Kobojunkie:
Of course! Legality comes from marrying in the courts. Your brideprices are nothing of the legal route but of the traditional route which ae only accepted but not necessarily recognized as being legal. For a marriage to be certified legal, it has to be registered with the courts-\

Traditional marriage is legal in Nigeria, please note this.

ExudeLoveToAll:

■ Traditional marriage is legal in Nigeria, please note this.

Stop telling this lie!

tonicyril:
See, a no know about any other person oh, but me no dey go any registry for marriage, a no fit relinquish my authority on the altar of marriage..

Women get all the juicy loves in this world, if u and a woman are in dare need of some help I am sure she would get help and even forget about the situation before u get half of what she get, that is even if u will get at all.
Woman has the very tendencies to attract favour from anybody so far she's a woman, same can not be told about men..

The only thin remaining for men is the authority nature have given to us as the head, and I can't afford to lose it cus of one union, u have had the goodies of the world already so allow me to enjoy the goodies nature gave to me..
If u re not content with the traditional wedding of going to ur parent and pay for ur head then make everyone dey hin dey oh

Guy but going registry will not take that authority away from you

Armaggedon:
■ you are a pure clown 🤡
Court will force the society to recognize your marriage. Well it all starts will a delusion.

The way many of you dey take reason upside down dey always amaze me.

The courts rule over even your many traditional communities. Once a union is recognized by the courts, your traditional opinions mean absolutely nothing.

Kobojunkie:
Stop telling this lie!

Tell me the truth since you said I lied Mr/Mrs Over sabi

FireUpNow:
■ Guy but going registry will not take that authority away from you

It does take it away because in the eyes of the court, the man and woman start off as equal partners in the union. Should the couple afterwards decide to create for themselves an unequal union, that is left up to the couple in question and may required the signing of formal agreement by both to do so.

GenderMix:


This is not correct. You can do court wedding without paying bride price. Infact when i did mine, only 2 of my friends were present to sign as witness. Our parents were absent because we felt it was unnecessary but for them to travel down.

However, bride price /traditional wedding is what our culture recognize. It has to do with recognition of the couples by the families. It's the most important as far as nigerian families are concerned. You may be deprived of certain traditional benefits if you're not traditionally married. Although those benefits will not prevent you from living your normal lives.

If you are a fan of African traditional culture, then you need to do it to promote the culture

Did the registry not require a letter of consent from the bride's parents?

otomatic:
■ Did the registry not require a letter of consent from the bride's parets

Letter of consent for two adults getting married to each other? Are you people for real?

Icrave4u:
If you marry a lady via court wedding and you didnt pay her bride price are you legally married to her.

The bride price is the first to be considered, especially in a place like Nigeria. Why would someone rush to court without resolving the issue of bride price?

You can’t use legal cover to mask a moral failure!

luckyz4rea:
■ The bride price is the first to be considered, especially in a place like Nigeria. Why would someone rush to court without resolving the issue of bride price?
You can’t use legal cover to mask a moral failure!

Bride price now of morality? Na wa oo!

People can and do exactly that without consequence every single day in that same Nigeria.

Kobojunkie:
Letter of consent for two adults getting married to each other? Are you people for real?

Very real. I've been married for more than a decade and it was a requirement. Recently I also wrote a letter for my sister.
So what are you talking?
The registry recognises 3 kinds of marriages one of which is customary.
You want them to join you without asking questions, so you can run away with somebody's daughter?
Or you think the registry is not staffed by Africans who know what is right?

tonicyril:

U re married to her in the face of man, but not in the face of creator...

Check all the religious book. What u will find there is that u should pay a woman dowry, no emphasis on whatever registry u choose to attend

Does the religious book emphasize on paying dowry on Non-Virgin girl?

