A traditional marriage ceremony of a 12-year-old girl to a 63-year-old priest in Accra, Ghana has sparked outrage across the country and around the world. The BBC reports that the priest, Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, married her in a customary ceremony held on Saturday.

Controversial ceremony

In photos and videos shared online, dozens of community members can be seen attending the ceremony. During the ceremony, it was heard that women told the girl to “dress teasingly for her husband.” While community leaders claimed that the ceremony was purely tradition and custom, hearing the women advise the girl on preparing for wifely duties appears to mean otherwise.

In the Nungua indigenous community, high priests, such as Mr. Tsuru in this case, are also called “Gborbu Wulomo” and are counted as some of the highest traditional leaders. They perform sacrifices for the community, enforce cultural traditions, and pray for their protection. On the other hand, the girl comes from a family that, according to traditions, must provide a bride for the priest in a spiritual process to serve the gods.

The ceremony has attracted heavy criticism on and off social media, demanding authorities get involved.

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