An ethical response to matchmaking and dating in the Yoruba traditional society and the digital world

An ethical response to matchmaking and dating in the Yoruba traditional society and the digital world

Babatunde Adedibu & Olusegun Peter Oke

Issue: Vol. 7 No.4 2026 Article 8 pp.1069 -1082
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026748| Published online 19th May 2026

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ABSTRACT

Marriage is a socially recognizsed union, sanctioned by legal or religious authorities, with specific rights and responsibilities between spouses. As a universal institution, marriage exists in all cultures with variations that reflect the values, beliefs, and social structures of each society. Marriage fulfills several critical functions: it provides a socially accepted framework for the formation of families, regulates sexual relations, facilitates the upbringing of children and the alliance of families. Consequently, marriage remains central to family formation. Existing scholarship on marriage among the Yoruba people of Southwestern Nigeria has predominantly explored its social, psychological, and legal dimensions with little attention paid to the ethical considerations surrounding matchmaking and courtship practices in both traditional and contemporary societies. The purpose of this paper, therefore, was to explore the ethical issues relating to matchmaking and dating in both the traditional Yoruba society and the contemporary digital world. The research adopted a qualitative method to gather information on practices related to matchmaking, courtship, and marriage among the traditional Yoruba people of the Southwestern part of Nigeria, as well as the transformations these practices have undergone in the contemporary era. Our findings revealed that despite the influx of foreign culture, the Yoruba traditional practices of matchmaking and dating are still relevant, practised, and respected by the people, as it promotes peaceful coexistence and family stability. The paper recommends a reintroduction of the traditional pre-marital practices across cultures to complement the modern system for a stable family structure and for a better society.

Keywords: Ethical response, Matchmaking, Dating, Yoruba traditional Society, Digital World.

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Babatunde Aderemi Adedibu holds a Ph.D in Missiology from the North West University, South Africa, and he is the former Provost of The Redeemed Christian Bible College, Redemption Camp, Mowe, Nigeria, also a former Head, Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, Redeemer’s University Ede, Osun State of Nigeria. Professor Adedibu is also a Research Fellow with the Department of Practical Theology and Missiology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa; a Research Fellow in the Department of New Testament Studies, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, South Africa and a Research Associate at Cambridge Centre for the Study of World Christianity, an affiliate of University of Cambridge, and Co-convener, 500 Anniversary of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses and the Reformation.

Olusegun Peter Oke is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. His Areas of specialization are Sociology of Religion, Religious Ethics and Religious and Law. He had his Ph.D in Religious Ethics in 2017 from the Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan. He also holds a degree in Law from the same institution. He was formerly the Sub-Dean General, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Adedibu, Babatunde & Olusegun Peter Oke. “An Ethical Response to Matchmaking and Dating in the Yoruba Traditional Society and the Digital World.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 7, no.4 (2026): 1071 – 1084. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026748