A Ghanaian lawyer, Justin Kwabena Brako-Powers, has cautioned the public about loosely referring to others as their spouse. He stressed that such claims carry legal weight under Ghanaian law. “STOP saying ‘Our Wife!’ or ‘Our Husband!’ Because guess what? In Ghana, those innocent words might actually mean you’re MARRIED, even if you NEVER said ‘I do,” he cautioned.
In an interview at 3news.com on Tuesday, 30th September, Brako-Powers explained that marriage in Ghana is not only defined by the popular forms of traditional rites, church weddings, or court registrations. According to him, customary law also realizes unions where couples live together, perform marital roles, and are acknowledged by their communities as husband and wife.
He emphasized that such recognition can cause the law to treat the parties as legally married even without a ring or formal ceremony. “The law may deem the two as married if they live together or spend a lot of time together, attend each other’s family meetings or events, and are both recognised by each other’s families as in-laws,” he stressed. Mr. Brako-Powers explained that, “The law may deem the two as married if they live together or spend a lot of time together, attend each other’s family meetings or events, and are both acknowledged by each other’s families as in-laws.”
The lawyer further noted that these situations are not exempt from legal implications when it comes to property division, inheritance, and spousal rights in the event of separation or death.
Brako-Powers urged Ghanaians to be mindful of how they identify and present their relationships publicly, pointing out that the law considers more than just the formalities of marriage.
By Emmanuella Antwi