Oboli: Why Are Young Nigerians Marrying Over Marriageable Adults?

Things got even more interesting with public figures joining the league

Nigeria has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, with 44% of girls married before the age of 18, which is over 24 million child brides, according to a statistical analysis by Save The Children International.

The major reason has been commonly attributed to poverty, ignorance, or political and economic gains.

Nigeria’s legal age for marriage is 18. But child marriage perpetrators have defied this in all forms. Last year 19-year-old Victor Okunola and his 17-year-old fiancée exchanged vows and not much has been said.

Their decisions to get married are, though, not at the mercy of anyone’s judgement, such a young age marriage should raise eyebrows in a sane society where there is a law that prohibits the practice. Funnily enough, the couple is part of a growing trend sweeping across the country.

Child or teenage marriage goes back to years outside anyone’s knowledge. In Nigeria, the shrieking sound of it was first heard in 2010 when a Nigerian senator, Ahmad Yerima, married a 13-year-old Egyptian girl at a celebrated wedding in the northern part of the country.

Since then, Nigerian girls’ childhoods have not known peace. Child marriage has been widely reported but nobody stops it. In 2021, Nigeria became one of the African countries with the highest rate of child marriage.

Things got even more interesting with public figures joining the league. Several Nigerian celebrities have gotten married at a young age and remained in those marriages for many years.

For example, actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde married her husband at age 18, Actress Regina Daniels married a much older man at age 17. Actress Omoni Oboli married her husband at age 21, and they have been married for 19 years.

In contrast, some other Nigerian celebrities have had failed experiences with marriage. For example, Funke Akindele, a prominent Nigerian actress, got married at the age of 38, but the marriage ended in divorce when she was 44 years old. Paul’s Okoye first marriage at 34 also ended in divorce.

Ibrahim Chatta first got married at 25 and has remarried two times since then. Don Jazzy, who was twenty years old at the time, was married for two years; Farida Shobowale, who was twenty-three, was married for just two months; and Gideon Okeke, who was twenty-three, was married for four years.

Speaking of Omoni Oboli, In March 2024, her 22-year-old Tobe Oboli, announced his engagement to his 22-year-old partner Marelle. 22—they were really above the legal age. But the controversies around them say otherwise and here are the reasons.

In Nigerian communities, there is often an expectation for young adults to settle down relatively early, with the average age of first marriage being around 22 for women and 26 for men.

However, this cultural norm has been the subject of much debate, with some arguing that young people should be given more time to explore their personal and professional aspirations before committing to a lifelong partnership.

The discussion becomes even more nuanced when it involves public figures like Omoni Oboli, whose family’s choices are scrutinized under the public lens. The fact that she also got married at an early age, some fans have concluded that she wants her son to follow in her footsteps.

Nevertheless, what exactly is driving this surge in early marriage aside from societal expectations?

Financial Reasons

Getting married young can provide financial benefits, such as combining incomes, sharing expenses, and potentially remaining on parents’ insurance policies for a long. Some young couples may feel pressured to combine incomes due to financial anxiety, especially in the current economic climate.

Emotional Reasons

The instability and uncertainty of recent times, for example, the pandemic, have led some young couples to prioritize their relationships and take the next step in their commitment. Seeing their relationships remain stable when the rest of the world seemed to crumble gives them the confidence to get married.

Compatibility and Personal Growth

By getting married young, couples can grow and develop together, building their lives around one another. They don’t come into the relationship with a decade or more of established habits and eccentricities, allowing them to adapt and change together. This shared journey can foster a strong bond and a sense of unity.

Biological Clock

For ladies who hope to have children, marrying young means they will have more time to enjoy being married and childless before facing the challenges of raising kids together. Pregnancies for women aged 35 and over are even labelled “geriatric,” which can add to the sense of urgency for some couples.

It’s important to note that while some young marriages are successful, others end in divorce. The best age for marriage varies from person to person, and couples must consider their circumstances and goals before making such a significant commitment.

This leaves us with much to discuss on whether these marriages are based on love or physical attraction. What does a child know they call “love and Marriage?”