13-year-old forced into marriage through prophecy

Visibly shy and sad faced Ajovi [not her real name] is seated in a couch in her mother’s sitting room. She remains tensed up even though we have told her to keep calm and trust us. We had to reassure her throughout the interview that we meant no harm.

Two years ago, she was forced to leave her home in Aflao for the camp at Mentukwa near Pokukrom, Kumasi, a place that was far away from everything and everyone she knew. As if this was not enough, she was forced, at a young age 13-years, into marrying a 19 year old ‘partner’ in the camp: the reason being that Prophetess Helen Jesus Christ had seen their union in one of her several 'divine' prophecies.

Though she has been out of the camp for sometime after her mother took her away, the memories of her life there are still fresh. She would not only have to live with them for the rest of her life, she would have to see it every day - in the eyes of her daughter.

Sitting next to her on the same couch is her mother, the former financier of the church, Auntie Mary Jesus Christ. She is holding and cuddling the product of that moment of madness in Mentukwa when Adjovi’s 'husband' forced himself on her. Her barely one year old daughter (name withheld), did not want to be left out of this interview, so she announced her presence after sometime with a shrill cry.

Adjovi in a shaky voice told us she would rather not talk about that episode of her life. But after reassuring her several times, she drew a trajectory of events leading to the forced marriage. It started when she was called by elders of the church to ask whether she would ever want to marry. Her answer was a simple, straightforward and bold NO!.

“They called me and asked if I would marry, I said no; so they asked my mother and another elder to convince me but I refused till my mother brought the bride price and they said that day I was going to get married,” she recalls. Adjovi was however quick to add “but I was not happy.”

Although Auntie Mary Jesus Christ confirms her presence at the ceremony, she puts her acquiescence down to the insults and accusations that were going to be hurled at her.

“I was in a tight corner at the time, if I stood behind my daughter, they would say I am filthy, they would insult and say very bad things about me. They always said that a lot of times, telling us that is what the Lord said.”

The Mentukwa type of marriage starts as a pairing process, where male and female disciples are paired as a couple irrespective of their ages. The young girls especially are told that they would marry so – and – so person in future, all from the prophetic grace revealed to Prophetess Helen Jesus Christ.

Source:  Joyfm Online