Rose Amono Abili, the Gulu District Woman Councilor V for Bungatira Sub County has high cost of living is driving young men into the arms of older women due to the high cost of dowry.
Abili noted that men who are of marriage age are no longer interested in marrying women of their age group.
Abili was speaking on Tuesday at the palace of the Acholi paramount chief Rwot David Onen Acana II in Bar-Dege in Gulu Municipality.
“I would like to appeal to the cultural institution that we have a challenge. Our youth are going for old women because of bribe price. The bride price we have today will never make a young man think of marrying a young lady because it is too high for them. It is too, too high for our young sons,’’ said Abili.
“You (Ker Kwaro Acholi) have to put it right as cultural institution. If we do not put this right, then we have not to blame the young men when they go for old women because no young man will think of marrying a young girl,” added Abili.
In 2010 Acholi traditional chiefs and elders rejected a proposal by women activists to make the payment of dowry optional and a non-essential element for marriage.
The proposal was fronted by the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and UN Development Fund for Women.
The Acholi leaders argued that making the payment of dowry optional implies that their culture is also optional.
“Tampering with marriage is like tampering with the Acholi culture. We see a lot of problems ahead by trying to make payment of dowry optional and non-essential in marriages,” Garrison Latim, an elder lamented.
2 Comments
OMG it’s not a must that you have to wear European white gown to get married in the church. Wil material matar ci ka cente pe me kwoyo ne ci twee atweeya calo kikoyi ki cud wiyi ki en material aceli bene ci ibinen maber I cal me nyomi. This is so embarrassing and the photographer was also unprofessional and ignorant poor lady on the far left looks so green. Something needs to be done for our community i.e. Creating and designing cheaper yet beautiful church wedding attire because wedding day is the best day for the two lovers to be blessed and remembered. So we don’t want to remembered that ugly outfits are we?
I sincerely have to say that the women activists have to be supported and championed for they are the ones actually saving he Acholi culture! Acholi at large have undergone a very nasty traumatic experience and surely its still happening. Dowry is a source of creating poverty in itself. Pride has no place in society but above all is dignity!! And Acholis are the masters of dignity yet it is not fostered but rather the opposite. Surely those so called elders are holding back progress. Instead of bringing dowries, why not institute a development approach whereby relatives, friends and extended family offer material and collective constructive support (e.g. help build a house amongst others) to newly weds and in this process, pass on knowledge and blessings in a celebratory manner. I have personally come across many a times issues that would propel and enlighten the Acholi customs at large but you hear the words ‘its because of culture’ that holds back progress. Dear elders, lets champion this cause/ Who will be around to defend Acholi when the global forces will one day come and claim our lands and we become squatters in our own given sacramental/ sacred rightful place. May ancestors bless us and guide us.