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A former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Ocquaye has spoken against the flamboyant and expensive payment of bride price in traditional marriages. According to him, affluent bride price is outmoded and advocate for the abolishment of the practice which for him does not augur well in modern times. He believes parents should not indirectly �sell� their daughters to a man in the name of bride price. �Some of the items demanded are so much. Some even require for 20 cows with a long list, it looks as if their daughters are for sale or they are properties,� he opined. Prof. Mike Ocquaye in an interview with OKAY FM said �The practice has contributed to all forms of discrimination against women and I do not encourage it�. He noted that most women suffer verbal abuse, which is against their right, adding that �they (women) go through such abuses due to the misinterpretation of bride price.� �Words such as she is my own wife had often emboldened some men to maltreat their wives and disrespect them. Women undergo various forms of violence in society but are scared to report all in the name of losing their husbands. The men also think they have paid their bride price so can do whatever they like,� he added. However, he said some churches are against payment of pride price, but not to make it worse, he advised that, traditional bride price should be decent and presentable. �We don�t buy women; it is love that emerges in marriage. The bride price is just a ceremony to officially announce togetherness of the couples. It shouldn�t be any expensive thing that will affect human right and looks like the woman is for sale,� he advised.