The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has asserted that he advises his daughters to retaliate if their husbands slap them.
He highlighted the alarming prevalence of domestic violence, which constitutes 45% of cases in nine Shari’a Courts in Kano over the past five years.
Speaking at the National Dialogue Conference on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention, Sanusi emphasised the need to address the misuse of religious teachings that allow for domestic violence.
He noted that while some interpretations permit light beating, many cases involve severe harm, including broken limbs and serious injuries.
Sanusi stated, “Beating your wife or daughter is prohibited. It is a crime… Allah says all harm must be removed. Beating and gender-based violence are harmful and must be eradicated.”
He expressed his commitment to teaching his daughters not to tolerate violence and urged a cultural shift in educating sons against such behavior.
Additionally, Dr. Hassan Karofi from the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) discussed efforts to leverage religious leaders’ influence to prevent GBV in Northern Nigeria. He emphasized the importance of aligning Islamic teachings with contemporary approaches to address violence against women and girls.
The conference aimed to challenge harmful cultural norms and promote justice and dignity for women, fostering dialogue among various community stakeholders.
