Nollywood actress Kemi Lala Akindoju has taken to social media to discuss her views on marital customs and the custom of women taking on their husband’s last names.
Kemi, who shared her thoughts on the matter in a post on her Instagram page said, a woman should be allowed to choose whether she wants to change her name or not.
She wrote: “Scripture says the man cleaves to the woman (but what do I know). Most importantly a woman should be allowed to choose. Whether she wants to change her name or not or compound it.
“Honestly, if we want to follow “2 shall become 1”, the couple should merge both surnames. I still question the children automatically coming from the man’s state of origin, his surname, and the fact that the man ‘owns’ the child.
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“The whole thing messes with my head so much, yet it’s the woman who physically goes through a life-transforming process to birth the children.
” Yet, she’s relegated. I may not have the answers, but it troubles my entire being and I am yet to find the scripture that says the woman must take the man’s name. Scripture says the man cleaves to the woman (but what do I know).
“Most importantly a woman should be allowed to choose. Whether she wants to change her name or not or compound it. Sadly, boys are never raised to think their identity will change, but just because of a woman’s gender she’s raised/socialized to know that she shouldn’t get too comfortable with a name and identity she’s known all her life. I don’t have the answers, but I strongly question this practice.”
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