5 Types Of Marriages Nigerians Will Never Understand

Unconventional types of marriages that would shock Nigerians

The average Nigerian is used to the usual type of marriages like: Common law marriage, traditional marriage and polygamous marriage amongst others. However, there are several types that can evoke the anger of the gods and likely wouldn’t be found on the pages of Bella Naija. Please take note, you can be disowned for even suggesting these unusual types of marriages to your Nigerian parents. Which of these can you attempt?

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1. Posthumous Marriage 

This is basically marrying a dead person e.g. a lady marrying her dead fiancé. It is legal in France, China and Sudan. It originated from France when a dam broke and killed 400 people leaving many husbands- and wives-to-be single. We all know our Nigerian parents will take you for spiritual counselling or worse still disown you for trying to do such a thing. “Even though death do us part” is the vow for this marriage.

2. Hypogamy (marriage to the poor)

This is basically one type of marriage literally everyone in Nigeria avoids like a plague. It is basically marrying someone beneath your social class and the opposite of this is Hypergamy (currently trending). In Nigeria, if you try this, you could end up feeding a whole household or even an entire village.

3. Sororate Marriage

This really only happens on African Magic. It entails being able to marry or have sexual relationship with your wife’s sister in the case of her inability to bear children. Imagine living with the knowledge that your sibling can take your place in your matrimonial home because of infertility or death. 

4. Open Marriages

People may argue that it exists in Nigeria but no one ever comes out to actually claim it so it makes our list. This marriage consists of both parties agreeing to date or have sexual intercourse with people outside the marriage. Some agree to this due to the fact that they can’t satisfy each other’s sexual urges and other fantasies.

5. Avunculate Marriages

This one is something that is ‘impossicant’ in this nation. It allows a man to marry his niece or a lady to marry her nephew. It was literally practiced among the royal families in Europe to preserve family blood from being soiled by outsiders. Trying this in Nigeria goes against every religious doctrine and could land you a visit to the police station.

#TheGoodStuff serves up some light reading with 2 shots of humor and a dash of sarcasm. They may not be common but people engage in all kinds of unorthodox alliances; these types of marriages will shock you.