PERCEPTIONS AND IMPACTS OF TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE CUSTOMS IN ABOH MBAISE, IMO STATE

Abstract

Traditional marriage bride wealth holds profound cultural significance in the Aboh Mbaise community of southeastern Nigeria. Notably, the practice of bride wealth payment in traditional marriages among the Aboh Mbaise people has been shrouded in misconceptions and exaggerated perceptions, distorting its true cultural significance and creating barriers to understanding. This study aimed to critically examine the perceptions and impacts surrounding bride wealth in Aboh Mbaise traditional marriages. The objectives were to explore the cultural and historical context, understand the processes and rituals involved, challenge prevalent myths, and investigate the impacts of these customs on the community. The study highlighted the variability and contextualized nature of bride wealth negotiations within Aboh Mbaise, and discovers that the notion of high bride wealth held about the Aboh Mbaise people is a mere perception that has negatively affected the young ladies of the communities and prospective husbans, breaking love relationships and ruining lives. Additionally, the study reveals that traditional marriage rites in Aboh Mbaise is not in any way different from what obtains in many other Igbo communities in south-east Nigeria. The study, therefore, contends that this outdated perspective no longer aligns with contemporary realities. There has been a transformative shift, and it is imperative that Mbaise ladies are viewed through this updated lens.The study recommends promotion of cultural understanding, modernizing traditions, fostering accurate information dissemination, and cultivating a more inclusive community where traditional values coexist harmoniously with contemporary realities.