A chief at the Manya Klo Traditional Area, Nene Olepeme Sakinor I, has disclosed that parents are now presenting their girls who are 6- 9 years old for puberty rites because the society is evolving.
Originally, he said the rites were performed for teenage girls and those who were even almost 30 years.
Unfortunately, he said some parents present their girls from 6 to 9 years old for the rites because they fear the girls may not live up to the required age and may start having sex.
“Now, someone can do it for their girls at 9 years, 8 years or even six years, we are able to do it because society is changing. This is because they fear the girls may not live up to the required age and may start having sex,” he said.
His comments follow reports that lack of virgins frustrates Dipo rites.
According to Graphic Report, Mothers in charge of Dipo ( puberty rites) at Dodowa in the Shai Osudoku District in the Greater Accra Region are now allowing non-virgins to take part in the rites because it is becoming difficult to get virgin adolescent girls.
However, girls who have had abortions, given birth or carried pregnancies are still not allowed to go through the rites.
According to them, many girls were now sexually active, leaving them with no choice but to allow “non-virgins” to take part in the rites.
The modification, they believe, will attract more adolescent girls to the rites which in the past were to usher only virgin girls between the ages of 10 and 15 into puberty or womanhood.
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But Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ama Gyenfa Ofosu Darkwa, Nene Olepeme Sakinor I said at his side, Dipo is done for girls in surrounding communities yearly, adding that they do it thrice, usually from April to May.
Surprisingly, he said they could get about 100 to 150 girls per week performing the rites.
“We can get more than that, we can even get about 200. When we do it three times, then we close ours so that other areas can also do theirs,” he said.
Nene Olepeme Sakinor I again said they only do the Dipo for the girls who hail from their lands, adding that even some of their people who have travelled bring their girls to perform the rites before they travel.
“If you are not a krobo, we will not do it for you,” he said.
Meanwhile, he refuted claims that girls who are not virgins can participate in the rites.
He said a girl may have a severe headache when they are not virgins but go for the rites, adding that because of this, the parents help their girls preserve themselves.
He advised parents to take good care of their girls, adding that the Dipo helps to reduce teenage pregnancy.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori