Usually the symbolic payment of a man’s commitment to take care of his wife,
Some countries in Africa including; Zimbabwe, South Africa, Niger, Nigeria, Kenya, Burkina Faso and Senegal have adopted this practice and the groom who’s asking for the wife’s hand in marriage may pay in the form of live stock, food items, clothes and or cash depending on the culture and payment is usually accompanied by a ceremony. Paying your bride price is usually a way of thanking the bride’s parents for bringing up their child. However, why should there be an amount for this in the first place?
Photo Credit: femininematerz
In Niger there is an official amount to be paid usually a sum of of 50,000 CFA francs about $83, as the bride price. However, some grooms pay a lot more than this. In some cultures in Nigeria, the bride price/ dowry is usually returned because they believe the bride is not a commodity that should be bought. The payment of bride price has been a part of the African culture, however, this may delay a man from being wed to his future wife, especially if he does not think he has all the funds needed or in some instances the groom feel as though the bride is his property.
So, what are your thoughts. Do you think this a practice that needs to be stopped?
where dowries are not paid the brides are not valued
no
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NOOOOOO!!! its beautiful culture!!!
Yes because those ladies are not virgins
No
Yes Dowry System must stop, because husbands and wives should enter marriage as an equal.
Dowry can’t stop because it is the beauty of marriage ceremony and a token to the parents of the Bride. men will take women for nothing if dowry system stops. I know you understand.
We are Africans and payment of dowry is one of the elements that distinguish us from the westerners, stopping dowry system is like stopping africanism, so let’s do it with pride, NO GOING BACK.