The recent marriage between a 63-year-old priest and a 12-year-old girl in Nungua, Ghana, has ignited a wave of public outrage.
Taking place on Saturday, March 30, the ceremony saw the union of the man known as Gborbu Wulomo, Nuumo Borketey Laweh XXXIII, and the young girl, reportedly named Naa Okromo.
According to reports, a guest who supported the marriage explained that it was rooted in a longstanding custom mandating
The rationale behind the marriage was the tradition requiring the priest to wed a virgin, a requirement allegedly not met by any girl above the age of nine in Nungua.
The priest selected the girl at the tender age of six. Presently, she is slated to undergo a secondary customary ceremony centered on purification, aimed at preparing her for her projected roles as the wife of Gborbu Wulomo, which encompasses bearing children.
The shrine of Gborbu Wulomo in Nungua defended the marriage, asserting that the girl remains in school and does not reside with the priest. The union was initiated as a means to safeguard her chastity and dissuade potential suitors until she reaches maturity.
According to Star FM in Ghana, the marriage was purportedly imperative “to safeguard her from any form of sexual misconduct.”
A spokesperson for the temple, Nii Bortey Kofi Frankwa II, elucidated the marriage’s historical and spiritual importance, positing that the girl may be a reincarnation of a woman from centuries ago tasked with carrying out neglected sacred rituals.
Reportedly, the priest must abstain from engaging in sexual relations with the child until she attains the legal age for marriage and childbirth.
