Cat and mouse: Man storms into in-law’s home to demand dowry

Bride price is still held in high esteem in many communities [Shutterstock]

Sages say, when it comes to dowry, just like with taxes, you can run and hide but at the end of the day, you must pay it. Bride price is still held in high esteem in many communities - even though the reasons for this range from forming new cultural ties to basically being a creative way to raise some money.

Of late, quite a number of young men have been playing hide and seek with their in-laws over this issue of bride price. Some pay half of it and engage their in-laws in cat-and-mouse games over the outstanding balance for decades.