This is a very important question. I've taken time to read every comment, just a few with all due respect comes close to the right and very correct answer. Before you start abusing me/calling me names and throwing all sorts of argument, do well to type on the Google search " what can render a court marriage null and void in Nigeria? ". Or Try to get the customary court/marriage edicts.
Now to the main Koko, Have you ever wonder why matters like court marriages and divorce are conducted in a customary court? It's because customary courts are the closest to the culture and tradition of the people, this means it has jurisdiction over such cases which are usually considered based on the customs and traditions of the people under the court jurisdiction ( this ofcourse may not apply in some cases if the courts deems it right to come to her decision on other bases like human rights issues or in this scenario, the court may turn her back on the custom of the people, Also in a marriage between a Nigerian and a foreigner, the court may not lay emphasis on whether the bride price is paid or not since it's possible that payment of dowry may not be a requirement in the country of the woman, e.g a Nigerian man wedding his American lover in a Nigerian customary court for Japa🤣, does Americans pay dowry? No!). Now talking about what can render a marriage conducted in a customary court null and void, I will only treat one point.
During the contraction of a court marriage, one of the question the oath administer asks is " Have you paid the dowry of miss .........? Have you satisfied the customs and traditions of her people in relation to marriage? if your answer are yes, you will be asked the full date that was done, that is the dowry payment or traditional marriage rites ". Note- The format of the question may be twisted, i.e it may not be exactly as how I asked it, but it usually carries the same context and message which is to certify that you have paid the bride price of the woman you want to wed in the court.
Now, let's imagine you have not paid the dowry, and your answers to this questions is yes, do you know what crime you have commitment? PERJURY!
Yes, perjury is a crime and it is a valid point to render a court marriage null and void. So, if payment of dowry or bride price is not important/a condition and requirement to be met before court marriage, why would the oath administer ask those questions?
Many are saying here they or people they knew married without paying bride price, this is very possible because they probably lied to the marriage oath administer that they have paid the bride price.
Presence of parents or family members is not a requirement, only Witnesses which could be anyone is required, so don't mistake this.
Mind you that the customary court is following after the customs of the people under her jurisdiction, this means that, what is legal here might be illegal else where.
But generally, the marriage edicts covers all the regions in Nigeria, whilst you can be legally married in other parts of the world without paying dowry, in Nigeria, court marriage requires the payment of dowry, that's what qualifies the couples to be wedded in Nigerian customary courts.
Note: My use of customary courts refers to marriage registry. While the registery conducts the marriage, it's under the jurisprudence of a customary court.

Kobojunkie:
Bride price now of morality? Na wa oo!

People can and do exactly that without consequence every single day in that same Nigeria.

Whatever is generally accepted as tradition so long as it has “no evil” can be termed moral. In Nigeria’s context it is.

By the way, when you are giving out your daughter or your son is getting married, ignore the bride price okay? Come here and gist me however it goes. I want to learn from you sir.

otomatic:
■ Very real. I've been married for more than a decade and it was a requirement. Recently I also wrote a letter for my sister. So what are you talking? The registry recognises 3 kinds of marriages one of which is customary. You want them to join you without asking questions, so you can run away with somebody's daughter? Or you think the registry is not staffed by Africans who know what is right?

Was it instead the case that you first did your traditional before you then approached the courts to register said traditional marriage within the statute given?

luckyz4rea:
■ Whatever is generally accepted as tradition so long as it has “no evil” can be termed moral. In Nigeria’s context it is.
■ By the way, when you are giving out your daughter or your son is getting married, ignore the bride price okay? Come here and gist me however it goes. I want to learn from you sir.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 So, if a person does not subscribe at all to your traditional ideals or clings to traditions that are completely different or even opposite of yours, that personal is immoral, abi?

2. God forbid I accept anything called brideprice for my son or daughter. Tufiakwa! They are not cattle that I must have a price on their heads.

Kobojunkie:
Was it instead the case that you first did your traditional before you then approached the courts to register said traditional marriage within the statute given?

