Obaa Yaa
Our daughter is pregnant
Dear ObaaYaa,
Our daughter is a third-year student in one of the Senior High Schools in the country and we have the conviction that she will complete with good grades.
Unfortunately, we have received information from the school authorities that our daughter is four months pregnant and it is prudent to inform us.
Though the school authorities have not suggested any solution to the problem, neighbours and some friends who have heard about the case have asked that we should quietly abort the pregnancy for our daughter to continue her education without interruption.
They argue that since she is too young, she may probably not be capable of taking good care of the baby by herself. They say we should consider the education of our daughter more important so we should safeguard her future.
Though my religion forbids abortion, l am of the view that our daughter is not old enough to bear the pressure of motherhood, therefore, she should be assisted in this case.
Is my opinion good or appropriate? I wish to hear from you.
Joseph, Accra.
Dear Joseph,
I quite agree with you that education is one of the best gifts parents must give their children in order to sustain their future. Additionally, parents have the responsibility to ensure that they train their children to receive good moral education which is also a necessary requirement for the development of children in the future.
However, this should not be an excuse for you to abort the pregnancy, secondly, your religion also forbids it. In order not to attract the wrath of God, ignore the promptings from others and allow your daughter to give birth.
Your wife should take care of the grandchild after some period to enable your daughter to return to school since you value education.
Do not tamper with the life of that innocent child since you do not know what that child will become in future.
Obaa Yaa
I am sexually attracted to children
Dear Obaa Yaa,
I am a young man residing in Tamale. I am 40 years old and I have got my own business which is going on successfully.
The nature of my job had made me richer and am able to afford anything that I want.
My only problem is that I need a partner but I don’t fall in love with matured women. I am attracted to children.
I have had an encounter with so many women who are ‘marriage materials and type’ but none of them touch my heart.
In my previous relationship, the girl I dated was 15 years. She took me as a big brother but to me she was my lover.
Now that she is 22 and I can marry her, I have lost interest in her.
Obaa Yaa, what do you think is actually wrong with me? Is it normal? How can I have a partner if I continue to feel this way?
Dabo, Tamale.
Dear Dabo,
I don’t even know how to start this conversation. It is not everything that your heart desires that you should go for.
You need to understand that your desire for children sexually is criminal under the laws of this land so it should not be entertained.
I suggest you seek the assistance of psychologist to advise you or else you might end up in jail.
You might be suffering from pedophilia which is a condition of being sexually attracted to children. You need psychiatric help.
I suggest you also speak to your pastors to help you in prayers, in case it might be spiritual.
Obaa Yaa
The banker deceived me
Dear Obaa Yaa,
I fell in love with a banker who told me he wasn’t married and therefore, wanted to marry me.
We started going out and spending time together. He went to the extent of going to see my parents for the engagement list.
It was only after I got pregnant when he confessed he was already married and could not afford to marry me as a second wife.
The problem is that for the past five years, this man has refused to provide for the upkeep of the child.
He is not showing any commitments towards the child and making things difficult for me.
I am currently finding it difficult to take care of the child’s feeding and clothing.
My child is very brilliant at school and my fear is that I cannot give him the best of education since I am not working.
Prisca, Dodowa.
Dear Prisca,
Your story is a sad and unfortunate one. He just ‘toyed’ with you and was successful.
It’s about time women check about the men who propose to them.
And in the first place, why were you intimate with him, knowing very well that you were not married?
Report the matter to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, formerly known as Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU) immediately.
They would summon him and question him about the upkeep of his child and employ legal means to make him accept responsibility for the child.
