matterarising.comMar 17, 2023 9:13 AM




Early age marriage has been a prevalent practice in Northern Nigeria for many years, deeply rooted in tradition and religion. Young girls, sometimes as young as 12 or 13, are often forced into marriage with older men who are financially capable of supporting them. While some families may view this practice as a way to protect their daughters’ purity and secure their future, the consequences can be dire.

Early age marriage can have a significant impact on a young girl’s health and education. Early marriage often results in girls dropping out of school, which limits their opportunities for self-improvement and independence. It also puts them at risk of complications during childbirth, as their bodies may not be fully developed or ready to handle the stresses of pregnancy and labor. Child marriage also perpetuates poverty, as girls who marry early often rely on their husbands and families for financial support.

In addition to the physical and economic consequences of early age marriage, there are also significant psychological and emotional impacts. Many young girls who are married off early experience depression, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness. They may feel trapped in a situation they did not choose, and may struggle to find meaning and purpose in their lives.




On the other hand, wayward lifestyles among young girls in the South are also a growing concern. This trend involves engaging in risky behaviors such as smoking, drinking, drugs, and engaging in sexual activities at an early age. Factors such as peer pressure, lack of parental guidance, and exposure to western culture are some of the reasons behind this trend.

While these behaviors may be seen as a way of rebelling against societal norms or seeking independence, they can also have significant consequences on a young girl’s health, wellbeing, and future prospects. Smoking and drug use can lead to addiction and long-term health problems, while alcohol use can impair judgment and increase the risk of accidents or risky sexual behavior. Engaging in sexual activities at a young age can also result in unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and emotional trauma.

It’s important to note that both early age marriage in the North and wayward lifestyles in the South have negative consequences on young girls’ well-being, development, and future prospects. Both issues stem from cultural, social, and economic factors that need to be addressed through concerted efforts by government, civil society, and communities.




In order to address early age marriage in the North, there needs to be a shift in cultural attitudes towards the practice. Education and awareness campaigns can help communities understand the negative impacts of early marriage on girls’ health, education, and future prospects. Community-based interventions such as girls’ education programs, vocational training, and economic empowerment can also help young girls attain independence and autonomy, and provide them with the skills and resources needed to build a brighter future.

To address wayward lifestyles in the South, it’s essential to provide young girls with the guidance and support they need to navigate the challenges of growing up in a changing society. This can include parental guidance, community support, and counseling to help them make healthy choices and avoid risky behaviors. Education campaigns about the dangers of drug and alcohol use, and the importance of safe sex practices, can also help raise awareness and promote healthy behavior.

Ultimately, both issues require a holistic approach that takes into account the diverse needs and experiences of young girls in Nigeria. By addressing the underlying cultural, social, and economic factors that contribute to these problems, we can work towards creating a brighter future for all young girls in Nigeria.

Do you have a preference between young girls getting married at an early age in the north or leading a promiscuous lifestyle in the south? Drop comment

The internet and instant messaging has made wayward lifestyles a normal thing these days. We cannot revert to the old way unless a serious solar flare come and wrecks havoc on our magnetic field and destroy all the satellites in orbit . Bro that's the only way

It's not going to get better.....the wayward lifestyle

Wayward lifestyle is not good and early marriage should not be encouraged

This is a very good topic for deliberation.

My first problem with your perspective about this challenge are....

1) You didn't do any research to ascertain the proper causes, consequences and effect of these challenges for you to proffer practicable solutions.

2) You just sit down somewhere and think you know the cause, the challenges of the people in the North and south pertaining their cultural practices and just concluded a way out in your head......

In the North.....the motive for marrying out their daughters early apart from religion reasons is to curbs promiscuity, protect their innocence and give them a sense of direction in life and this is not only apply to girls alone.....most of their boys get married early too.....

And there an unwritten agreement.... depending on who is involved.......for example, if a young girls is being married to a much older men......it is expected that the man takes care of the wife which includes sending her to school....
Many of these men tend to meet up with this expectations until the girl in question started some funny character as she become mature.....this in turn make the husband to lost trust in her and change his mind about where to channel his resources to.....this most often lead complications and divorce which is why there many divorced young single mothers in the North than any other place in Nigeria.

This girl usually remarry after sometime.... finding husband is not even hard.... Northern Nigeria is a close society.....just be a good girl and boy.