No. I married under the marriage act (not under customary) before my traditional marriage and church wedding.
In fact I was legally married for some weeks before my traditional marriage and then the church wedding a week later.
As a matter of fact, the registrar asked about the bride price and requested for my father inlaw to submit a written consent before the notice was published for 21 days.

The same scenario also played out recently with my sister. She had the statutory marriage first before traditional and church. I was required to submit a written consent before the registry published their marriage notice.

So, you can see why I asked that question. I'm curious to know if that practice is what is generally obtainable across the country.

Kobojunkie:
The way many of you dey take reason upside down dey always amaze me.

The courts rule over even your many traditional communities. Once a union is recognized by the courts, your traditional opinions mean absolutely nothing.

continue wallowing in delusion. Even court marriages have counselling sessions where they strongly advise intending couple to pay bride price.

otomatic:
No. I married under the marriage act (not under customary) before my traditional marriage and church wedding. In fact I was legally married for some weeks before my traditional marriage and then the church wedding a week later.

I am afraid your letter of consent claim violates the marriage act which you claim you submitted them towards unless those letters were instead meant to serve in place of the presence of live witnesses to the union.

The Right to Enter into Marriage:
Article 12 of the Human Rights Act guarantees men and women of marriageable age the right to marry and establish a family. Every individual in Nigeria possesses the fundamental right to enter into a marriage contract based on their free and full consent. The need for mutual consent is also recognized by Nigerian law, which ensures that neither party is forced or coerced into marriage.
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) forms the foundation of all laws in the country, including those relating to marriage and family. Under the Constitution, every individual, regardless of gender, is entitled to fundamental rights and freedoms, which include the right to life, dignity, personal liberty, and freedom from discrimination.
Equality in Marriage:
The principle of equality between spouses is a crucial aspect of Nigerian family law. The Matrimonial Causes Act and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act incorporate equality in marriage.
Under the Marriage Act 2004, spouses are regarded as equal partners in marriage. This means that husbands and wives enjoy equal rights and responsibilities within the marital union, including decision-making, financial matters, and child-rearing.
The Nigerian Constitution also guarantees equality before the law for both spouses. Neither spouse should be discriminated against based on gender.
Spouses should have equal rights to property, assets, and resources acquired during the marriage. The Matrimonial Causes Act acknowledges the equal contributions of both spouses to the acquisition and management of marital property.
https://trustedadvisorslaw.com/the-legal-rights-of-spouses-in-marriage-under-nigerian-law/

The fact that Article 12 above makes clear that every man and woman has the fundamental right to be married literally means no consent/permission is required from any others to enter into such a union.

Armaggedon:
■ continue wallowing in delusion. Even court marriages have counselling sessions where they strongly advise intending couple to pay bride price.

Sounds like counseling sessions where they force traditional opinions on your individuals. I bet if you called up the courts today to verify your claim dem go tell us say those counselors do not do so on behalf or with the authority of the courts.

immortalcrown:
I am not sure but I believe the court respects tradition and may insist on payment of bride price before conducting the court marriage. On the other hand, legality is different from tradition. What is traditional may be illegal and what is legal may be untraditional.

There's nothing like court marriage or court wedding.
The intending couple register their marriage with the registry.

Icrave4u:
If you marry a lady via court wedding and you didnt pay her bride price are you legally married to her.

You are expected to visit and pay the bride pass in 21 days according to the Nigerian constitution. None payment in that time frame makes the marriage certificate no longer valid. So if anyone takes you to court after that time that you didn't satisfy the customary tradition, he or she can win the case in court leading to nullity of the marriage. But as long as no one dispute this, the marriage may continue endlessly.

Yes, we did our registry before introduction/payment of bride price to increase the chance of visa application

smasher1:
■ You are expected to visit and pay the bride pass in 21 days according to the Nigerian constitution. None payment in that time frame makes the marriage certificate no longer valid. So if anyone takes you to court after that time that you didn't satisfy the customary tradition, he or she can win the case in court leading to nullity of the marriage. But as long as no one dispute this, the marriage may continue endlessly.

