African Women 
bibliographic database
| Previous page | New search |
The free AfricaBib App for Android is available here
 Periodical article |
 Leiden University catalogue |
 WorldCat |
| Title: | The Contribution of African Religion and Culture to Marital Harmony: The Nigerian Example |
| Author: | Onibere, S.G. Azowou |
| Year: | 1988 |
| Periodical: | Cahiers des religions africaines |
| Volume: | 22 |
| Issue: | 43-44 |
| Pages: | 83-99 |
| Language: | English |
| Notes: | biblio. refs. |
| Geographic terms: | Nigeria West Africa |
| Subjects: | religion African religions marriage Cultural Roles Marital Relations and Nuptiality Religion and Witchcraft Anthropology, Folklore, Culture Traditional religion Cultural values |
| Abstract: | Marriage occupies a place of paramountcy in Nigeria and the aim of this paper is to discuss the contribution of religion and culture to marital harmony. Three areas of interest are identified: sexual morality, polygyny, and the communitarian character of marriage in Nigeria. With respect to sexual morality, the author examines incest prohibitions, premarital chastity, and conjugal fidelity. Polygyny may contribute to harmony in the family if the motives are barrenness, socioeconomic advantages, increase in the acquisition of progeny, and sexual advantages. In this context, attention is also paid to the 'leviratic custom', the case in which a man marries his deceased brother's wife. Objections against polygamy include tension among co-wives, the fact that many women become widows at the same time in case of the death of a polygamist (which can be resolved by the leviratic practice), and 'addiction' to polygamy caused by the 'insatiability of the human appetite'. In the context of the communitarian character of marriage, the author discusses the functions of bridewealth, stressing its stabilizing influence. In conclusion, the author looks into the foreign influences of Islam, Christianity, and the arts and science of Western civilization. Notes, ref. |