There is a saying that when something stays for too long, it becomes a tradition.
There are violence tradition that may not be able to eradicate in Nigeria despite the invasion civilization and modernization.
Some tribes still prefer to live according to the ancient customs. Still, these traditions can be violent and unethical for the modern world.
Dangerous traditions in African as a whole are many . One of the most problematic questions for this region of the planet is violence against children and women. They usually become victims of harmful traditional practices in Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa and many other countries of Africa.
In this Article, I will share with you Eight (8) harmful traditional practices that are going on in Nigeria and other African countries at Large.
1. Arranged Marriage
according to Wikipedia “This is the type of marital union where the bride and groom are selected by individuals other than the couple themselves, particularly by family members such as the parents.
Therefore, children become hostages of political and economic games of adults. Children who resist forced marriage can be severely punished not only by parents but also by the family of the future husband or wife.
2. Female Genital Mutilation
Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is the ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia.
Some cultures in Africa see this tradition as a part of becoming a woman. Therefore, young girls undergo the procedure during the puberty period.
Female Genital Mutilation is believed to be made to ensure women’s virginity.
Some tribe cultures see external female organs as unclean. Therefore, they believe that they clean their girls with the mutilation of the organs.
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3. Forced marriage
This is commonly practiced in Nigeria and some African countries, the main victims of early marriage are young girls.
The marriage age for them is considered to be around 12-13 years old. Most of these girls enter the puberty period in their husband’s house.
Sometimes they can be married to a man old enough to be their grandfather.
The violence occurs when a girl refuses to marry or have sex with a husband.
They have to suffer from pregnancy in their young age and suffer from obstructive labor. Young girls can be bought directly from their parents.
Many of the children are given for free to marriage for future economic and political benefits.
4. Children s labor
Occupational violence is a part of harmful traditional practices on Young boys under the age of between 12-15 years old. They are being forced to work on the farms against their will. They can work regardless of any climatic conditions.
This practice is common in the forest and farm regions of Nigeria. Still, parents send their children to work as they believe it will help them to secure a job position in the future.
Therefore, children do not go to school and have to work without proper protection. Public organizations and UN attorneys investigate cases of forced children labor in October, 2011 in Nigeria
5. Virginity test
This act is one of the oldest traditions in Africa, this is a state where Virgin girls in tribes are defined as clean and pure. Girls who did not save their virginity up to the marriage can be treated horribly. Virginity tests in Africa tribes can have various forms.
It was gathered that in a tradition, a girl can be defined as a virgin if she has an intact hymen, innocent eyes, the tightness of muscles behind the knees, and “tight breasts”. Some tribes also examine male virginity.
According to some traditional tests, a boy defines as a virgin if he has a thick foreskin and can urinate over a one-meter-high fence with no hands.
6. Breast ironing
Breast ironing is one of the harmful traditional practices in Africa. This practice is performed by a mother on a pubescent daughter. With the use of grinding stones, spatulas, and hot stones a mother irons a daughter`s breast.
According to some sources, African women first started to use this practice to prevent sexual abuse and the beginning of sexual life for girls.
On the contrary, it does not prevent girls from becoming sexually active, but it leads to an inability to produce breast milk.
7. Wife inheritance traditions
According to the laws of some African tribes, a widow may not inherit the property of a husband. Moreover, a widow can be inherited by her husband`s kinsman, like a brother, father or even son.
Therefore, she becomes the wife of another man and has to provide matrimonial duties to her next husband. Sometimes, relatives of the husband can claim a widow to cleanse the name of the husband.
The community may decide how to cleanse the husband, and the range of cleaning methods are various.
It can be having sexual intercourse with a social outcast, a trip to the wilds, and sleepover with her husband’s corpse.
8. Male circumcision
Male circumcision is a part of many cultures in the world. Nevertheless, male circumcision in Nigerian tribes is a question not only ethical but also medical.
Many male circumcision operations are carried not in the hospitals and not by sterile tools.
Therefore, up to 40% of boys die due to infection after circumcision operations in tribes.
https://www.anaedoonline.com/2020/06/01/see-6-places-in-nigeria-you-need-visit-before-you-die/
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