The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), has called for greater protection of the girl-child against the systemic vulnerabilities that expose women and young people to drug abuse and exploitation.
   
Marwa spoke in Kaduna over the weekend at the public presentation of the book, In the Shadow of the Neem Tree, written by his daughter, Mariam Marwa-Abdu, noting that, “by protecting the girl-child, we protect the family, and by protecting the family, we secure the nation.”
   
Meanwhile, Marwa stressed that protecting vulnerable members of society should not be left to government and non-governmental organisations alone but should involve all stakeholders, especially traditional institutions.
   
“As the Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, I see firsthand every day how systemic vulnerabilities such as poverty, abuse and lack of education drive women and youth towards drug abuse and exploitation,” he said.
   
Reflecting on the book, Marwa noted that, In the Shadow of the Neem Tree addresses the painful reality of child marriage and its devastating consequences. According to him, though the neem tree commonly provides shade from the scorching sun, “ironically, under some of those very trees, silent traditional arrangements take place that rob young girls of their futures.
   
“Early marriage deprives a girl of her childhood, education, health and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to society. Mariam draws on both her legal background and storytelling skills to shine a necessary light on this practice and its consequences.”
   
According to him, “advocacy like Mariam’s is the first line of defence. We cannot leave this battle to the government or non-governmental organisations alone. We need the partnership of our revered traditional institutions, led by custodians of culture, to help shift the cultural paradigm. We must protect our daughters, educate them and give them the wings to fly.”
   
He commended the author for her courage, compassion and intellectual contribution, saying she had made both her family and the nation proud. He urged Nigerians to ensure that the book’s message reached every corner of society.
   
He further described the occasion as deeply symbolic, stating, “As a father, today holds a very special meaning for me. They say a fruit does not fall far from the tree, and today, Mariam has proven that the roots of literacy and advocacy run deep in our family.
   
“I have always believed in the power of the written word to reshape society, a passion that led me to author three books. Today, I look at my children with immense gratification.
   
“To see all four of my eldest children – who are all lawyers – using the power of the pen to confront social challenges and document human experiences is the greatest legacy a father could ask for. We have become practically a family of authors.”
   
Meanwhile, the author and founder of the Women and Children’s Rights and Empowerment Foundation (WCREF), Mariam Marwa-Abdu, described the book as more than fiction, stating that it is “a literary manifesto” reflecting her lifelong commitment to promoting the rights of women and children.
   
She noted that through WCREF, established in 2011, she has spent over a decade translating the ideals expressed in the book into practical interventions for vulnerable women and children.
   
Also speaking, the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Bamalli, represented by the Barden Kerarriyan Zazzau, Haruna Bamalli, expressed hope that the event would serve as “a springboard for individual and collective development.”