When it comes to dating in Nigeria, in addition to keeping in mind the popular saying "Men are from Mars and women from Venus"; you still need to understand what part of Mars or Venus your partner is from, as this will help promote peace and respect within your relationship.
Without further ado, here are our top eight tips for dating in Nigeria.
- Find out about the culture and tribe of your partner as well as the part of the country you are in. This can't be overemphasized because no one or place wants to be disrespected. (Ignorance isn't an excuse)
- Little or no Public Display of Affection (PDA). PDA is still considered weird in most parts of Nigeria and it might be wise to tame it all the way down. (I had a friend who was arrested for cuddling with her man in a park close to a military office…lol
- Before setting out on a date, make sure you have had a recent visit or a friend who has visited the place recently, you just might just be shocked to see an abandoned/unkempt place or in some extreme cases completely non-existent.
- Realise that as a society we tend to create traditional roles for each gender unconsciously; Make sure you are on board with whomever you're dating as to each of your expectations.
- For first dates with people you don't know well, visit open places and make sure they are located in areas you know well. Our national security isn't there yet and you shouldn't forget that.
- Take your time before introducing your partner to your family and friends. No point meeting the family if we it's not headed anywhere serious.
- Have fun. Nigeria is tough; be yourself and allow your date be his/her self. Don't waste your time with someone you don't really like.
- Do your homework, find out what you can about the family of your date. For most Nigerians, you can't separate them from their families. So, if you can't deal with the family now regardless of how hard you try; chances are you can't deal later.
Like the English proverb: A coin has two sides, all men/women are not the same and, definitely not every part of Nigeria or Nigerians are the same. While we have different cultures and tribes; we can say many times, the dating rules tend to remain constant.
Pic Source: Instagram / @lojphotography