Activist Calls For An End To Payment Of Bride Price

An Aba based human rights lawyer and activist, Barr. Emperor Ogbonna has advocated for an end to payment of bride price.

Barr. Ogbonna in a post on his Facebook handle said that what should be the norm is the consent between the two intending adults to marry each other and complaint to the homongous list from the would be inlaws.

Barr. Ogbonna who was speaking on the heels of the recent marriage of a popular Facebook feminist, Nkechi Bianze said why young men marry late or fail to marry the woman of their dream was as a result of the outrageous bride price list.

The human rights lawyer who want payment of bride price to declared repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience said such custom should changed.

Ogbonna wrote “popular feminist, Nkechi Bianze just got wedded to her Mbaise husband.

“No bride price was paid by her husband.

“She is from Agbor, Delta state.
Two of them stood up to drink the palm wine.

“She did not kneel down to give her husband any drink.
Honestly, i think I like this lady.
Why should a man pay money to marry a wife?

“Why should a man buy all those items always written down on lists by the family and kinsmen of the bride before he can marry a wife?
Sometimes, these things run into millions.

“Is he buying the girl?
Is the woman his slave?
That list has made many men and women remain single all their lives.
I think that what ought to matter for a marriage to be valid is the consent of the couple to marry each other.

“Once the man and woman, if they are adults consent, that should be all. Once they are adults, even the consent of their parents should not matter.

“Why should one adult consent or withhold consent for another adult?
Honestly, asking someone to pay bride price to marry another person ought to be declared repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.

“That custom ought to be changed.
That custom of paying bride price came in the olden days when women were regarded as a chattel, a piece of item in the house. Men were regarded as owning their wives and women occupied a subservient status in the home.

“They were not allowed to speak in the family on vital issues and when a man dies, his female children and wives were not allowed to inherit his property. Women were not even allowed to occupy the thrones of their fathers who were kings.

“But today, all those things have stopped. Women now have more power, rights and authority so you can imagine why other parts of custom, mores and values are changing but we are still retaining this custom of paying money, no matter how small it is, to marry a girl as a wife.

“That custom ought not to pass the repugnancy test and I tell you, if anyone takes this matter to the Supreme court of Nigeria, the court would surely hold it as being repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.

“Bride price should be abolished.
When the society is developing and its laws or custom is not developing, the society will crack.
We are not selling our daughters.

“They are not slaves or chattels. As to kneeling down, I have nothing to say on that,” stated Barr. Ogbonna