In a widely shared social media post, Rev. Fr. John Oluoma, a Nigerian Catholic priest, has sparked a debate by arguing that early marriage, when both partners are ready, is more beneficial than late marriage. He suggests that the modern emphasis on higher education and professional qualifications has normalized late marriages to the detriment of society.
The Case for Early Marriage
According to Fr. Oluoma, a girl who is “biologically and canonically ready for marriage” at 18 should be able to marry if she finds a responsible and financially stable suitor. He argues against the idea that a woman must choose between higher education and marriage, instead suggesting a balanced approach.
He proposes that after a woman has had children—suggesting a maximum of four—she can continue her education in her twenties. This way, she can have a successful marriage and still pursue her career and higher education by her mid-thirties.
“The emphasis on university education and other professional qualifications has normalized late marriage in our time, we now see it as the ideal without taking stock of its demerits,” he writes.
Challenges of Late Marriage
Fr. Oluoma contends that late marriage presents more problems. For men, he believes the societal pressure to achieve financial buoyancy leads to marrying too late. This delay, he suggests, can result in men “tast[ing] every shape and size of girls on the planet and los[ing] the aura of mystery and sacredness a wife carries.”
He asserts that “late marriage has more problems and demerits than early ones” and comes with “far too many baggages.”
Societal Solutions
To support early marriages, Fr. Oluoma proposes a change to Nigeria’s educational system. He advocates for a revised secondary school curriculum that focuses on practical skills like carpentry, electronics repair, hairdressing, and tailoring, which can help graduates secure jobs and support a family. He also suggests that the government provide soft loans to low-income couples with children, proposing a cap on the number of children a couple can have.
He concludes by stating that a 25-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl, equipped with these skills, could start a family and pursue higher education and careers later in life, all while still being under 40.
“Between early and late marriages, I will choose the former, I think it serves both the society and marriage itself better,” he writes.
What do you think?
