63-year-old priest sparks outrage by marrying 12-year-old girl

A priest in Ghana has defended his marriage to a 12-year-old girl, who he selected as a bride when she was just six. The 63-year-old Gborbu Wulomo and the girl were wed in March, and local leaders have defended the wedding, explaining its ceremonial importance and taking care to point out that the marriage had not been consummated. The move has sparked considerable backlash. Child marriage is outlawed in Ghana, and there have been calls for authorities to dissolve the marriage and investigate the priest, calling the wedding a violation of the girl’s rights, and angrily pointing out that the Gborbu Wulomo has married a literal child. However, leaders from the couple’s Nungua indigenous community have insisted the criticism ‘comes from a point of ignorance.’