A Nigerian woman’s passionate critique of the traditional bride price practice has ignited a fierce debate online, as she argues the custom encourages men to treat their wives as property and enables families to financially exploit prospective grooms.
In a widely shared video, the woman called for a total ban of the practice in Nigeria, stating, “Bride price needs to be canceled in Nigeria. You see bride price, let them ban it because a lot of men think because they paid a lady’s bride price, they’ve acquired her as property.”
Financial Exploitation and Class Disparity
She highlighted what she sees as a troubling economic pattern within the tradition. “How much is bride price? From my side, it is ₦5,000. Do you know the cost of expensive bride prices? The poorer the family, the higher the bride price. For richer families, the bride price is lower,” she explained.
According to her, this dynamic allows families to use the tradition as a tool for extortion. “Many families use this tradition to extort the groom’s family because they know whatever they demand as at that moment will be brought.”
"A Woman is Not Your Property"
Her central argument challenged the notion of ownership implied by the transaction. “This practice should be canceled because some men marry these girls and start treating them as property. A woman is not your property,” she asserted.
She posed a pointed question to illustrate her point: “So you’re telling me that if you pay my father ₦5,000, you will start treating me like your property when we marry? Is it ₦5,000 that trained me?”
Online Debate Ignited
The video has sparked intense reactions across social media platforms. While many supporters agree that the bride price has been distorted from its symbolic origins into a commercial transaction that undermines gender equality, traditionalists defend it as an important cultural heritage that signifies respect, commitment, and the union of two families.
The discussion taps into deeper conversations about gender roles, marital expectations, and the modernization of cultural practices in contemporary Nigeria. As the debate continues, it reflects a growing generational and ideological clash over which traditions should be preserved, reformed, or abandoned entirely.
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