Lawyer Laments Cost of Marriage in Nigerian, Cites ‘Double Decker’ Marrying Both Traditional and Statutory 

_ABUJA_Human rights lawyer Ikechukwu Obasi says Nigeria’s marriage systems create “double jeopardy” for couples who perform both traditional and statutory weddings.

Obasi wrote on his official X handle: “Life no balance. In traditional marriage, you spend more but during divorce (dissolution) you spend less but in statutory marriage (what lay people call court marriage) you spend less during marriage but spend more during divorce (dissolution). If you do both, it’s not just double decker but double jeopardy. Nigerians even do triple.”

Traditional marriage in Nigeria often involves high costs for bride price and ceremonies. Dissolution under customary law is handled by families with lower costs.

Statutory marriage, commonly called “court marriage,” requires minimal fees to contract. Dissolution falls under the Matrimonial Causes Act and must be filed at the High Court. The process usually requires legal representation and can involve significant time and cost.

Obasi said couples who do both pay the high entry cost of traditional rites and the high exit cost of statutory divorce.

Legal experts have noted that while statutory marriage is cheaper to enter, it provides protections on property, inheritance, and child custody that customary dissolution may not guarantee. The Nigerian Law Reform Commission has in past years recommended harmonization of marriage laws.

Obasi did not propose specific reforms in his post. The post had drawn reactions on X at press time. Efforts to reach Obasi for further comment were unsuccessful.