Where in the constitution is this stated?

Kobojunkie:
I am afraid your letter of consent claim violates the marriage act which you claim you submitted them towards unless those letters were instead meant to serve in place of the presence of live witnesses to the union.
The fact that Article 12 above makes clear that every man and woman has the fundamental right to be married literally means no consent/permission is required from any others to enter into such a union.

There were live witnesses to the marriage bro.
My wives parents, my parents, siblings and friends were present on the occasion. That letter was extracted as part of the application process and before the 21 days notice period.

otomatic:
There were live witnesses to the marriage bro.
My wives parents, my parents, siblings and friends were present on the occasion. That letter was extracted as part of the application process and before the 21 days notice period.

Again, what you claim makes no sense considering the Law with which you claim your marriage was supposedly registered. Are you by any chance able to give us the information on the courts were your marriage was registered and on what date so I can maybe do some investigating into this "letter of consent" which you claim you had to submit even with witnesses present at your union?

Yes, I did my court wedding in January, bride price March, and church wedding June the same year. Reason was because I needed to redeploy from the state I was posted for my NYSC to the state where hubby was. That was over a decade ago. I still remember we were told in court that whether we have done any other marriage before coming to court or not, we are legally married in the court.

Kobojunkie:
Again, what you claim makes no sense considering the Law with which you claim your marriage was supposedly registered. Are you by any chance able to give us the information on the courts were your marriage was registered and on what date so I can maybe do some investigating into this "letter of consent" which you claim you had to submit even with witnesses present at your union?

Sorry, I can't divulge personally identifiable information.
But, you don't submit this letter with witnesses present. You submit it at the point of applying to the registry for marriage. After which, they publish the notice of marriage with passport photos of the couple for 3 weeks.
At the end of the 3 weeks, a date is given for your marriage and that is when you show up with witnesses/guests.
My sister is passing through the exact same process in the same state but In a different registry in a different town.

otomatic:
■ Sorry, I can't divulge personally identifiable information.
But, you don't submit this letter with witnesses present. You submit it at the point of applying to the registry for marriage. After which, they publish the notice of marriage with passport photos of the couple for 3 weeks.
At the end of the 3 weeks, a date is given for your marriage and that is when you show up with witnesses/guests

Where you under 21 at the time of your marriage?

otomatic:
My sister is passing through the exact same process in the same state but In a different registry in a different town.

Is your sister under 21 or 18?

How to register a marriage in Nigeria
Following is a guideline on how to register a marriage in the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Nigerian law. Please note that Nigerian authorities do not usually require an Australian citizen to provide a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage (CNI) when registering a marriage.
Marriage is registered at a local public registry, which requires a Letter of Marriage Intention and payment of a fee of Naira 2,000.
A person under 18 years of age, who wishes to register a marriage, is required to present a letter of consent from his or her parents.
The registry will display the Letter of Marriage Intention for 21 days on a public notice board.
Provided that no objection to the intended marriage is made during the 21 day period, a couple may then register their marriage.
Birth certificates or official documents showing the ages of the couple are required together with the results of HIV and genotype tests.
A divorcee must produce a divorce certificate, while a widow or a widower is required to present the death certificate of the late spouse.
A marriage registrar may witness the exchange of oaths by the couple.

https://nigeria.embassy.gov.au/aaja/reg_marriage.html

Chiuzk:
Yes, I did my court wedding in January, bride price March, and church wedding June the same year. Reason was because I needed to redeploy from the state I was posted for my NYSC to the state where hubby was. That was over a decade ago. I still remember we were told in court that whether we have done any other marriage before coming to court or not, we are legally married in the court.

Nigerians go dey complain say money no dey... yet they live very wasteful lives.

Raydave:

Does the religious book emphasize on paying dowry on Non-Virgin girl?

Nope, I don't think so