An influential 63-year-old priest has sparked outrage in Ghana after marrying a 12-year-old girl. Responding to criticism, community leaders claimed that their customs and traditions are not understood, writes the BBC.
The priest, known as Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, married the girl in a ceremony that took place on Saturday.
The minimum legal age for marriage in Ghana is 18. The share of child marriages has decreased, but still such cases continue to happen.
According to the NGO Girls Not Brides, 19% of girls in Ghana are married before their 18th birthday and 5% marry before their 15th birthday.
Videos and photos of Saturday’s ceremony, attended by dozens of community members, were shared on social media and sparked criticism among many Ghanaians.
During the ceremony, women speaking the local Ga language told the girl to dress provocatively for her husband. The girl was also advised to be prepared for the duties of a wife and use the perfumes received to be more sexually attractive in front of her husband. These clues have led critics to believe that the ceremony was not merely formal, ceremonial, as has been said.
Critics called on the authorities to annul the marriage and investigate the priest.
Leaders of the Nungua indigenous community, to which both the girl and the priest belong, condemned public opposition to the marriage, saying the criticism “comes from ignorance”.
Nii Bortey Kofi Frankwa II, a local community leader, said on Sunday that the girl’s role as a priest’s wife was only “pure tradition and custom”. He added that the girl began the rituals to become the priest’s wife six years ago, and that this did not affect her education.
The girl is expected to undergo a second purification ceremony for her new role as the high priest’s wife. The ceremony will also prepare her for marital responsibilities such as childbirth, local media reported.
The priest is among the highest traditional leaders of the community. He makes sacrifices on behalf of the community, prays for the protection of the community, enforces cultural practices, and conducts traditional rituals during events such as the installation of traditional chiefs.
Government authorities have yet to respond to the controversial marriage. Ghanaian law prohibits child marriages on cultural or traditional grounds.
Publisher: GM
Tags: marriage revolted entire country #63yearold priest married #12yearold girl ceremony public filmed
