Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 31 to 40.
The custom of paying a bride price before marriage remains a deeply rooted tradition in many African cultures. [I] The groom’s family must provide payment to the bride’s family before the marriage is permitted. [II]The form of payment varies across regions—Zulu and Swazi tribes in southern Africa often use cattle, while kola nuts, blankets, shells, and other goods are common in West Africa. [III] The amount paid also varies, with some modern bride prices being largely symbolic, while others remain significant, especially among traditional or high-status families. [IV]
Several reasons justify the payment of bride price. It compensates the bride’s family for the cost of raising her and acknowledges their loss as she officially joins her husband’s family. On a deeper level, the bride price is also a recognition of the children the bride will bring into her husband’s family, increasing its wealth. This idea is reinforced by the common practice of refunding the bride price if the marriage does not result in children.
The bride price influences African society in various ways. It strengthens family bonds, as sons rely on their fathers and elders for financial support, fostering respect and obedience. Negotiations over the bride price encourage families to interact and build relationships before the marriage. Additionally, because the bride price is often repaid in cases of divorce, the bride’s family has a vested interest in ensuring marital stability. Furthermore, the practice redistributes wealth within African communities, as wealthier families support the marriages of their sons, transferring resources to others.
However, the system also has drawbacks. One significant issue is the age disparity between husbands and wives. Since young men often lack the financial means to afford a bride price, women frequently marry older men. This results in many young women marrying before the age of 18, cutting short their education. Additionally, a large age gap can mean that a husband passes away while his wife is still relatively young, leaving her to raise their children alone. While bride price remains an important cultural tradition, it has lost its popularity in recent years.
(Adapted from TOELF reading)
