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| Destination Cross River Round About |
money marriage continue to trend on social media, the Cross River State government
has insisted that the culture of Money Marriage associated with the Belegete
people of Obanliku LGA has long been abolished urging members of the public to portray
the state in good light.
This was made known in a press statement issued by the office of the Wife
of the Governor. The Governor’s wife, Rev. (Mrs) Eyo-anwan Bassey Otu, revealed
that a thorough fact-finding mission was conducted in collaboration with
stakeholders in August 2023 to assess the current status of the ancient
tradition. Adding that after extensive consultations with community leaders and
members, it was confirmed that the “money marriage” tradition was no
longer considered acceptable and had been formally abolished in Belegete
community, marking a significant departure from a practice deeply rooted in the
community’s history.
The statement aimed at dispelling misinformation circulating on social
media, emphasized that the video depicting the “money marriage”
practice does not represent the current status of the Belegete community and
should be disregarded.
In response to the findings, the statement averred that Rev. (Mrs.) Otu has
initiated plans to empower the victims who had suffered from this outdated
practice added that the First Lady is committed to eradicating harmful
traditional practices and ensuring the protection of the rights and dignity of
individuals, particularly women and girls, across the state.