The Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has called for stronger protection of the girl-child, saying systemic issues like poverty, abuse and lack of education are pushing women and youth toward drug abuse and exploitation. Speaking at the launch of _“In The Shadow of the Neem Tree”_ by his daughter, Barrister Mariam Marwa-Abdu, in Kaduna on Saturday, July 11, 2026, Marwa said the fight cannot be left to government and NGOs alone. “We need the partnership of our revered traditional institutions, led by custodians of culture like His Royal Highness, the Emir of Zazzau, to shift the cultural paradigm,” he stated. “By protecting the girl-child, we protect the family, and by protecting the family, we secure the nation.”
The NDLEA boss praised the book for confronting early marriage and its consequences. He noted that while the neem tree provides shade in northern communities, “under some of these very shades, silent traditional arrangements occur that eclipse the bright futures of our young daughters.” Marwa added that early marriage denies girls education, health and the chance to contribute to society. He also celebrated his family’s commitment to advocacy through writing, saying all four of his eldest children are now published authors using their work to address social problems.
Author and founder of WCREF, Mrs. Mariam Marwa-Abdu, described the book as a reflection of her mission since founding the NGO in 2011 to defend women and children’s rights. The Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, represented by Architect Haruna Abubakar Bamalli, said he hopes the event will spark “individual and collective development” and drive positive change.
