Naa Ayemuede is the property of Nungua deity

Rev Dr Daniel Nii Gyasi Ankrah, Director of Administration, Office of the Gborbu Wulomo-Shitse, has clarified that the Gborbu Wulormo married the 16-year-old girl on behalf of the Nungua deity, Gborbu.

Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, the priest, conducted the traditional wedding ceremony with the girl on Saturday.

Footage and images from Saturday’s elaborate event, which was attended by a large number of community members, have been widely shared on social media, leading to a nationwide outcry among Ghanaians.

During the ceremony, a woman, speaking in the local Ga language, advised the girl to dress enticingly for her husband. They could also be heard guiding her to prepare for marital responsibilities and to use the gifted perfumes to increase her appeal to her husband.

These remarks have fueled public outrage, as they imply that the marriage was not merely symbolic.

Critics are calling on authorities to dissolve the marriage and initiate an investigation into Mr Tsuru.

However, Rev Dr Ankrah explained to Umaru Sanda Amadu in an Eyewitness News interview on Citi FM on Tuesday that the girl was considered the deity’s property as she had been identified as the one to serve the deity.

He emphasised that the deity had taken the girl as a wife for itself.

Rev Dr Ankrah also noted that the girl was mysterious as she was in her mother’s womb for two years and sat for two years until after the deity’s intervention before she could stand and walk.

He pointed out that the ceremony conducted on Saturday was one of several initiations she had to undergo.

“The deity called Gborbu is spirit, but it has its symbols which is a personality which is the Gborbu Wulormo. So, Gborbu which is the spirit is not the same as the Wulormo. The deity has possessed somebody and once the deity has possessed somebody in the Ga language what we say is ‘ewue yo’ to wit has taken a wife to itself, it is the deity.

“This very young woman everyone seems to be talking about is a lady of mystery. She was in her mother’s womb for two years. And when she was even born, she sat, she wasn’t crawling, and she wasn’t walking for another two years. It was after the divine intervention of the gods of Nungua that she stood up immediately after the end of the ritual was done for her. She stood up and then started walking. So, the deity identified her as somebody who will be serving before the deity Gborbu, which means she is the property of Gborbu.

“Now, if she is a property of Gborbu, there are several initiations she has to go through to be able to serve at the Gborbu temple and one of the ceremonies is what was organised for her. The Wolormo played the role of the deity but he didn’t play the role for himself.

“There isn’t anything like marriage and there is nothing like betrothal as some people have also been writing. A deity has taken a woman for himself and that is all.” he stated.