Hundreds of people have attended a wedding in central Somalia between a man who says he is 112 years old, and his teenage wife.

Ahmed Muhamed Dore – who already has 18 children by five wives – said he would like to have more with his new wife, Safia Abdulleh, who is 17 years old.

“Today God helped me realise my dream,” Mr Dore said, after the wedding in the region of Galguduud.

The bride’s family said she was “happy with her new husband”.

Mr Dore said he and his bride – who is young enough to be his great-great-grand-daughter – were from the same village in Somalia and that he had waited for her to grow up to propose.

“I didn’t force her, but used my experience to convince her of my love; and then we agreed to marry,” the groom said. BBC.

As is far to common the world over men debase the dignity and social standing of women – what does it say about the worth of girls in Somalia when a man who already has five wives can marry another girl – let alone one of 17 when he claims to be 112 – and no I don’t accept the argument that I’m applying Western values where they have no right to be applied – this is just one albeit extreme example of men abusing young girls in far to many countries – it is wrong.