Former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo has explained, the recent marriage between a 63-year-old traditional priest in Nungua, Gborbu Wulomo, Nuumo Borketey Laweh XXXIII and a 12-year-old girl, Naa Okromo.
As an indigene of Nungua, Lion as he is popularly called said the marriage is just to preserve the chastity of the young girl.
“Th young girl is the one who carries our sacred pot and interacts with the gods before our festival so we don’t want her to be sleeping around. The marriage is just a symbolic ceremony to ward-off men who might lure her” Mr. Afotey-Agbo explained in an Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Tuesday.
The sexagenarian Gborbu Wulomo, Nuumo Borketey Laweh XXXIII has come under intense pressure after his marriage to minor, Naa Ayemoede.
Many believe the act is a breach of the girl’s fundamental human rights and violates the Children’s Act.
The Police has since moved in to offer protection for the girl and her mother from attacks.
But Mr. Afotey-Agbo said the public backlash is borne out of ignorance of the tradition at Nungua.
“Things are outrageous because they didn’t communicate well. To us, it is symbolic and the communication didn’t go well. The girl can marry when she is ready and of age. It’s not something she will do for the rest of her life. We will be getting new girls to lead those rites” he stated.
The former Greater Accra Regional Minister maintained that, Gborbu Wulomo have many wives thus cannot sleep with the little girl as many are insinuating.
“The man has wives traditionally, but has nothing to do with them sexually in this context. It’s a symbolic rite and we always need a clean person to lead that custom. The rites have to be conducted in public to prevent some men from touching her, as things would not be right spiritually. It’s an awareness to send a signal to men not to touch the young girl” he added.
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