Nnadiebube Journal of Philosophy

African women are on the crossroad. Starting from being denied right of inheritance to parent's property, rights to education, and heading of families, clans, religions and lucrative political positions, about 70% of them are denied also the right to economic acquaintance. African women, as girl children, even in this contemporary era that is endeavoring to inculcate civilization in women of diverse ages, are still experiencing dehumanization in all sectors of life activities. Majority of the African girls in this globalized world, do not have access to education which is the avenue to individual and social civilization and development, but are trained on how to live marriage life to please the husbands, hence the present day "wife material" mindset from the men counterparts. The wife material sentiment according to contemporary African men, promote more the male chauvinism/patriarchy syndrome that characterized African culture. Women in Africa are experiencing hell in marriage. Hence, this discourse critically questions African marriage pattern, and the problems encircling it, focused more on infidelity and the effects on women. African culture trades on injustice in everything concerning women. The imbalance treatment which African women as girl children experienced in their parents' homes becomes worst in marriage. African marriage is a sole actor activity where husbands are active agents in control of all happenings, while wives are only subordinates. African men, in the traditional and contemporary eras, conceived wives as properties. In Africa, wives are denied of the fundamental right to expression; hence their wishes are their husband’s commands. African culture exempted men from doing wrong that is why, for example, in case of infidelity which involves the consents of the two genders, only woman suffers. Here, the judgment’s, blames and punishments are heaped and meted only on them leaving the men partners. One man from my kindred rudely told his wife, “I paid your bride price, I do not owe your father, and therefore, your wish must be my command. I'm a man, polygamy is in my nature, you don't have the right to monitor my movements, and you can't stop me from eating varieties of soup (promiscuity).If you like, you stay, otherwise, leave, and let your father refund me the money I paid on your head, after all, another woman is at the door to step in." This therefore, provokes questions on the meaning and purpose of marriage, African marriage, the challenges and their effects on African women, family, children and humanity. African marriage practice is distinct from that of the Europeans. The system holds men to high esteem, and religates women to trash. Here in Africa, neither tradition, nor the law protects women's rights, especially in the cases of infidelity. This however, does not only cause havock to women, but also to the family, children and society. This paper significantly wants to assess the challenges of marriage, particularly that of infidelity, and thus, proffer possible solutions to it

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