• This marriage can only be converted into a church marriage where there are only one wife and one husband.
• Where a man has more than one wife, he cannot convert this marriage into a church or even a civil marriage. The man must first divorce the other wives in order to convert the customary marriage into civil or church marriage.

A customary marriage is potentially polygamous. This means that a man can marry as many wives as he wishes under the customary norms and practices of his area. However, he must fulfil each woman’s customary requirements.

• Both parties must be above 18 years of age
• The couple must not have close blood relations.
• The woman must be single but the man may already be married. However, the man must not be married under church or civil marriage. The subsisting marriage should be customary
• The marriage here is between and therefore, the consent of the parents to the marriage is required
• Bride price is paid as a form of acceptance of the marriage. However, this may be waved and a letter waving the payment of bride price written by the woman’s family.