The topic of an essay competition organised by the Young Writers Club for final year students is: Our traditional marriage system is more suitable for the p...

Answer Details

Model answer: Essay-competition entry (arguing FOR the topic): 'Our traditional marriage system is more suitable for the present generation of Nigerians than the English system.'

This is an argumentative essay. It needs a title, a clear stand, at least three developed arguments, and a firm conclusion.

IN DEFENCE OF OUR TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE SYSTEM

Marriage is one of the oldest and most important institutions known to man, and every society has evolved its own way of joining a man and a woman as husband and wife. In our own land, two systems now compete for acceptance: our indigenous traditional marriage and the imported English system. I firmly hold that our traditional marriage system is more suitable for the present generation of Nigerians, and I shall give my reasons.

In the first place, traditional marriage unites not merely two individuals but two families and, indeed, two communities. Before a marriage is concluded, both families investigate each other's background, character and health, and this careful scrutiny helps to build stable homes. The English system, which often joins two strangers on the strength of romantic feeling alone, offers no such safeguard.

Secondly, traditional marriage is far less expensive and more realistic for the average young Nigerian. Its ceremonies, though colourful, can be adjusted to the means of the families involved. The English system, with its costly white weddings, hired halls, foreign gowns and expensive receptions, plunges many young couples into debt before their married life has even begun.

Thirdly, our traditional system enjoys strong community support that helps marriages to endure. Because the whole family has a stake in the union, elders step in to settle quarrels and to counsel the couple, so that divorce is discouraged. Under the English system, a couple is left largely to themselves, and this isolation partly explains the alarming rate of broken homes today.

Finally, traditional marriage preserves our identity and culture. It keeps alive our language, dress, music and values, and reminds us of who we are in a world that is fast erasing our heritage.

I concede that the traditional system, like every human institution, has weaknesses that must be reformed, such as excessive bride price in some places. But its core strengths make it far better suited to our people than a borrowed system that does not fit our circumstances. For these reasons, I urge my generation to cherish and uphold our traditional marriage system.