“Bride Price Should Be Abolished” — Woman Sparks Debate, Links Tradition to Domestic Violence

A woman has stirred massive reactions online after a viral video showed her calling for the abolition of bride price, arguing that the practice encourages domestic violence and promotes the idea that women are being treated like property.

Video Questions Traditional Marriage Demands

In the clip, the woman criticised the transactional nature of some traditional marriage rites, saying the long list of demands often makes men feel they have “paid in full” for their wives.

She said this mentality usually shows up during marital disagreements and abuse cases.

“If you look at many cases of domestic violence, you hear men say, ‘She’s my wife, I paid in full, she’s my property,’” she said.

“Market Mentality” in Marriage

Using a market analogy, the woman explained that when money is exchanged for goods, a sense of ownership follows — and she believes this is how some men view marriage after paying bride price.

“They will ask you to change their roof, bring bags of rice, wrappers, and multiple lists for different people. After a man goes through all that, tell me why he won’t feel like he bought the woman,” she said.

Calls Bride Price “Low-Key Sales”

The woman further described bride price as “low-key sales,” insisting marriage should be based on love and family blessings — not financial transactions.

“For me, bride price should be abolished. Let a woman say, ‘This is who I love,’ and the parents give their blessings,” she added.

The video has since sparked heated debate online, with Nigerians divided between those defending tradition and others agreeing that bride price has become excessive and harmful.