Marriage In Nigeria

In Nigeria the major marriage practices that exist include monogamy and polygyny, just like in most cultures. Usually in Nigeria the marriage is an arrangement between two families instead of between individuals, although it is entirely up to the couple to make the marriage work for the sake of their families, it is up to them to make sure the marriage does not fall apart meaning that they have to sacrifice if they have to in order for the marriage to work. The man pays for the bride-price and this automatically makes him the head of the family or the relationship, which also makes it right for him to commit adultery but the woman is forbidden to do the same. Even so, marriage practices do differ across or amongst the Nigerian culture ( Omokhodion,1998).

Marriage amongst the Idoma people is a long life commitment and divorce can be considered only if adultery was performed or another concrete reason. An Idoma man searches for a wife of his own choice, he should at least be twenty-five years of age and financially and physically able to provide and maintain a wife and children, he searches for a woman who is at least 18-years of age. After the man has found his woman he reports back to his family, and his family finds someone who is close or familiar with the girl’s family, that person investigates and finds out the family’s history, including their medical history. If everything comes back positive and the man’s family is satisfied, then they go to the girl’s family with gifts of Kola nuts and hot drinks. After that visit, a second visit is initiated where the girl meets her future husband and after the two meet a final meeting takes place, where the future groom and his family pay the bride-price and offer gifts. If the woman refuses to marry the man after receiving these gifts, the groom’s family keep them (Marcelina ulunma Okeheie Offoha& Matthew Sadiku,

They also practice different forms of marriages including monogamy. Among the Hindu people a woman marries for life meaning that even if her husband passes she is not allowed to remarry, according to ancient Hindu, a woman was expected to commit suttee, which means that she should throw herself on her husband’s funeral pyre- but this was in the past and women are not expected to do this but they still need to remain married to that only one husband. On the hand, a man is allowed to remarry several times, in some areas of India young women would commit suicide because they were treated badly by their in-laws or they had small bride-prices. To get out of paying dowry, a girl’s family would kidnap a young man and force him to marry their daughter, and if he refuses he would be threatened with violence. In the Hindu tradition, it is very crucial and necessary that young people get married; girls should be married as soon as possible, with the marriage arranged by the parents. The Hindu marriage rite takes place beneath a wooden canopy called Mandap, which is constructed for the event specially. The marriage rite involves the couple sitting on the floor while a sacred fire from the wood of a consecrated tree is lit between them by a priest who will then recite prayers. The couple is then united by