By Priscilla Osaje
Mararaba (Nasarawa State) – Some residents of New Nyanya and Mararaba in Karu local government area of Nasarawa State have expressed divergent views on two trending tribal marriage, inter and intra marriages
The two trending tribal marriages are most times viewed differently by people, while some people strongly opposed the former, others believed that the latter was better based on their personal reasons.
Some of the residents who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday said they preferred the one that suited them and at the same time emphasizing on the advantages and disadvantages of the two marriages.
Most of the residents interviewed were of the opinion that it does not matter the tribe one was married to, but the most important thing was for one to marry the right person.
Mr Harrison Ikem, an engineer, told NAN that the essential thing in marriage was for an individual to marry the ordained wife or husband from God not the other way round.
Ikem said for him, inter-tribal marriage was the best marriage adding that his reasons were numerous and personal.
He further explained that marrying a person from one’s tribe would not enable one to fully know the culture and tradition of others’ tribes stressing that it was not proper.
Ikem added that inter- marriage helps to develop the country and ensure love, peace and unity among citizens.
“I am a Delta man but I am married to Yoruba woman; our marriage is blessed with three kids; ever since we have been married, we learnt many things from each other as regard to each others’ culture and tradition.
” The most important thing one has to consider before getting married is religion not tribe, marriage will definietly work fine if they have the same religion and also understand each other, ” he said.
For Mrs Christy Silas, a housewife, inter-tribal marriage brings respect to the women from her husband and in-laws side, ‘most especially good in-law at that ‘ since they were not from their place.
She added that one would be so conscious of what she does, the same applied to your husband and in law, bearing in mind that you were not from their place and you know nothing about their culture and tradition.
According to her, the only disadvantage in the inter-tribal marriage was that children might not bei able to speak both dialect; this would affect them especially now when people falls victims for not being able to speak their dialect.
” You can marry any man based on love and conviction that you are meant for each other, marriage should be based on understanding of whom the person is , not discrimination or tribal boundary.
“Problems surface when you are not married to your own and that is while you see numerous cases of divorce.
” Inter-tribal marriage should be encouraged and practiced in our society, because it brings peace, togetherness and progress between two different entities,” she said.
Also, Mr Peter Okolie told NAN that with intra- marriage, the relationship would be more established, especially in the aspect of both in- laws based on the fact that they were from the same place and speak the same dialect.
Okolie further explained that when you were married to your tribe, abominable things would be avoidable in the sense that she know your culture and the rules and regulations that goes with it.
” Marrying another tribe may bring good or bad fortune, it defends, but for me I prefer intra- marriage, should in case my wife develop another character, I know how to deal with her because she is from my place,”he said.(NAN)