The recent happenings in the world with regards to marriage are increasingly making many see the institution called marriage as not worth the troubles. From the divorce drama of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian to the slap at the Oscars from a protective husband instigated by an unappreciative wife, you can begin to agree with some who think marriage is at worst is a waste of time, and at best overrated. It is necessary for us to individually know the purpose or reason or objective or usefulness of marriage if we are to enjoy this institution? For Christians, God after creation saw that man was alone and needed companionship. He then created a woman as a Helpmeet. I believe companionship is at the center of the reasons why we should marry. A companion is a person with whom one spends a lot of time or with whom one travels. The journey through life can be very difficult. A companion helps to make this journey beautiful, wonderful, and more productive.

Some weeks ago, when the controversial Lagos socialite popularly known as Pretty Mike said “Any marriage wey don dey enter social media, especially Instagram, forget it!” I concurred to a great extent with his statement. To many who spiritualize most things, they could say, there is a spirit in charge of social media, and whoever shares their family life on social media, he or she is inviting this spirit or demon or evil eye into their home. This I believe is far from the truth. However, I believe whoever has a penchant for sharing their family life on social media has a weakness in their personality that they must investigate and correct. If you cannot enjoy your achievements or blessings without sharing them on social media, it can be said all is not well with you. It can be argued that we all have different personalities, nevertheless, a personality trait that makes you share your every move and accomplishments on social media is worth killing. From the Dancer Korra Obidi and her husband Justin Dean’s marriage troubles to Nkechi Blessing’s, it is becoming clearer to all who have eyes and ears that social media is not a place to share anything about your family.

Marriage is a sacred and private institution that must not be entered lightly. Both individuals must know the core values and character of their spouse and simulate what life with this person would be like. The simulation should include what would happen if he or she were jobless or sick or very angry. The good news is that most of us are open books, and we cannot hide our true character for a long time. The bad news is that most people allow emotions, delays in getting married, and low self-esteem to cloud their reasoning. And they say yes to someone who should ordinarily get a resounding no. Marriage is for a lifetime, however, when domestic violence is involved as is being reported about the death of Osinachi Nwachukwu, the Gospel artiste, families should get their daughters or in some rare situations sons to safety first, before further discussions. So, before you say I do, make sure you know yourself, the person you are marrying, and how they would behave as a husband, wife, father, mother, and most importantly companion in your journey through life.

Ata Ukuta, Editor – Towncryyers