Contemporary Marriage Processes in Nigeria: Willing Love, Perilous Business, Post-Marriage Problems

Abstract

From immemorial, marriage has been regarded as the union of a man and a woman to live together for love, procreation and social acceptance (The Bible - Genesis 2:14, Ephesians 5:33, The Quran - 2:187, 30:21). In the African world, especially among Nigerians, this is not different. Contemporary Nigerian marriage ceremonies, the subject of this paper, reflect a link between tradition and modernity. The process demands the new couple have enough finance to marry and to see them through life the many months after the marriage ceremonies. Steps involved in the marriage process are many and daunting. Each involves huge sums of finance: Initial Introduction of the two families; Engagement (Traditional Marriage); Registry (Court Marriage); Church (Christian/White) Marriage; Mosque (Islamic/Nikkah) Marriage; and Reception (for refreshment) amongst others. This paper contends that the financial implications involved are so enormous that young men are dilly-dallying over getting married. This situation is worsened by economic situations in the country. Many eligible and willing men are unemployed despite their academic qualifications. Therefore, many young unmarried females are wasting away. It is averred that most effects are felt immediately after the marriage ceremony in the lives of the couples. Using the descriptive analysis, this paper examines the issue in view of the socio-economic and marital problems posed by this situation (at the pre and post marriage positions). This paper submits that changes must start to make the Nigerian marriage process and marital life more welcoming, affordable, and attractive to the to-bewedded and the newly-wedded.