In the last few weeks, I attended all together six marriage ceremonies. Six? Yes six. Whilst there, one word that resonated in my mind after I had left those places, was “ENGAGEMENT”. I sort to find the meaning of engagement in the context of the subject under review and in Ghana, it means “Traditional Marriage ceremony” albeit the actual definition is “an official agreement to get married”.
In days past, marriage processes or procedure were quite simple, devoid of all the pageantry. It used to be a "colourful" ceremony, depending on where it was being done, of just family and a few friends as witnesses. The prospective families do all the underground fact finding. Both families agree at a meeting and a date is set where the woman is given into marriage if all they sort to find checked out.
However, modernization and a lot of add-ons have morphed this modest yet important all inclusive ceremony into what has been termed “ENGAGEMENT” which as stated earlier is a formal agreement between the man and woman to get married and not a ceremony. At these so called engagements, marriage vows are exchanged in the presence of both families and a priest or pastor as well. What I don’t quite understand is why vows are exchanged AGAIN when the couple go to sign in church as required and recognized by law or in most cases, dress up for a whole day’s activity in the name of wedding. Is it to affirm the love the couple have for each other or they second guess themselves after the initial vows are taken?
Perhaps, as a people who are conscious of tradition and hold it to the highest esteem, I think we must have a rethink about this subject and realign our interest. By any means, any one should marry when they feel like it, but once.