It is a scene that raises several questions in Labé in this month of March specially dedicated to women’s rights between the urban commune of Labé and the sub-prefecture of Thiaguel Bori. This is Fatimatou Diallo, a young girl aged 12 for some and 18 for others who miraculously disappeared on the eve of her wedding when everything seemed ready for the celebration of her union with a young man of the same village, learned Guineanews.
Indeed, the young girl in question is a native of the sub-prefecture of Thiaguel Bori in the prefecture of Lélouma (Labé region). For a better education, her parents would have taken the initiative to entrust her to a host family in Labé. At least 7 years ago, reports our source.
According to our information, a young taxi-biker from her village has, since last year, taken steps to ask her to marry him. An initiative immediately rejected by her adoptive family who felt that she was very young (12 years old) to start a home. It was then that her biological family claimed that she was already 18 and fully consented to the marriage.
One thing leading to another, the biological family demanded the return of their daughter and immediately set a date for the wedding. But, once morest all odds, the girl disappeared on the eve of the wedding without the slightest sign of life.
A situation which has, moreover, put the families in an uncomfortable situation because in addition to the pain of the family of the suitor who was very advanced in the preparations for the marriage, the biological family and the adoptive family no longer give each other gifts on the responsibility for this mess.
Interviewed on the Hallein Fopp program on Espace Foutah radio, Mamadou Lamarana Diallo, the girl’s paternal uncle, points an accusing finger. ” It’s my brother’s daughter that we wanted to give in marriage to a young man from the same village. When the marriage arose, the opinion of the girl was asked, which turned out to be favorable. So we all validated and the colas were shared. But since the girl was only 17 at the time, we told ourselves to wait.
Now in this year since the girl is 18, they came back and we followed up with the girl who reiterated her agreement and the wedding date was set. But in the meantime, the woman who was hosting the girl in Labé took the liberty of telling her mother that she should not give her child in marriage at this age..
That’s how they even asked to cancel the wedding the day before and that’s in it the girl disappeared and until then no news “, he explains.
From shepherd to shepherdess, Mamadou Dian Bah from the girl’s host family replies: ” it’s just accusations. It’s true that we raised the girl, but it’s up to them to give her in marriage. I personally heard the little one say that she does not want this marriage. But in the face of all this pressure weur returned the girl.
The day before yesterday they called me to tell me that the girl ran awayit. JI immediately said that if she hid, that means she doesn’t want this marriage. She is very small. CHe’s a 12-year-old girl no more, she’s a child that we received here and it’s the seventh year since she’s been with us here.
She has just turned 12 and the little girl was not even informed of this marriage because they asked us to let her come to the village to greet her sisters who came while they were in the middle of preparations for her marriage ».
Arrested, Mamadou Hady Diallo, the suitor seems to have found an alternative solution. ” We did not find him first, he is not a minor because allthes ses friends are married and have children. Dand nowadays, she’s 18 and it’s complicated because the wedding was scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday). We talked regarding it because I came to see her in Labé and she said she loved me and we talked on the phone. I’m sure his adoptive family is behind this misunderstanding. Me, I am 20 years old and since we have already started the process, I found another one here and the wedding is scheduled for next Tuesday. So, I ask him to come back because I found ae other fiancée so that she can reassure her parents that she is fine ».
This story rekindles parental responsibility in marriages that are happening inexplicably in our communities.