By tradition in Africa, men are expected to pay dowry as a price to marry their wives.

However, some men feels that such traditional rights are a means of 'buying' women to serve them as 'slaves', and so, they see their wives as bought property.

In some climes, bride price is like business or market where money and products exchange hand between sellers and highest bidders.

What is your view to this and should payment of bride price be scrapped or remain? Please give reasons for whatever stance you take.

Thank you.

To say the truth, I really don't care.
At the maximum, my papa go say he should bring N100 or so...even if he tells him to bring N500,000...that still doesn't buy me away from my dad. And all that crap about women are not commodities and dey should not be sold out, I really don't buy it jare. In the end, I'm just indifferent about it. Na my papa go decide wetin him want and if the man is capable, there won't even be negotiations. He cannot pay him back, no way! Anything he asks is just to fulfill all righteousness.

Should it be scrapped or remain I'll say it should remain. WHY I don't really have any reason but since it doesn't harm anybody , why scrap it since it's our tradition. I'm not much of a traditional person but bride price should sha remain, we shouldn't throw all of it away!

Thank you. You are blessed!

alutacontinua: To say the truth, I really don't care.
At the maximum, my papa go say he should bring N100 or so...even if he tells him to bring N500,000...that still doesn't buy me away from my dad. And all that crap about women are not commodities and dey should not be sold out, I really don't buy it jare. In the end, I'm just indifferent about it. Na my papa go decide wetin him want and if the man is capable, there won't even be negotiations. He cannot pay him back, no way! Anything he asks is just to fulfill all righteousness.

Should it be scrapped or remain I'll say it should remain. WHY I don't really have any reason but since it doesn't harm anybody , why scrap it since it's our tradition. I'm not much of a traditional person but bride price should sha remain, we shouldn't throw all of it away!

If you call that Business Trade/Exchange then you are loosing your culture/what your own parents believe in, Do you know that in America today the mother/parents of the Bride is responsible for almost half the cost of a white wedding..? What will you call such culture/tradition..? WHAT your fore fathers believed in, never look at it as a setback....and do not think of it otherwise because your father never treated your mother as a slave when he married her so if your mind is thinking that because you paid a bride prize then you have a wife for a slave then be ready to face what culture/law demands of a man who mistreats his wife.

It's a NO for me. In most marriages nowadays, most bride parents return it but I dont see it as a need. If all other envelops are taken, why not keep dat too.
It's not d money dat matters, its just a culture. In a wedding list I saw last week, d brideprice is N2500, can a lady who spends @ least N200 on recharge card daily n N6000 monthly be bought for N2500....?
NO! NO!! NO!!!
Culture is totally different from market.
-yoruba man

Yeah... In Benin City, it's less than N100 for bride price.

I do understand that it is culture but I have seen a case where a guy refused to accept certain terms when he was asked if he would bring his wife back to her father's village to be buried after death.

His reply was that his father married many wives and never did. So why should he? The guy na clown and that was how that marriage ceremony ended...

Exponental: It's a NO for me. In most marriages nowadays, most bride parents return it but I dont see it as a need. If all other envelops are taken, why not keep dat too.
It's not d money dat matters, its just a culture. In a wedding list I saw last week, d brideprice is N2500, can a lady who spends @ least N200 on recharge card daily n N6000 monthly be bought for N2500....?
NO! NO!! NO!!!
Culture is totally different from market.
-yoruba man

"Culture is different from market." No offence but that doesn't read like it came from an educated mind.
That said, it's imperative to know what percentage of brides' fathers/families demand little sums like 2500 or even 10,000.
Your explanation doesn't account for those that ask for millions in cash and sundry materials.
For those citing agelong cultural practices, I'd like to let you know that no vibrant culture is never static. In my opinion, this dowry business should be reviewed and updated accordingly.

haba!! dis is d most recognised form of marriage in naija,most churches even require payment of dowry b4 d white wedding

no ask igbo pple dat kain question o

Its bride price not dowry. dowry is what d woman takes 2 d husband's house.

That's the excitement at time in wedding preparations. Why should it be scrapped? Who is complaining?

Lol... I guess you were referring to me there. Honestly, I didn't make them but extracted from observations.

fresh_dude: "Culture is different from market." No offence but that doesn't read like it came from an educated mind.
That said, it's imperative to know what percentage of brides' fathers/families demand little sums like 2500 or even 10,000.
Your explanation doesn't account for those that ask for millions in cash and sundry materials.
For those citing agelong cultural practices, I'd like to let you know that no vibrant culture is static. In my opinion, this dowry business should be reviewed and updated accordingly.

2s£xy:
Lol... I guess you were referring to me there. Honestly, I didn't make them but extracted from observations.

No, I wasn't. I was referring to the fella who said, culture is different from market.

Dowry or Bride Price...Abeg make them no scrap am o. Bcuz if they do how I go buy my woman

A close cousin got married to a rich guy. This guy is so humble and unassuming. And he's veeerry handsome too and dresses sharp and on point.
While dating, he showered her and her parents with gifts. He opened a joint account and filled it up. When it was time for her list, she was the one even instigating her parents to add more items. It wasn't like her parents weren't doing very ok but she wanted to 'show' people.
Still, the guy worships her like there's no tomorrow and has never gone out of line, except for the normal squabble most couples go through. And he says he wants just one child, that marriage is for companionship.

Another of my relatives was also dating a guy. This guy was treating her like trash. And he wasn't even giving her money or gifts that you could say was the reason he was maltreating her. And the girl was decent, quiet and unassuming from parents who loved her and provided for all her needs. We eventually found out that his dad was like that and had made his mum go through poo.
Even if it was 10 naira they collected from this guy as brideprice, this girl would have suffered immensely because the guy derived perverse joy from her sadness, he had no respect for women.


One day, we were all hanging out. Then, the first girl had done her introduction. She was cool, relaxed and having a nice time, with her diamond and platinum engagement ring safely at home. The second girl's guy meanwhile was calling and hurling insults at her over the phone for going out and at this point, they were just boyfriend, girlfriend.


So I would say treating women like possessions is not as a result of the bride price but the mentality of the men involved.

Thanks, lola. That was really insightful.