–– Joe Shoko
Listen and subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Gone are the days when the milkman used to refill our empty bottles that were left neatly arranged at our gates, gone are the days when Coca–Cola used to taste like Coca-Cola, and gone are those days when Zimbabwe used to be the breadbasket of Africa!
Zimbabwe – the teapot-shaped nation of Southern Africa, is but a shadow of what it once was. As goes the economy, so goes the sanity, which has only contributed to the further hardening of men’s hearts as they invariably devise more and more ways to simultaneously ‘survive’ the harsh economic environment as well as formulate new schemes to act out their rebellion against their Creator – Yahweh (Jeremiah 17:9). One such example is that of the bride price, also known as Lobola (Amalobolo) or as we say in Shona, ‘Roora’.
The way different cultures approach the bride price varies, however the concept across the board is generally the same. The intent is to pay the prospective-in-laws a token of appreciation for raising their daughter well and to basically pay for your bride. To many, this sounds very Biblical. In fact, the Bible does highlight a few instances where dowry was paid to the in-laws through the bringing of jewellery, garments, and other gifts as in the case of Isaac and Rebecca in Genesis 24. There is also a theological portrait of Christ and the church; how Jesus Christ purchases his bride (the church) with his own blood on the cross!
The concept of the bride price–Lobola–though likened to Christ and His bride, falls short of this magnificent reality in that Christ paid the price for our sins once and for all, and yet in the Shona culture, which is one of the dominant cultures of Zimbabwe, you often keep on paying, in some cases until you die. To give some context, Zimbabwe has one of the world’s highest inflation rates and a multi-currency economy that is very unstable. The exchange rate changes daily, and the United States Dollar, though available in circulation has been devalued severely.
It is with this reality in mind that young men with the hope of pursuing marriage as the bible emphasizes, are faced with the dilemma of families who view Lobola as a retirement package or an opportunity to finish building their house. So much money is expected from the prospective son-in-law, which eventually leaves the bride and groom barely able to survive as they begin life together. As a result, it is not unusual for young couples to view Lobola as an unfair ‘obstacle’ which deters them from the whole process, consequently resulting in them ‘cutting corners’ by cohabiting or having children out of wedlock.
The figures for lobola prices vary, and I do want to be as honest as I possibly can with this. The charges in the Shona culture can range from $2,000 – $ 10,000 (United States Dollars), some even exceeding those exorbitant ranges, which turns Lobola from a token act into a ‘get-rich-or-die-trying’ scheme. The Bible has a lot to say about the love of money. The love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), money is never enough and does not fully satisfy (Ecclesiastes 5:10) and if riches increase we should not set our hearts on them (Psalm 62:10).
As far as the practice of lobola is concerned, the church in Africa by and large has a lot of reforming to do. As those who have been called out of darkness to light, pastors and clergy must get involved in the whole process so as to be the light in the gloomy darkness of exploitation and greed. This can even be an evangelistic opportunity. Once they observe that you have a different worldview they’ll begin to ask questions, and it is then that you can share the gospel.
Finally, the church has to be informed and taught on this matter. Members of biblical churches should be held accountable and to a higher standard should they be found in a position where they are the ones marrying off their daughters. How wonderful would it be if both families were part of the body of Christ and conducted weddings accordingly? Christian weddings and marriages from all tribes and nations have the best opportunity to vividly reflect the image of the relationship between Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:31-32). From Zimbabwe to Zanzibar, from America to Austria, this is what we should all intentionally strive for. What a marvellous message this attitude would send to those witnessing the union, that indeed there is no other name under heaven through which men must be saved than the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).