112 Year-Old Man Weds 17-Year-Old

[ER]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8331136.stm

Somali man, '112', weds girl, 17

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 13 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.

Goat-skin documents

The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu says the marriage, in the town of Guriceel, is being described by Somali historians as the first of its kind in the Horn of Africa nation for more than a century.

Our reporter says reaction to news of the marriage has been mixed.

Some people said while it was allowed under Islamic law, they were concerned about the age gap, but others were happy that age was not a barrier to love.

Mr Dore told the BBC he was born in Dhusamareeb in central Somalia in 1897 - and has a traditional birth certificate, written on goat skin by his father.

Our correspondent says he has an interesting history - in 1941 he joined the British colonial forces as a soldier for 10 years and then served as a police officer after Somalia won independence in 1960.

Altogether, Mr Dore has 114 children and grandchildren. His oldest son is 80 years old and three of his wives have died.

He says he hopes his new bride will give him more children.

"It is a blessing to have someone you love to take care of you," he said.

[Psycho Circus]

Puke

[Cthulhu]

I couldn't resist.

[SkullBat308]

Puke

Why!? That guy is the man! It just seems weird cause it's outside the norms of western culture That guy has definitely left a legacy!

[Joe the Destroyer]

Good god, he's old enough to be her great-great-great-grandfather.  I don't even think they'll be able to have sex.  His baby batter is probably like powdered milk now. 

[Jack]

others were happy that age was not a barrier to love.

Well, as long as it's true love    I mean, gimme a break. 

[3mnkids]

Nasty.

[Saucerman]

Paging Anna Nicole Smith....

[Doggett]

It's an apic WIN for that guy ! 

[Psycho Circus]

I'm sorry but young girls (IMO) who go for really older guys are either gold diggers or so seriously messed up that they are taken advantage of, just to be a trophy to some leather skinned lard bucket. There is a 71 year old man in one of today's papers, who has just had two children with his wife of.............25. It makes me want to pour bleach into my eyeballs. 

[Mr. DS]

[BoyScoutKevin]

"How low can you go?" Well, for one thing, he's not 112 years old, and he's not the oldest living man in the world. That distinction belongs to a man in Japan who is 111 years old. (I checked the "Guinness Book of World Records.") Thus, since he lied about his age, how much else did he lie about?

[Criswell]

[Allhallowsday]

I'm sorry but young girls (IMO) who go for really older guys are either gold diggers or so seriously messed up that they are taken advantage of, just to be a trophy to some leather skinned lard bucket. There is a 71 year old man in one of today's papers, who has just had two children with his wife of.............25. It makes me want to pour bleach into my eyeballs.  

Well now you can get over it...  

"How low can you go?" Well, for one thing, he's not 112 years old, and he's not the oldest living man in the world. That distinction belongs to a man in Japan who is 111 years old. (I checked the "Guinness Book of World Records.") Thus, since he lied about his age, how much else did he lie about?

Well, I was sure when I read the title that the bugger couldn't be that old. 

C'mon people, this is Somalia... the same place where they bury girls up to their necks and then stone their heads.  Charming. 

[Jim H]

"How low can you go?" Well, for one thing, he's not 112 years old, and he's not the oldest living man in the world. That distinction belongs to a man in Japan who is 111 years old. (I checked the "Guinness Book of World Records.") Thus, since he lied about his age, how much else did he lie about?

That's out of date.  The Japanese guy you're talking about died a while ago.  Oldest current living man is Walter Breuning, who is 113.  Favorite part of his bio: he tried to fight in World War II, but was turned down for BEING TOO OLD.  If you ever see an interview with him, he's mentally still with it, and gets around with a scooter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Breuning

As far as this guy goes, he probably is truly very old, but I'd guess his age is inflated by at least five years, probably more like a decade.  It's very common, especially in countries where being elderly grants you respect. 

I'm sorry but young girls (IMO) who go for really older guys are either gold diggers or so seriously messed up that they are taken advantage of

Remember where this is, and what the treatment of women is frequently like in the area.  It's likely the girl was essentially sold to him.  But hey, he'll die soon and she'll basically be taken care of for life (as he's evidently wealthy).