Under Age Marriage: Controversy has erupted in Ghana following the marriage between a 63-year-old traditional priest and a 12-year-old girl, with community leaders defending the union as a matter of tradition.
Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, an influential traditional priest aged 63, has sparked outrage in Ghana after marrying a 12-year-old girl in a customary ceremony held on Saturday.
Despite widespread criticism, community leaders have rallied behind the marriage, asserting that outsiders fail to grasp the nuances of their customs and traditions.
Although the legal minimum marriage age in Ghana is 18 and child marriage rates have declined, the practice persists, with 19% of girls marrying before 18 and 5% before 15, according to Girls Not Brides, a global NGO advocating against child marriage.
Videos and photos from the elaborate ceremony, attended by numerous individuals, have circulated on social media platforms, triggering condemnation from many Ghanaians.
During the ceremony, women speaking in the local Ga language were heard advising the young bride on marital duties and urging her to use the perfumes they had gifted her to enhance her attractiveness to her husband.
These statements have heightened outrage, suggesting that the marriage is more than ceremonial. Critics are demanding that authorities annul the marriage and launch an investigation into Mr. Tsuru.
Leaders of the Nungua indigenous community, to which both the girl and the priest belong, have rebuked public opposition to the marriage, attributing the criticism to ignorance.
Nii Bortey Kofi Frankwa II, a local community leader, defended the marriage on Sunday, asserting that the girl’s role as the priest’s wife is rooted in tradition and custom.
He further clarified that the girl began the rites to become the priest’s wife six years ago, with no disruption to her education.
The girl is scheduled to undergo a second customary ceremony to prepare her for her new role as the high priest’s wife. This ceremony will also prepare her for marital responsibilities such as childbearing, as reported by local media outlets.
Mr. Tsuru holds the title of “Gborbu Wulomo,” or traditional high priest, in the Nungua indigenous community in Accra, the capital city.
As a spiritual leader, the priest occupies a significant position among the community’s traditional leaders. He performs rituals on behalf of the community, offers prayers for its well-being, preserves cultural traditions, and oversees traditional ceremonies such as the induction of tribal chiefs.
Government officials have yet to address the contentious marriage. Although Ghanaian law recognizes customary marriages, it explicitly prohibits child marriages disguised as cultural or traditional practices.
