Advocacy for women’s right to retain fathers’ names after marriage: MURIC urges Nigerian Government to reconsider

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is urging the Nigerian government to reconsider existing marriage laws, allowing married women the option to retain their fathers’ names. In a statement issued on Monday, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the executive director of MURIC, expressed concerns about the current practice that mandates women to adopt only their husbands’ surnames, deeming it gender discriminatory, outdated, and oppressive.

Akintola argued against the notion of a man, who played no role in a woman’s upbringing, suddenly dictating a change to her surname. He emphasized the unfairness of husbands asserting parental identity over women who were raised and educated by their own families. According to Akintola, “It beats logic, fairness, and natural justice that a husband appears out of nowhere to commandeer a woman’s parental identity simply by marrying her.”

Furthermore, he highlighted the plight of educated women who are compelled to publicize their name changes in newspapers to validate documents and properties acquired before marriage. MURIC’s stance aims to promote a more equitable and just approach to marital naming conventions in Nigeria.