Writer

Writer: Abel Gaiya

Wednesday 16 January 2013

4 Crazy Ancient Nigerian Marital Traditions

In Nigeria, there are many strange marriage traditions that were practiced long ago. Some of them are still being practiced today. Here is a list of 4 crazy traditions which you'll find intriguing. 
P.S, I couldn't find one more strange tradition, so I made it 4. 

Wife Marrying a Wife for Her Husband
Amongst the Igbo people of Nigeria, it was acceptable for a married woman without children to marry a woman who would sleep with her husband and give birth. The child conceived from this 3rd party wedlock would belong to the actual (initial) wife of the man.

Blood Shown as Proof of Virginity
Also practiced by ancient igbo people. In those days, girls kept their virginity for their future husbands. A girl who lost her virginity before marriage would be deemed an outcast and lose her face in the community (even if she was raped). If a virgin eventually got married, she would sleep with her husband while the family members stood outside the hut awaiting the husband to emerge with a blood-stained cloth in his hand. That was proof to the spectators that the girl was a virgin.

Water Used to Bathe Corpse drunk by the Widow
So far the most disgusting tradition ever. And we're still talking about the ancient igbo people.
When the husband of a woman dies before old age, the people of the village usually consider the widow to be the witch that killed her husband. She puts on black cloth and shaves her head completely. After this, the corpse of the husband is bathed and the water used to wash it is stored. The widow then has to drink this water in order to prove her innocence.

(Sharo) Whooping the Suitor's Ass (literally)
Practiced by the Fulani tribe, this tradition is still being observed today. A man who's interested in marrying a girl has to undergo serious public whipping before being allowed to marry her. If he is able to suppress all signs of pain, he would be allowed to get married. Many have died in this ceremony and survivors are deemed courageous.
So, before a guy thinks of marrying a girl, he has to consider if she's worth being flogged for.