The Wife of the Governor of Cross River State, Rev. (Mrs.) Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, has dismissed as untrue that the practice of giving out young girls to settle financial debt, otherwise known as “money marriage” still exists in Belegete community of Cross River State.
The governor’s said it was an old-age practice that has been abolished.
Rev. (Mrs.) Otu in a statement by her press secretary, Faith Okon, said on Wednesday in Calabar that she had met with stakeholders, including traditional rulers in August 2023 to determine if the age-long practice was still operational.
“Following extensive consultations and engagement with community leaders and members, it was revealed that the “money marriage” tradition in the Belegete community was no longer tenable and had been abolished,” the statement reads.
According to the press release, “following the finding, Rev. (Mrs) Otu kick-started plans to empower the victims of this unfortunate practice.
“Therefore, the video, making rounds on social media, does not represent the present status of the Belegete community and should be disregarded in its entirety.”
Rev. (Mrs.) Otu said she remains committed to ensuring harmful traditional practices are eradicated and the rights and dignity of individuals, especially women and girls, are upheld across the state.
She urged responsible reporting and respectful portrayal of communities and stands in solidarity with the Belegete community as they continue their journey towards progress and positive change.
