I was wondering... were our fore-fathers "forced" or coaxed to pay such gigantic, extravagant, "community-service-size" of bride price that guys are forced to pay these days? Were they asked to bring like a 100 or 300 tubers of yam or more? Did they have to buy things like they were feeding a village or some form of community service or philanthropic donation? Did they have to pay for a reception hall? Did they have to spend up to half a million(in their own currency as at then) or more becos they wanted to get married? Were they usually given a long list which usually included kinsmen that the girl's parents don't even have an acquaintance with? And if they eventually brought all these(without having to borrow), what did they have left to feed their new family?

Looking at today's wedding running costs, it's not just making any economic sense. What is the rationale behind spending over half a million on a two days event, that definitely won't bring back any financial dividends? Can't a dude get married with a maximum of 300,000 naira in this country, I mean including the total cost of traditional, court and white wedding?

Am very sure that in the developed world, wedding is not that expensive? Or is it because of our under-developed or poverty-inclined thinking? Isn't it time we questioned this pocket-sucking-dumb-tradition of ours?

I go to church and the pastors do encourage the youths to marry early, especially in order to avoid fornication. But the so-called tradition is not encouraging us to do so. An average guy has to save and eventually waste over half a million in order to have a "standard" wedding. I mean, what is even the definition of a "standard" wedding in the Nigerian context? Can't a man have a sub-standard wedding, depending on his pocket size? What happened to the old saying "Cut your coat according to your cloth", or is it not applicable to this case?

Sorry I had to pop out many questions, but these have been my thoughts lately? And I would really appreciate some meaningful contribution to this, cos this thing is quite annoying?

Duplicate of www.nairaland.com/981054/did-fore-fathers-pay-such-high