The traditional rulers in Imo State
plan to impose a standardised fee as dowry on all parents, guardians
and communities in the state.
Mixed reactions have trailed the
harmonisation of bride prices in various communities in Imo by the
traditional parliament recently inaugurated by Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Some residents who spoke with reporters
in separate interviews expressed the belief that the move is timely and
important. Others were, however, of the view that the resolution would
not be in the interest of members of the community and as such might not
see the light of the day.
Those in favour of the harmonisation
reasoned that many young persons, especially the females, stay single
longer than they would like to before getting married because of high
bride price and other exigencies involved in traditional and church
weddings.
Conversely, those against the idea said
that traditional rulers lack the powers to determine bride prices since
they neither make any contributions, nor play any part in the upbringing
of the brides.
Emma Eke, a businessman, described the
resolution as a move in the right direction, adding that a lot of youth
have stayed unmarried because of the high cost of marriage.
He said that any amount fixed by the
traditional rulers would be acceptable as long as intending couples are
happy at the end of the day.
“A lot of our youth today are not
married while some marry very late because there is no money for them to
pay the bride price. They prefer to impregnate the girls to make it
easier for them.
“If the bride price is harmonised and
reduced to a reasonable extent, it will help the young girls and boys to
marry on time. When a woman delays in marriage, sometimes pregnancy
becomes difficult,” he said.
Ifeanyi Okere, a civil servant in one of
the ministries, pointed out that the issue is not necessarily about the
amount paid for bride price but about empowering the youth.
According to him, if the teeming
undergraduates are gainfully employed, they could save and pay any
amount accepted as bride price by parents or the communities.
“The issue here is not the amount
charged as bride price but that the youths have no source of livelihood.
If the government can provide them with meaningful employment, even if
the pride price is N1 million, they will pay,” he said.
Also speaking, Iheoma Adaku, who
represents Ahiazu Constituency in the Imo House of Assembly, said what
is required of the communities is compromise. She said that the
traditional rulers have to compare the amount charged by each community
and make a reduction where necessary to arrive at a compromise.
“What we really need is a compromise by
bringing down the bride price in communities where the bride price is
high. It should be a little to the right and a little to the left,” she
said.
A title holder in one of the
communities, Kelvin Ekeji, explained that bride price in Igbo land is
determined by kindred and not the exclusive preserve of any traditional
ruler.
“It is not up to the traditional rulers
to determine what each community should collect as bride price. In Igbo
land each family or kindred determines how much they will collect as
bride price.
“It is not a government issue. It is not
for the government to determine or set out any amount for bride
price,’’ Mr. Ekeji said.
He said that a one-time governor of the
state made it N30 and that the people asked him to start with his
daughter, adding that it never worked.
“So I don’t think it is proper for the
traditional rulers or the government to set out a bride price for
communities in the state. When you conduct an opinion poll, you will
find out that many people will not accept it,” Mr. Ekeji said.
Felicia Nwalu, a lecturer at the Federal
University of Technology, Owerri, observed that the Igbo people cling
so much to their tradition and culture that it is usually difficult to
break the norm.
According to her, it would be one thing
for the traditional rulers to make the law and another for the people to
comply.
“They may not go far. It is an issue of
tradition and culture and every community has one guiding them. If it is
to reduce the amount where the price is very high it will be better
rather than make it uniform for all the communities.
“It may generate negative reactions and
communal clashes, especially in communities where there is no rapport
between the people and their traditional rulers.
“I am not ruling out the possibility of
it succeeding, but it may not be realised 100 per cent in communities
with such problems,” she said.
Mrs. Nwalu noted that while some
families are not bothered about how much is paid as bride price for
their daughters, others depend on it for their upkeep, adding that some
others prefer to make it a secret affair with their in-laws.
She said that rather than make laws that
would bring problems in communities, the traditional rulers should pass
motions to encourage morality among young people in the communities.
The traditional parliament had on August
16 passed a motion on the harmonisation of pride price in communities
in the state.
The motion tagged “Motion on the
Harmonisation of the Marriage Institution in Imo,” was sponsored by Duru
Okwudor of Njaba Local Government Area, along with other traditional
rulers.
Mr. Okwudor identified the high pride
price and difficulties experienced by couples in organising traditional
and church marriages as some of the reasons for sponsoring the motion.
1 comment:
Is a rytstep in a ryt direction!I just hope same will be done 2 burial ryt 2...
Post a Comment