The Myth of Monogamy : Church Wedding Doesn't Ensure Exclusivity

Accra, Ghana - A legal expert, Mr Dennis Adjei Dwomoh, has weighed in on the country's marriage laws, stating that a church wedding does not preclude a man from entering into polygamous relationships.

According to the lawyer, who is a Managing Partner at Law Plus Attorneys-at-Law, Ghana's Marriage Ordinance permits plural marriages, and a church wedding does not supersede this law.

This clarification comes amid widespread misconceptions that a church wedding prevents a man from taking additional wives. The lawyer emphasized that while a church wedding is a Christian ceremony, it does not override Ghana's legal framework governing marriage.

The statement is expected to spark conversation about the country's marriage laws and the role of religious ceremonies in defining marital relationships.

Speaking at the inaugural Ghana Marriage Governance Conference on August 27 at the British Council, Mr. Adjei Dwomoh explained that couples who undergo customary marriages can have their union blessed in a church or white wedding, but warned that not all churches or pastors are authorized to perform marriages that legally prevent spouses from entering into polygamous relationships.

“If you perform your marriage at a church, which is not licensed and the pastor is not licensed, that marriage is just a mere religious ceremony. And in that regard, your partner can decide to marry an additional man or marry an additional woman.”

“At every white wedding, there is an interplay of a social event, a religious ceremony, and sometimes the statutory aspect of the marriage. So when you want to marry under church marriage, for it to be monogamous in accordance with statutes so that your husband cannot marry an additional one, there are certain requirements that you have to meet.”

He recommended couples wanting a monogamous marriage through church or white weddings to first determine whether the churches and pastors are licensed to do it.

“It is important to ask the church to show you their certificate indicating that they are gazetted. So like the driver's licence, if the car has a driver's licence number, you get to see.

Source : Lead News Online