Traditional Authorities Defend 63-Year-Old Nungua Gborbu Wulomo Who Wed 12-Year-Old Girl

• Traditional authorities in Nungua have defended the marriage between a 63-year-old traditional priest and a 12-year-old girl.
• The priest, Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, married her in a customary ceremony held on Saturday.
• The legal minimum age to get married in Ghana is 18, according to Ghana's Children’s Act

The Gborbu Wulomo shrine at Nungua has defended the wedding between a 63-year-old priest, Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, and a 12-year-old girl, which flouts Ghana’s laws about child marriage.

The Gborbu Wulomo temple requires a girl who has not had sexual relations to attend to some deities, hence the choice of the 12-year-old.

They contend that early marriage would keep the girl pure.

The controversy surrounding the marriage held on Saturday, March 30, 2024, has stirred outrage, prompting calls for the prosecution of the traditional priest.

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According to the global campaigning NGO Girls Not Brides,19% of girls in the country are married before they reach 18 and 5% get married before their 15th birthday.

The legal minimum age to get married in Ghana is 18, according to the Children’s Act.

The spokesperson for the temple, Nii Bortey Kofi Frankwa II, told starrfm.com.gh that the marriage process started six years ago.

“Naa Yomo Ayemuade is a reincarnated woman who lived over 300 years ago and has returned to ensure that the sacred rituals of one of the deities, which have not been performed for years, can be done.”

Despite the customary wedding, he said the girl will continue in school until she is mature enough to decide to have sexual relations with the Gborbu Wulomo.

66-year-old accused of marrying child speaks

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Police investigate traditional council that conducted marriage between 12-yr-old girl & 63-yr-old chief priest

YEN.com.gh reported that the internet was flooded with disapproval after a wedding photo of a Nigerian man, Aminu Danmaliki, and his young bride went viral.

His bride, who looked like a teenager, garnered sympathy as many assumed she had been forced into marriage.

Aminu Danmaliki has responded to attackers on his Facebook page, revealing his young wife's actual age.

Source: YEN.com.gh