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Must Bride Go Half-naked On Wedding Day? Olamide Balogun and Rukayat Olalere Saturday, December 8, 2007 MARRIAGE is a legal relationship between a man and a woman. The unique body of a woman is supposed to be the source of her pride. Fashion parade among youths, where clothes that expose sensitive parts of the body is the vogue, have become worrisome in our society. The youths are seen daily on our streets scantily dressed. Whatever anyone likes to say about this phenomenon, it has increased the temptation in men to be freer with their female counterparts. advertisement Not surprisingly, some men have found themselves on the boundary of impropriety. Yet, today’s woman submits more and more to the temptation to show more and more of her flesh regardless of the occasion. Imagine a bride putting on a gown exposing her “navigating breast” and smiling it off! Charity, they say, begins at home. Some parents admire their children when they are in ‘loose’ clothes. They believe promiscuity is from the heart and not what is put on. Therefore, they encourage their wards by buying them such clothes. Living went to town to hear what parents, men and ladies have to say about this evolving phenomenon of wearing clothes that bare it all: Mr. S. I. Shittu (ex-senior executive officer, Ibadan North Local Government): “It is not good, traditionally and in terms of religion. For instance, if the bride on her great day exposes her body, such a bride encourages bad behaviour and it can put another person into trouble. The only person that must see your nakedness is your husband. But some will wear clothes that expose their stomach. “Traditionally, the way the bride and groom dressed in the olden days on their wedding day was by putting on Aso Oke (Yoruba cloth). “In religious terms, a bride must cover all her body and the only part to be seen is her hand and face. The nude culture is foreign to our country. To the Western world, if you cannot put on such dresses, you are not fashionable. I advise our leaders to caution the women. Mrs. Ibrahim (principal executive officer in the same local government): I put it to improper training, bad influence and environment as well as absence of the fear of God. “If a person gives birth to a child, the child must be trained. Some children are trained but they refuse to abide by the home training. Some will keep the clothes outside, where the parents will not see them. Parents must know the type of friends their children go out with. “The environmental factor is also there. If a child is moving with bad friends, she will definitely be influenced. Freedom must not be too much for the child. A parent must train his child in the religion he/she practises. Such a child will not dress immorally. “These types of dresses may lead to rape, which can in turn lead to child unwanted pregnancies and STDs. Parents should enlighten their children on the type of clothes they wear. “If the bride does not feel ashamed that her body is being exposed, how does the husband view it? What is the husband’s first responsibility? It is not normal, and our culture does not allow it. “In the olden days, in court weddings, all the body of the bride was covered. Alhaji Adejumo Daudu (Imam of Arigbooja Mosque, Salawu, Ibadan): It is not permitted by God. The body should not be opened; only the face and hands of the bride are permitted to be seen. “A wedding day is the greatest day in a woman’s life and the bride must not be naked. The only place that a lady can be naked is the sitting room of her husband. A lady must be in hijab or cap. “In Islam, the bride is not allowed to sit beside her husband except they are joined together. A woman and man’s body are like magnets. If the man sees the nakedness of a lady, he will lose all his mental stability and turn to something else. “Both the bride and the groom should fear God. Tight wears are not good for ladies. God created us totally and beautifully. You should not because of your beauty put another person into problem. Mrs. Labiyi (Ibadan North Local Government Administration Department): “It is not acceptable in our society, religions as well as our culture. Those that wear such dresses are imitating the Englishmen. It is not acceptable here. “Church leaders should intervene in this matter and ensure that whenever the bride is half-naked or improperly dressed, she should not be allowed for that wedding. Mrs. Ayinde (typist): Putting on revealing clothes is not good in our society; and in the church, it is even worse. The bride must not open her body to people; it is for her husband alone. “The church must address this issue and enlighten parents on what their children should wear for their wedding. Parents should know and see what the bride will put on before the wedding day. They should do things the way God wants. Ifeyinwa (youth corper): They have to be decent with their dressing. The body is meant for the groom and not for the whole crowd to see. She will soon get married and she must not expose her nakedness. Dansuleman (youth corper): It is the Western mentality. I can’t encourage my bride to dress improperly. It is a bad mentality. Both the Bible and the Al-Quran say that women’s bodies should be kept for their husbands. Shola Akinyele (registrar in a local government): “Show me your friend, I will tell you who you are. It is saddening on the part of the groom’s parents and family to see what they are trading for to be exposed to the whole world. “The bride should show the groom the gown before she wears it on the wedding day. Shola Afolabi (marketer): “The bride should not go naked on her wedding day. I believe that anybody that goes naked is already insane. I can’t marry a lady that used to show her nakedness, not to now mention going naked on the wedding day. “The bride should put on descent wears on that day. The Bible says our body is the temple of God, which should not be dishonoured.”