Celebration Of The Marriage

After the customary-law requirements as to capacity and bride-price have been met the marriage itself is contracted. In most systems of customary law in Nigeria, there is no marriage until the bride is led to the house of the bridegroom or bis parents and formally handed over by parent or guardian to a representative of the bridegroom's family.

It has been judicially decided that a valid Yoruba or Ibo marriage is not contracted until the formal handover of the bride takes place. In Ibo custom the ceremony is sometimes known as Iduno. In Osamwonyi v Osamwonyt the Supreme Court held that according to Bini customary law, payment of dowry alone without cohabitation as well does not constitute a valid customary marriage. Customary-law marriage may be contracted by proxy.