For the boys and girls that got married early....it is the parents that take that decision for them....and the boys father is the one that cater for them both....he provide shelter and feeds them, send them to school while they produce children until they'll be able to live on their own......in some instants, the boy's father can marry more than one for his boy..........this arranged marriage usually stand the test of time in the North........most part of these practices is not strange anyway......it is generally expected that a man takes care of his wife anywhere in the world.... irrespective of the status of the man relative to the wife.

Others are people that are poor.....they surely get married and contentment make their marriage last.

West is somewhat a control society when it comes to marriage.....until the brainwashing of the woke creep in.......
The west has a strong cultural procedure for marriages..the same motive for early marriage in the North is why the Westerners give formal education to their children male and female alike....... which is why they are educated, enlightened and open minded.......inclusiveness of extended family members on almost all things.......as a matter of fact.....during traditional married, the bride is handed over to the groom's father; culturally, the new family is an extension of the groom's father family, hence the groom's father has the responsibility to guide the new family through the right path to happily ever after......just has he is sustaining his own
They are conscious of the consequences of given birth out of wedlock, divorces, separation etc......the west also take work very seriously before marriage..hence every family fend for themselves and assist other extended family members.

The East has their peculiar culture that provide for single motherhood, expensive Marita rites, surrogacy, adoption etc.....the consequences of some of these cultural practices is late marriage, unmarried males and females, promiscuity etc.

One common things that have affected marriage in Nigeria is the infiltration of foreign cultural practices....and there is nothing that is good without it bad side....
The problems has become compounded because we did not have any cultural shock absorber for the shortcomings of these foreign practices we embraced......
This foreign practices provides for
1) Marriage counselors for marriage challenges.......every culture has it own conflict resolution approaches that had worked wonders in the past....a culture that discouraged third party interference in marriage still provide for paying a third party to tell a wife/husband the effect of nagging, being secretive, being self-centered, being irresponsible, cheating etc on her/his husband/wife ?....that is a society that lacked accountability..... Nigerians has inherent consciousness principles that guild our conducts.

2) Child custody after divorce....there was nothing like child custody in Nigeria before now.......child care is everybody's business.... including relative, neighbors and relations

3) Calculated responsibilities for divorced spouses........How can one accurately and precisely calculate what a child would need and required to be properly trained ?

4) Religion solution to marriage challenges..... Apart for swearing an oath, seeking solution to childlessness........there is no religion solution for bad character, disagreement and disappointment etc in marriage

5) advocate and promote spouses independence and privacy in marriage.....there shouldn't be privacy, secret, personal goals, personal progress between spouses in marriage except for their offsprings....all these should be collective in marriage.

6) Elevate career prosperity above family value and peaceful coexistence..... undivided peace is a prerequisites for progress in a union.... everything cannot about only you and you're still wondering why there is a distrust and resentment.

7) Provide for individual difference, satisfaction and fulfilment above collective family progress......life without sacrifices is not worth living........

8 ) Discouraged leadership in a marriage......a union without a defined leader won't go far.....there will be lack of coordinator......note. the foreign approach tend to treat marriage like an organization, they alluded that marriage is a partnership for some controversial reasons.....meanwhile in cooperate world, organization has appointed/elected Head (manager/director/ CEO).

What all these is doing to us is subtracting trust for agreement in marriage........

Not that I'm encouraging wayward life, but I think it's best for a person to live a wayward life first and then settle down later.

I've seen people who got married young starting to live a wayward in their late thirties or early 40s... When you ask them why, they'd tell you that they never did got a chance to do it while in their 20s... Because they spent their 20s trying to be the best wives, husbands, and parents to their kids.

But once they reach their late 30s or early 40s, they feel that they no longer have that need to prove their love to their wives, husbands, and kids because they've already shown it to them in all kinds of ways.

It's then that they realize that there's a phase that they missed while they were in their 20s and now they'd want to experience it.

I also have a sister who got married young and spent her 20s being a reserved wife and mother, but now that she's in her mid 30s, she parties like nobody's business.. .. Always buying different designer clothes and shoes for parties, and she would go on different leisure trips with her friends... Whenever they have a girls get together, one of her friends would bring a Bluetooth speaker because they know that my sister always has some latest hit songs in her phone..😂😂😂

Early marriage (not child marriage) is the way to go, if one can… 💯

Nigeria is not England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and we have our own culture and traditions which I believe we need to guide jealously. I believe children should be guided to make good decisions always. Early marriage is OK by me as long as its not child marriage.