THE MARITAL PRACTICES IN MBATOLI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF IMO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Marriage is recognised by authority or ceremony. It is as old as civilization itself, and it is found in virtually every society. It is believed that marriage is about 4,350 years old. The first recorded evidence of marriage ceremonies uniting one woman and one man dates from about 2350 B.C. in Mesopotamia. Over the next several hundred years, marriage evolved into a widespread institution embraced by the ancient Hebrew, Greeks and Romans. During the ancient period, marriage had little to do with love or with religion.
During the victorian era, romantic love became the primary requirement marriage and rituals of courting became even more formal. An interested gentleman could not simply walk up to a young lady and begin a conversation. He had to be formally introduced and only after some time it was considered appropriate for a man o speak to a lady or for a couple to be seen together.
In the 16th to 18th century’s marriages during these period were arranged, not by the two people getting married, but by their parents and relatives and this happens especially among the upper class, simply because marriage makes the family’s network stronger or tit was used as a means of concluding a peace treaty.
Marriage is unique and it is also the basis of the human society which has its various objectives or purpose which are companionship. True companionship grows out of a oneness of spirit, completeness, fruitfulness, protection and enjoyment and it also have its various lovely benefits which are; To live longer, less stress, good health, inheritance e.tc.
In Nigeria, there are various ethnic groups or geo-political zones which have their various marital practices and they are the north, south west, south south, and the south east.
Marital practices in the North is mostly based on Islamic rites and it is different from every other marital practices. It encourages the betrothal of female children to adult males. Child marriage is a traditional cultural practice which is heavily influenced by Islam. 48 percent of the northern girls are married at the age of 15 and 78 percent are married at the age of 18.

In the north, little girls who have started menstruating are considered mature for marriage and the case of menstruation varies as a girl of twelve can be given out for marriage based on the fact that she has started menstruating. The child marriage is used as a strategy for family survival and also for the preservation of the virtue of the girls.