The Gborbu Wulormo Shrine has reacted to the news of its wulormo, 63-year-old Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, getting married to a 12-year-old girl.

The shrine, in a statement shared by GHOne, said that the girl is currently not under the care of the Gborbu Wulormo.

Explaining the marriage and the circumstances for which it had to be done, the shrine said it did so to ward off other men.

“She is still in school, she does not live with the Gborbu Wulormo. We started the traditional marriage of Naa Yomo Ayemuade (12-year-old) to ward off other men. When she matures, we will have our final rites,” the Gborbu Wulormo Shrine is reported to have said.

This reaction comes on the back of a press conference held by elders of the Nungua Traditional Council, led by the Mankralo of Nungua, Nii Bortey Kofi Frankwa II, defended the marriage with the excuse that religions like Christianity have practices like that.

The elders also described the widespread reactions to the marriage between the 63-year-old and the girl as a "point of ignorance" on the part of all the critics.

"Because it goes further than what is being preached out there, it’s deeper than what is being preached. It’s more deeper for our spirituality.

“On a lighter note, any of them that have been calling on the Gender Minister or gender agencies, they should first go and meet the Christian organisations and go and ask about Mary and Joseph. When they go and ask about Mary and Joseph and they are satisfied with the research about Mary and Joseph then they should call the gender minister to abolish Christianity.

“Also, all those who have called on the gender minister like I have indicated, from a point of ignorance, they should also go and see any Muslim or Islam organisation. When they are satisfied with the research work from the Islamic organisation, then they should also call the gender minister to abolish Islamic religion. Then they can call on us too, for the gender minister to come in,” he said.

Several calls have been made by the public on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, and the Ghana Police Service to arrest the Gborbu Wulormo, but more than 48 hours after the news broke, no official move has been made by either of these authorities.