Under Nigerian custom, bride price belongs to the woman’s family, not to the woman herself.
So when a marriage breaks down, the man can only request the refund of bride price through the family, not directly from his ex-wife.
However, here’s the twist;
Most Nigerian courts do not handle bride price refund cases, because it’s a customary issue, not a civil one.
Only the customary court in that locality can decide if it should be refunded.
In some customs, once the woman’s family returns the bride price, it means the marriage is officially dissolved.
But if the man demands it with bitterness or thrëāts, the court can reject his request.
So yes, he can ask for it,
but it must follow tradition, not emotion.
Because in law, you can’t collect love back,
but you can ask for what the culture gave out.
Our Marriages must work.
Stella Justice
Legal and Marriage Clinic with Stella
