The Rules, Culture And Traditions Of Marrying A Nigerian Woman

Nigerian wedding day is arguably the most memorable day in the life of any Nigerian couple.

Nigerian wedding or marriage is the coming together of a man and a woman to be joined permanently in life because they love each other.

Weddings in Nigeria is one of the most ceremonious occasion, everybody looks forward to it.

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It happens amidst friends, families and well-wishers. A Nigerian wedding takes three to four different stages.

From the formal introduction to the paying of dowry, a traditional marriage where every member of the family, extended family, and friends are invited.

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While the church wedding happens to be the final stage of marriage in Nigeria.

We are going to elaborate or Nigerian marital proceeding, from the introductory stage to church wedding which is, of course, the final stage wedding in Nigeria

This is a comprehensive write up on wedding proceedings in Nigeria and all that is involved with marriage to a Nigerian woman.

How to Marry a Nigerian Woman

A woman in Nigeria is assumed to be in the ‘single and searching’ mode until a man pays her dowry.

There is nothing else that gives you the right over her except the payment of her dowry.

One could think the dowry that is often talked about is a huge sum of money but it is not, it is simply a courtesy, a show of readiness to take a wife and the ability to sustain her.

A man believes that no amount of money is worth selling his daughter over, so often a very little amount of money is used for the dowry in line with our cultural heritage.

It could be as little as five Naira, and the groom would be asked to use what he should have paid to take care of his bride.

Dowry is also called the bride price in some locality.

Stages of Nigerian Wedding

Originally, Nigerian weddings take four different stages, First is the

Introduction.

A man finds a lady he loves, traditions demands that he makes due consultation before the formal introduction.

(This is where he expresses his desire to take a wife and live with her).

There used to be other necessary protocols which have been washed away by the emancipation of western culture.

So now, a man walks up to any lady he fancies and begins a conversation. If/when she says ‘yes,’ he goes ahead to see the father – This is the formal introduction.

Here, very close relatives are invited to hear what the man has to say, then a date is fixed for the traditional wedding.

Nigerian Traditional Wedding

The Nigeria traditional wedding is carried out at the house of the bride’s father.

As the name implies, it is a traditional wedding and traditional rights are carried out, it involves lots of protocols, different dance groups that celebrate with the man and the woman who has found love.

It often begins with the ‘game of search’

This takes the form of a game, where the girl is given a glass of wine to fish out his man from the crowd and give it to him.

The man on his own would take a concealed position making it a hard task for the pretty bribe who drifts through the crowd searching for the right man while avoiding the wrong men.

After the search game, then the dance by the bride and groom while the guest watch and spray Naira notes into the air. This is a regular ritual for Nigeria weddings, it is like people’s customs.

Church Or Mosque Wedding in Nigeria

After the Traditional wedding comes to the church wedding, this is always performed in the church.

It is the loudest of Nigerian weddings as the entire world is invited and the man is dressed on the suit while the lady is on her wedding gown.

Most Christians can only give their daughter fully to a man after the church wedding, as it is termed – ‘the wedding before God.’

The church wedding involves the joining of the couples in the presence of God

Then the signing of the register, followed by the celebration, the party, the foods and drinks. This is all about Nigerian weddings.

Those are the stages of marriages in Nigeria. Nigerian wedding is quite similar to what you get in other African countries.

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