called his brother and that one spread it to all the others here and their mum heard about it, told some of their aunties in Nigeria and they thought I lied about my genotype just to marry their brother/son/nephew and it became an issue which their mum gave me tough time for, meanwhile my MIL has 2 children who are SS.
Luckily for us, we waited for CVS at 12 weeks and GOD vindicated me. My twins are AS.
God blessed me with a boy and girl who are now 15 years.
Don't know why I'm sharing this but please if ure AS don't marry an AS, if ure SS don't marry AS of ure not ready for adoption or surrogacy.
Don't bring a child into this world to suffer, the pain is real.
“The time has come for us to look inwards to solve some of these health needs and also support institutions that are doing so. Going forward we need to take serious blood testing for intending couples,”
ReplyDeleteWe should not be waiting for when people want to go and marry, that is when they will start checking their genotype and their blood group, it shouldn’t be.”
You are right, and University of Benin teaching hospital has started the stem cell treatment but it is extremely expensive at one million naira; for the average nigerian.
DeleteWith adequate government funding, more government hospitals can start the treatment, and it would become more affordable.
Stem cell treatment has its own consequences.
DeleteThis is commendable.
ReplyDeleteI do not understand the bill
ReplyDeletelong over due. lost a friend because of sickle cell.
ReplyDeleteIssa good move!
ReplyDeleteI did not understand what is being proposed under the bill?
ReplyDeleteGood one.....
ReplyDeleteBV dollar Goddess
Hmmm...!
ReplyDeleteIs love not important??
Learn to love the right choice!
Way to go
ReplyDeleteA law. So if a couple that are both AS marry, you would jail them?
ReplyDeleteI don't understand
DeleteOh wow! Nice one
ReplyDeleteI dont subscribe to this. Do you know how many grandmothers and fathers that have been labeled withes and wizards because of a sick child? Do u know the millions that are spent on hospital bills and constant anxiety? Actress Eucharia still lost her only child after suffering for many years to raise him. Have u asked her how she goes to bed at night? Its called common sense. Though its not common, love do fade. And then blame game starts. Why not introduce a law to close our nothern borders to keep these blood suckers away? Na sickle cell and love worry u today even in this lockdown. Mtcwwww.
ReplyDeleteWhat don't you subscribe to? Please, kindly explain. Thanks.
DeleteI have a cousin that is about to make this mistake..his fiancee is As and he is also As..his parents have talked,cried,begged but he still insists on marrying her..
ReplyDeleteThere is a cure but it’s expensive. I know people whose children did a bone marrow transplant and are free of the disease. Senator put in a bill to help others and use your “egunje” to get one done instead of buying fancy cars after the borders are open. It has a cure but the government must subsidize it!
ReplyDelete