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CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

This chapter reviews related works of literature on the issue of marriage, marital disintegration, divorce etc. Further considered are the works and opinions of scholars and scholarly articles written on the key issues of this study. This will help provide an in-depth analysis and background upon which this study can be successfully carried out and proffer solutions to the phenomenon under consideration.

2.2       The Review

The study of effect of marital instability on children has fast become a central point for both discussion and research among Social Scientists. It has been observed that the rise in the divorce rate over the years is one of the fundamental changes in Nigeria society. A substantial number of women and children now spend some fraction of their life in single female-headed households, leading many to be concerned about their socio-economic circumstances [1]. The dynamics of culture and human relationships have made researchers to observe many influences, manifestations, happenings and occurrences in marriage stability within the African society. These manifestations and occurrences have significant impact on marriage within a society. However, a recent observation on people’s attitude to marriages, suggest an alarming negative effect of these impacts[2]. It is pertinent to note here that marriage is the state of being united with a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife; the mutual relation of the husband and wife; the institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family; an act of marrying or rite by which the married status is affected[3]. Marriage is considered to represent a lifelong commitment by two people to each other and it is signified by a contract sanctioned by the state. It thus involves legal rights, responsibilities, and duties that are enforced by both secular and sacred laws. As a legal contract ratified by the state, marriage can only be dissolved with state permission[4]. In Nigeria for instance, every tribe recognizes some form of the institution of marriage. In most cultures, and religions matured man or woman is considered to be incomplete without a spouse[5]. It must be noted that there are different groups, traditions and different marriages but they have one specific thing in common and that is the changes of the weddings and marriages pattern, which are influenced by the Western societies[6]. The influence of the western culture is making the traditional polygamous marriage fading away and gradually disappearing in this contemporary Nigeria society[7] in another development, marital instability has been described as a situation whereby the couples deliberately decided to separate for one reason or the other. The concept of marital instability is associated with separation, divorce and widowhood. Separation and divorce are social phenomena which are allowed or created by the husband or the wife or of both. Meanwhile, widowhood is beyond the control of human being because it is related to death..

[1] Castro-Martin, T. & Bumpass L. L (2009) Recent Trends in Marital Disruption. Demography 26(1): 37-52

[2] Borgotta, F. E, Edgor, A (2000). Encyclopedia of Sociology 2nd Edition. U.S.A. Macmillan.

[3] Gove, B (2006). Webster’s third New International Dictionary of The English Language Unabridged.U.S.A. Marrian-Webster Inc

[4] Borgotta, F. E, Edgor, A (2000). Encyclopedia of Sociology 2nd Edition. U.S.A. Macmillan

[5] Aiyetan, D, Kolapo, Y (2005). Report On Inter-Tribal Marriage. Punch News Daily 16th July, p.4

[6] Holley, C (2001). ‘The two Family Economics of Industrialism: Factory Workers in Victorian Scotland.J. Fam. Hist., Ed. By Hareven K et al. 6: 1.

[7] Aiyetan, D, Kolapo, Y (2005). Report On Inter-Tribal Marriage. Punch News Daily 16th July, p.4 (supra)