Renowned Ghanaian academic and National Science and Maths Quiz mistress Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann has ignited a fresh conversation about marriage after declaring that not every woman necessarily has to become a wife.

Speaking in an interview with Berla Mundi on TV3 on August 13, 2026, Prof. Kaufmann challenged the long-held societal expectation that marriage should be the ultimate destination for every woman. Instead, she encouraged women to make major life decisions based on personal fulfilment rather than pressure from family, friends or society.

According to the celebrated biomedical engineer, choosing not to marry should not automatically be viewed as failure. She argued that women will face opinions and criticism regardless of whether they decide to marry or remain single.

Prof. Kaufmann stressed that what matters most is for women to carefully examine their own lives and make decisions they can genuinely accept and take responsibility for.

“Society will always breathe down your neck,” she said while explaining that women must ultimately be comfortable with the choices they make.

She further cautioned women against allowing coercion, pressure or the desire to satisfy others to determine important personal choices. In her view, a woman should be able to confidently own the path she chooses instead of living according to expectations imposed by other people.

Her remarks have quickly generated conversation around marriage, independence and the traditional standards women are often expected to follow.

For generations, marriage has remained an important social and cultural institution in Ghana, with unmarried women frequently facing questions about when they intend to settle down. Prof. Kaufmann’s comments, however, offer a different perspective: marriage can be meaningful, but it should remain a personal decision rather than an obligation.

Her message ultimately centers on choice—whether a woman chooses marriage or another path, Prof. Kaufmann believes she should be able to make that decision freely and confidently.

The comments are expected to keep social media talking as Ghanaians debate one big question: Does every woman really need to become a wife?