What are your thoughts on getting married by 'proxy'? Would you rather get married to a picture instead of your partner being physically present?
Just recently, there was a traditional marriage ceremony in Enugu state where the bride, Nkechi, her mother and other members of the family, were celebrating, especially after a few unsuccessful attempts by their daughter to get a suitable husband.
The would-be in-laws from Ikeduru, Imo State had also arrived at the village draped in flamboyant and gaudy traditional attire. In their entourage were the groom’s father, mother, siblings and other extended members of the family. They also looked excited that after all these years, their son, Kelechi, who had spent the last 15yrs in Germany, was getting married.
When it was time for the proper wine-presentation by the bride to the groom, Nkechi meandered through the crowd with a calabash cup filled with palm wine in her hands, to everyone's surprise, Nkechi handed over the calabash cup to a 76yr old man who was carrying a large portrait picture of a relatively young man....
Questions began to arise: Why has she decided to marry a septuagenarian from a far away town? Is there no young man from her neighborhood that befits her hand in marriage?
Reports said the groom chose to stay back in Germany to cut cost, not wanting to waste money on travelling expenses. Its been also revealed that some people living abroad opt for representative marriage because they do not have residential permits that could enable them to travel in and out of their countries of residence as they will....
Marriage by proxy seems to be more popular now since social media became more popular as well, so many people get to meet their spouses on the Internet and would get married by proxy, without physically meeting each other.
According to a legal expert: 'such marriage cannot be accepted under the Marriage Act. If it is under the act, the two individuals getting married must be present and their two witnesses must be present as well. They must sign the marriage certificate and nobody can sign it on their behalf'.
Nigeria Info
Just recently, there was a traditional marriage ceremony in Enugu state where the bride, Nkechi, her mother and other members of the family, were celebrating, especially after a few unsuccessful attempts by their daughter to get a suitable husband.
The would-be in-laws from Ikeduru, Imo State had also arrived at the village draped in flamboyant and gaudy traditional attire. In their entourage were the groom’s father, mother, siblings and other extended members of the family. They also looked excited that after all these years, their son, Kelechi, who had spent the last 15yrs in Germany, was getting married.
When it was time for the proper wine-presentation by the bride to the groom, Nkechi meandered through the crowd with a calabash cup filled with palm wine in her hands, to everyone's surprise, Nkechi handed over the calabash cup to a 76yr old man who was carrying a large portrait picture of a relatively young man....
Questions began to arise: Why has she decided to marry a septuagenarian from a far away town? Is there no young man from her neighborhood that befits her hand in marriage?
Reports said the groom chose to stay back in Germany to cut cost, not wanting to waste money on travelling expenses. Its been also revealed that some people living abroad opt for representative marriage because they do not have residential permits that could enable them to travel in and out of their countries of residence as they will....
Marriage by proxy seems to be more popular now since social media became more popular as well, so many people get to meet their spouses on the Internet and would get married by proxy, without physically meeting each other.
According to a legal expert: 'such marriage cannot be accepted under the Marriage Act. If it is under the act, the two individuals getting married must be present and their two witnesses must be present as well. They must sign the marriage certificate and nobody can sign it on their behalf'.
Nigeria Info
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