Tradition: The Idoma Culture In Nigeria

A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society.

While some traditions are worth emulating, some practices are toxic. One of these toxic traditions is practiced by the Idoma Culture in Nigeria. This part of the tradition must have been done by a group of men who wanted to satisfy their greed by imposing a rule that affects only the women but spared men of the same crime. At first I didn't believe it existed , until a friend who was actually from that culture confirmed it.

In Idoma Culture, a woman who cheats dies but a man is free to cheat with no consequences. I wondered why such a burden is put on only the women and the men walk freely with no guilt of their actions. This culture makes some Idoma men sleep around with confidence, knowing their Idoma wives would remain faithful no matter what they do.

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I find this tradition to be unfair and wicked to the female gender, making them seem like objects whose emotions can be toiled with no consequences. Marriage is designed to be a union where two become one in faithfulness and love, but some group of persons had twisted it into a system to satisfy their greed.

This tradition may help curtail unfaithfulness in marriage especially with the women but it gives room to certain men who desire other women but expect loyalty over their infidelity. Some may not see it that way, but to me, it's wickedness and unfair to the women who may expect loyalty too from their male partner.