US-based Ghanaian DJ, DJ Switch, has criticised Ahafo Ano South East MP Yakubu Mohammed over comments he made to a schoolgirl during an educational visit to Parliament. She described the remarks as inappropriate and called for stronger efforts to protect children.
The comments were captured in a video that has gone viral on social media. The video shows the MP speaking with a group of pupils who were visiting Parliament.
While talking to one of the girls, Mr Mohammed complimented her and said:
“You are very beautiful; when you grow up, I will marry you, so she is my wife. In the future, she will also be an MP.”
His comments were followed by laughter from some people who were present.
Reacting to the video, DJ Switch said she was “genuinely disgusted” by what the MP said. She stressed that adults should never make romantic comments about children.
“I am genuinely disgusted. A grown man, a Member of Parliament, someone entrusted with leadership, looked at a little girl, a child, and said, ‘You’re very beautiful. When you grow up, I’ll marry you.'”
She also rejected claims that the comments were simply meant as a joke.
“That’s not funny. That’s not charming. That is not African humour. That is completely inappropriate.
“The fact that some people are laughing is exactly the problem. We have become so desensitised to adults making romantic comments about children that we have convinced ourselves that it’s a joke.”
DJ Switch said children should never be treated as future romantic partners for adults, even as part of a joke.
“Children are not the punchlines for such jokes. They’re not your future spouses. Children are not objects for adults to be making romantic or flirtatious comments about. They’re children.”
She also addressed those who might argue that the MP did not mean any harm. According to her, the bigger question is why marriage would even be mentioned when speaking to a child.
“I know somebody will say, ‘He didn’t mean it like that. It was just a joke.’ But why is marriage, even as a joke, the first thing that comes into the mind of an adult when speaking to a little girl?
“Why are we so comfortable putting children in imaginary romantic relationships with adults? Why is that acceptable?”
DJ Switch said her concerns were not about political correctness but about protecting children and respecting their innocence.
“This isn’t about political correctness. It’s about protecting children and respecting their innocence.”
She added that the problem is not limited to men, saying women also sometimes make comments that normalise inappropriate attitudes towards children.
“I’ve heard adults tell little boys that they will have girlfriends lined up. I’ve heard adults reserve children for someone’s son or daughter. I’ve literally heard families joke about babies dating each other.”
According to her, these kinds of comments have become so common that many people no longer see how harmful they can be.
“We’ve normalised language that places children into adult relationships before they’re even old enough to understand what those relationships mean. Enough is enough.”
DJ Switch also shared her own experience, saying she has received inappropriate comments from adults since she was a child. She said some people openly talked about waiting for her to become “ripe.”
“I have adults in my comment section counting down to the day I become ripe, as if my childhood was just a waiting room for their attraction.
“You can’t confidently tell me that’s admiration. That’s disturbing.”
She described such behaviour as predatory and added:
“Let’s call a spade a spade. That’s paedophilic. We have to stop excusing this behaviour just because someone smiled while saying it.”
DJ Switch also questioned what action Parliament would take over the MP’s comments. She said there should be accountability when public officials make inappropriate remarks about children.
“So to the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, I ask: what accountability exists when one of your own has publicly made such inappropriate remarks towards a child?”
She also criticised what she described as weak action against adults who leave inappropriate comments on children’s social media posts.
“What accountability exists when adults continuously leave sexualising and predatory comments under the videos of children and young people every single day? From my experience with reporting one of these comments to the Cyber Security Authority of Ghana, nothing changed.”
Following the public backlash, the MP apologised for the comments he made to the schoolgirl.
