Ghanaian actress and media personality Joselyn Dumas has urged the public to rethink certain behaviours that have been accepted over time, particularly remarks made about children that she believes compromise their dignity and innocence.

In a statement shared on X, Joselyn Dumas criticised the habit of adults referring to young girls as future wives or making marriage-related comments about them, describing such statements as inappropriate rather than harmless humour.

“We really need to UNLEARN the things society has normalized. A grown man publicly referring to an underage girl as ‘HIS WIFE’ and saying he’ll marry her when she grows up should not be laughed off or treated as harmless banter. Children are children. We must do better and protect their innocence,” she wrote.

Her reaction follows a viral video involving Ahafo Ano South East Member of Parliament, Yakubu Mohammed, who faced public criticism after making comments to an underage schoolgirl during a visit to Parliament.

In the video, the MP was heard telling the student, “You are very beautiful; when you grow up, I will marry you, so she is my wife. In future, she will also be an MP.”

The remarks triggered widespread discussion, with many Ghanaians questioning whether such statements from adults, especially public officials, should be accepted as jokes when directed at minors.

Amid the backlash, Yakubu Mohammed apologised for his comments, admitting that his choice of words was inappropriate and expressing regret over the discomfort caused to the student, her family and members of the public.

Joselyn Dumas’ intervention has further intensified conversations about how society communicates with children and the need for adults to be more mindful of words and actions that may affect the protection and wellbeing of minors.

Check out the post below:

We really need to UNLEARN the things society has normalized. A grown man publicly referring to an underage girl as “HIS WIFE” and saying he’ll marry her when she grows up should not be laughed off or treated as harmless banter. Children are children. We must do better and protect…

— JOSELYN DUMAS (@Joselyn_Dumas) August 2, 2026

Source: Yvonne Nyarko Agyemang