Very unlike my colleague,he's had a long face all thru ds mornin.He's a jolly gud fellow,seein him ths way evrybdy wants 2knw why he's sad.
He has a girl who everybdy in my office and environ knw how much they both luv each oda.By d way,he is 28yrz.They'v been loverz in my estimation for 7yrz.All thru hs uni yearz,service yr she was wt him and rite uptil nw.She told hm ths mornin that a man frm her village living abroad has come to ask her hand in marriage.She swearz she doesnt knw ds man but bcz of his family,her parents believe he'l make a gud husband to her.Now she told my colleague to come and meet her parents officially so that they wil tell the oda man that she already hz smbdy 2marry.
My colleague says he isnt ready 2marry b4 2012,and if he accptz,automatically,he'l start takin kia of all d girl's needs includin her sch fees!
If he says NO,he's nt sure he'l evr get a gal with d combination of goodness and faithfulnes she has dsplayd all thru ds time.She's 26 BTW.
Nw my colleague is askin us if he shd let her go or hold on to her.

First question: Is the bride's family from Igboland?

I am not being judgemental here. The little i know tells me that marrying from Igboland is expensive.

For a man to start worryin about the associated expenses of accepting to marry a gal he loves shows that he doesn't think he can convince them otherwise. This is not good cos if he does not marry her, he will forever be comparing other gals to her.

He has to choose the lesser of two evils / options.
(i) Not marrying the gal he loves which may likely result in an unhappy marriage with anoda gal or,
(ii) Marrying d gal he loves and risk being under a financial burden too heavy for him to carry.

The choice is his to make.

That your colleague is not a baby any more.
If he really loves that girl,he should at least show some seriousness.
And what does he mean by EXPENSES!!! Would"t he want to marry a graduate?
But he does not want to train her? That is selfishness.
Men can not be totally trusted.
And there is no grantee that he will marry that girl in 2012.
So if he still wants to be with that girl,let him do the necessary things.
Or else the girl should marry o! he should free her o!
Men are not predictable.

You said the hv been dating for 7yrs now, so what stops him from getting married to her if he really loves her or is he sacred of responsibilities?   So i think the girl hv been expecting marriage and now the opportunity opens to her.  If the guy thinks he can't see such combinations in other girls, if can go ahead to  see her parents just for commitment till 2012 then legalise it.  
So to me it depends on the guy coz the girl is ever ready to go.

Incidentally,both of them are frm Anambra.
It'l shock you to knw that wht u have is a misconception abt d ibos and marriage.I'v studied/observd marriages in iboland and its nt diff frm whts obtainable in other parts of 9ja.