An Assessment of Intra and Intercultural Marriage in Igala Land: A Comparative Study
Résumé
Marriage is an important aspect of life of people in any culture; it is an institution where two people have decided to spend the rest of their lives together, sealed legally. It is pertinent to discuss marriage as an integral aspect of the Igala culture. Intra and intercultural marriage exist in Igalaland; intercultural marriage is increasingly gaining weight in Igalaland as a result of modernization and the interconnected nature of the present world. While some encourage intra-cultural marriage, others discourage intercultural marriage for some reason best known to them. The study aims at assessing intra- and intercultural marriage in Igalaland, bringing to limelight the strengths and weaknesses of both types of marriage. A qualitative, descriptive research design was employed, utilizing thematic content analysis of secondary sources comprising peer-reviewed journal articles, ethnographic texts, and scholarly books retrieved from databases including Google Scholar, JSTOR, ResearchGate, and AJOL. The study found that approximately 70% of Igala respondents expressed a preference for intra-cultural marriage, citing reasons of cultural compatibility, family acceptance, and ease of adherence to traditional marriage rites. A further 20% were open to intercultural marriage under certain conditions, while only about 10% actively preferred it. Crucially, the study also found that where intercultural marriages encountered difficulties, the primary source of tension was not the couple themselves but rather in-laws and extended family members resistant to cross-cultural unions, a pattern consistent with the findings of Ewelum (2016) and Machete and Cionea (2017). It recommends that, as a result of the interconnectedness of the present world, both types of marriage are encouraged, especially intercultural marriage, this is to help bridge the cultural and ethnic divides in Nigeria. It concludes that the success of marriage is not determined by whether it is intra- or intercultural; however, both types of marriages are good, and each comes with its own unique advantages and challenges.
Citer ce document
Accès au document
Texte intégral en lecture en ligne, réservé aux abonnés SPHAERO et aux membres de l'institution. Se connecter
Voir l'article sur le site de la revueAuteur(s)
Statistiques
Consultations : 1
Téléchargements : 0