In a viral video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by @mazi chinonso, the young woman strongly criticised the long-standing cultural practice, arguing that it has been widely abused over the years and now promotes the treatment of women as property rather than partners.
According to her, many men wrongly believe that once they pay a woman’s bride price, they have effectively “bought” her, giving them the right to control or dominate her within marriage.
She further accused some parents of misusing the tradition by placing high monetary value on their daughters and, in some cases, selling them off to the highest bidder under the guise of cultural obligation.
In her words, she said:
“Bride price needs to be cancelled in Nigeria. Let them ban it. A lot of men think because they paid bride price, they have acquired the girl as property. And a lot of parents that use bride price to sell away their children need to be stopped.”
Questioning the logic behind the practice, the lady revealed that the bride price in her community is as low as ₦5,000, yet some families still go on to demand excessive amounts depending on their financial status, social class, or personal expectations.
She argued that this contradiction exposes how the tradition has drifted away from its original symbolic meaning and has instead become a financial transaction that places unnecessary pressure on men while devaluing women.
The lady added that the practice has contributed to cases of emotional, psychological, and physical abuse in marriages, stressing firmly that women are not commodities to be bought or owned.
“Some men marry these girls and start treating them like property. A woman is not your property. So if you pay my father ₦5,000, you will start treating me like property? Is it ₦5,000 they used to train me?”
Concluding her argument, she maintained that bride price no longer serves its original cultural purpose and should be banned entirely to protect women’s dignity, promote equality in marriage, and safeguard their fundamental rights.
Watch video below…
Paying for bride price should be bann£d in Nigeria pic.twitter.com/HMkUkeZwHH
— ChukwuNonso✍️ (@Mazi_Chinonso1) January 12, 2026