The juridical-pastoral proposals do not undermine the sacramentality of marriage because they are about recognising the validity of a customary marriage among the baptised in the Church.
It is inexpedient to compare our need for dispensation from canonical form for customary marriages with those who only have statutory and Church marriage. The contexts differ.
I propose a combination of the two approaches
If a dispensation is to be considered and be accessible, the Holy See would grant an indult to the Bishops of Nigeria to grant the dispensation on a case-by-case basis.
The most convenient way is for the priest to be present at the payment of the bride price.
The canonical form is a merely ecclesiastical law and not a divine law. In other words, it was established by the ecclesiastical authority and not by Christ himself.
Customary marriages are not contracted for ideological or practical reasons or in rejection of Christian marriage.
Statutory marriage is incompatible with customary marriage in Nigeria.
We sometimes erroneously assume that couples exchange consent when the bride presents a horn of palm wine to the bridegroom amidst the dancing.
Marriages contracted under customary law are as valid as marriages contracted under canon law
