Becheve, a community in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River is an eight hours drive from Calabar the State Capital but it is stuck with an age-long bizarre culture.
Covered with thick vegetation, Obanliku sits on a mountainous terrain thousands of meters above sea level. Behind the cloudy terrain are the heart-wrenching stories of young Becheve girls sold into marriage in exchange for goats, food items, and in settlement of their parents’ debt.
Becheve is a large community in Obanliku with 17 tribes. Despite sharing location with popular Obudu Cattle Ranch and Resort which attracts tourists from across the world, men in this community have refused to give up the ancient custom. The ancient custom is called ‘Money Marriage,’ and the victims are called ‘Money Woman’ of ‘Money Wife.
Here, parents are appreciative of their daughters (money woman) because they are propelled by the belief that they will be used to settle off debts. With some of these girls as young as six, some are used to play bets, settle hospital bills while others are given off for as little as N3500.
At 10, she is ripe for marriage. She is allowed to bring in the man (her customer) to her home and can have s*x with him as long as it is not done on the matrimonial bed.
For some, they are borrowed to a lender until he gets his money. During that period, he can do to her as he pleases including getting her to give birth to his children. Once married, she is prevented from going to school and is given leftovers meals and is treated as a p
roperty.
It is a social status determiner because only the rich can afford to have as many as they want. Despite the existence of the Nigerian and cross river law against the practice, it is still adhered to.
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