Executive Director of the education think tank Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has called on the police to arrest Gborbu Wulomo for unlawfully marrying an underage girl.
Nuumo Borketey Laweh XXXIII, the 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo, faced criticism after a video of him marrying a 12-year-old girl, Naa Okromo, surfaced online.
The traditional marriage ceremony, which attracted a crowd, took place on Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Nungua.
Gborbu Wulomo defended his actions by stating that the girl would not be expected to fulfill marital duties.
However, Kofi Asare expressed outrage, stating that Wulomo’s justification is irrelevant to the law.
In a Facebook post, on April 1, he asserted, “The law says it is illegal to marry a girl under 16. The excuse that she will not be performing conjugal duties is immaterial to the law. The cops must grab the Nungua Wulomo and cohorts now.”
The GaDangme Council has clarified that the relationship between a traditional Ga priest and the 12-year-old girl is a betrothal, not a marriage.
In a statement signed and issued by its President, Ayikoi Otoo, on Monday, April 1, the Council stated that it had engaged with Gborbu Wulomo and some of his elders.
It is “important to clarify that the traditional ruler has stated that the relationship with the underage girl is a betrothal and not a marriage. This distinction to us has altered the legal implications.”
“We are inclined to side with the Gborbu Wulomo since the original reportage made the point that there was another ceremony that awaited the girl to purify and prepare her for procreation.”