Omo, make we jive about this bride price matter wey dey cause wahala for Lagos. Some lawyers don yarn say, if dem no return bride price after customary court don give divorce, the woman fit still dey married, you sabi?
One lawyer wey sabi matter well, Mrs Jumoke Ajayi, talk say bride price na the koko when dem dey dissolve marriage for customary law. She throw more light say, if bride price no return or no waiver, that one fit lead to gbege. If court just pass divorce order without bride price matter sorted, na wah.
Ajayi no stop for there, she explain say sometimes, if family no agree to return the bride price, e go cause gbege wey go pit couples for long fight for divorce. Wetin you expect? Na our family matter we dey talk, dem no dey take am play.
Mr Fatai Abdullah dey back her, him talk say this bride price wahala dey common anytime pipo dey try settle divorce. Plenty families dey gree say dem no go accept divorce till dem see say bride price don waka back. After all, customary marriage dey no dey just deal between husband and wife, e get family matter wey involve.
And you fit ask how many dem dey handle these things? Well, particularly issues like domestic violence, infidelity, desertion, and weird differences dey lead many couples to chef up righteousness for divorce. As dem no fit reconcile, na bride price be the next thing wey go determine whether marriage don really finish.
For case wey dem no collect bride price from beginning, Mrs Ruth Ojomo talk say dem fit still go court. No be say marriage no dey valid abi? If court fit prove say marriage exist even without bride price, dem fit dissolve the marriage. Sweet thing be say, if both families don agree say relationship don finish, na so e go be under customary law.
Mr Chibuikem Opara dey emphasize say for marriages wey follow Act, dem fit only dissolve if e don scatter. Need proof say the marriage don break completely, and you fit shout say you don try your best to resolve am wahala.
Opara still shout say bride price no dey for statutory marriages. For mokun and traditional marriages, na only bride price matter dey show whether marriage even happen. No evidence? No marriage! So, you no fit dissolve wetin no exist, abeg!
Mr Kunle Adeyemi don put mouth for the case, him say plenty couples dey wait till wahala don finish before dem dey look for help. By that time, e don too late to solve the matter. Economic wahala dey worsen as inflation and job lacking dey affect marital peace. People dey find their life hard; this one dey create tension and misunderstandings.
Mrs Aisha Bello join the matter too, she talk say financial argument don turn many marriages to law court like say na football match. The economy don change the way family dey run their life.
Some sociologists still dey analyze, say even third parties, especially family members dey add to the wahala. Dr Samuel Okorie, wey dey do marriage counseling, talk say in-laws dey too help create confusion. Dem don take over decision-making for couples’ matter. E dey vex people and dey cause serious conflict.
Lawyers don caution say, if dem no handle customary divorce well, e fit lead to serious legal wahala. Couples and courts dey urged to ensure say dem follow all the legal steps carefully before dem dey announce say marriage don finish.
Make everybody sabi say, before you run enter court, check wetin kind marriage you get. Proper guidance go help prevent long wahala, wrong bigamy, and emotional stress. Na so we go settle am wey go clear our minds.
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