Divorce Procedure In Igbo Land And The Significance Of The Bride Price [ Izuchi'ahia Nwanyi ]

Divorce Procedure In Igbo Land And The Significance Of The Bride Price [ Izuchi'ahia Nwanyi ]

When a woman decides to get a divorce from her husband for any reason whatsoever in the Igbo land of Nigeria, tradition demands that she performs some certain rites of passage known as Izuchi'ahia Nwanyi (basically means " Returning Of Bride Price " ).

For the purpose of these rites, the kin of both parties convene at the residence of the woman's Father. Just as they did during the Igbankwu ( Wedding ). At this gathering, the woman's family is required to entertain her husband's people with kola, wine, and food. The expenses of this party is to be fully paid for by the woman's family. This is done as a form of payback to the husband and his family for all they spent during the Igbankwu.

At the end of this occasion, the woman's Father (or whoever it was that her bride price was payed to) then returns the exact amount of money he received as his daughter's bride price back to her husband.

This is the most important part of the ceremony. After that, the bond between husband and wife is then considered severed.

If the husband refuses to accept this refund, the case is then taken up to the council of Ndi Ichie who then preside over the matter and force the man to accept his money back. In recent times, this custom is now carried out in the law court; in cases of communities with no active council of Ndi Ichie.

There is no such thing as a custody battle during or after the divorce. The children remain with their father. Unless the man didn't pay the woman's bride price before marrying her. In which case, the children belong to the woman's Father. This is because a woman has no right to ownership of life. Even her own life does not belong to her. She either belongs to her father or her husband.

According to the Igbo tradition, if these procedures are not followed to the latter, the divorce is not recognized or pronounced legal. Hence, any child or children born by the woman before this custom is totally fulfilled still belongs to the man by law; regardless if he fathered them or not. The law still applies even if they are not living together anymore.

Unless this tradition is obeyed, she remains the man's wife until death. Now remind me again how the payment of bride price isn't about selling women.

Credit: Eze Drizzy Jude