17-year-Old Muniratu Marries 60-Year-Old Nigerian Suitor

The 17-year old JHS girl who has been pleading to be rescued from a forced marriage appears to have now lost the fight. Muniratu Abdul Karim is now the wife of her 60-year old Nigerian suitor. Her parents are said to have gone ahead to perform the ceremony, ignoring advice and threats of legal action by gender rights groups, the Human Rights Commission and the Women’s Affairs Ministry. All is not lost though for Muniratu, as her new husband has agreed to allow her to sit the BECE exams in April after which she will relocate to Nigeria to start performing her matrimonial duties. One of her teachers who first reported the matter to Joy News revealed that following the media blitz on the matter, a Zongo chief in Accra called another opinion leader in Kumasi and directed him to intervene and ensure Muniratu went back to school. The teacher said the intervention of the leader led to understanding between to two families that the girl should be allowed to sit her BECE.