A review of B.M Dzukogi’s book,  Young Couple, Young Home by Aebubakar Akote. Family is the nucleus of human society that evolves from marriage. Marriage is a legitimate union between a man and a woman who have consented to live as husband and wife for the sake of love, legalisation of sexual intercourse and procreation of legitimate children. Marriage institution is nowadays faced with grievous challenges ranging from incessant break-up. Homes break-up today with problems that could be solved and consequently, the rate of divorce frequently increases daily.

The negative trends may not be unconnected to the rough and careless taking of paths that leads to the marriage unions.  But the major concern is that, if the couples separate, the effect does not only affect them alone, but lead to the degeneration of humanity.

Indubitably,    B.M Dzukogi’s new book, Young Couple, Young Home would not have only come at a right time, but richer in content to books of same type. It addresses trends that have swallowed the legitimate marriage institution and consequently degrading humanity to stages that are peculiar to senseless animals thereby endangering our society. This book is an eye opener to parents and youth to learn in due time how to manage their homes and marriages meaningfully and accomplish stabilities in the families with children that would inherit them in conformity with the tenets of their religions and societal norms. The entire concepts of marriage are fully discussed in this book.

The book of 101 pages, is divided into 25 chapters each with title and sub-titles.  Young Couple, Young Home is written from the author`s rich knowledge of family affairs and experience in marriage.

In chapter one, The Marriage Institution, B. M. Dzukogi gives a coherent definition of the term marriage.  The chapter centres on the significance of marriage.  It has sub-titles like Why do Human Beings Marry.  He states the vital benefits of marriage to every matured man and woman, and the society. Marriage demarcates our sense of sexual activities with other senseless being and with that reason “marriage institution must be protected” (page – 17).  He blames the parents and society for being responsible for adolescents’ involvement in sexual promiscuity and pre-marital sex.  He does not forget to further attribute that to poor leadership for failure to create  jobs for citizens to have means to marry after graduating from the tertiary institutions.  He states that to have good future generations, “Marriage is essential to record human history” (page 19).

The factors mainly responsible for breakage of marriages nowadays is not more than “prostitution and sexual proliferation” (page 22).

Chapter two, Choosing a Wife or Husband as Life Partner, provides the guidelines for young aspiring couples on how to go about selecting partners that suit them. The author points out the necessity to endorse inter-tribal or ethnic marriages. “The more we allow people into our communities the better chances of growth” (page 24).

Chapter three, Courtship, centres on the starting the journey into marriage institution.  He moves further in this chapter to define “love” in its full term. Love is the foundation upon which successful relationships are built on, while courtship serves as a point where plans to succeed are deliberated which could result into mutuality of understanding during the marriage, so “Intending couples must not abuse their courtship” (page 24).

Dzukogi enumerates in chapter four of the book, “Things to do to retain marriage values at courtship”.  These are the strategies the author believes could help in sustaining marriage and have everlasting peaceful family.

This book presents in chapter five things to discuss in courtships.  Planning to succeed in future marriage should dominate the discussions by intending couples in courtship.  The chapter also suggests the suitable venue the discussions should take place. The sixth chapter presents what to avoid by intending couples in courtship “unsubstantial allegation by people must not form the core of their discussion” (page 37).

In chapter seven, Length of Courtship, the author suggests the appropriate duration of courtship.  However, “courtship is not a period to show man ship”. “...is a time for determining how marriage will stand. (page 38).

The book also talks about the role of education in marriage sustainance. In Career Planning and University Education help to sustain Marriage, Dzukogi says sound education is the bedrock to building good home and sustaining marriage.

Also, there is need for self exploration to accomplish a better life. In chapter nine,  Exploring Self for a Beautiful Life on Earth, the author adminishes that one should learn more outside of his chosen profession.

Another thing one can use to one’s advantage in marriage is one’s talent. Chapter ten, with the title, What Talents Do You Possess, discusses the importance of self- discovery and making the proper use of one’s God-given talent.

Chapter twelve zeroes in to how marriage ceremonies should be performed, and he  moves on to chapter 13, Marriage is a Life Long Partnership, discarding the idea to making women more subordinate to men.  He sees it as a move to kill their talents and as a factor militating against development in Africa.  Partnership and freedom should be ultimate.

He does not rest to state that successful home must be built collaboratively by husband and wife in chapter fourteen titled, “Building a Good Home”. “Everything in the house should base on the complementary effort of the partners” (page 57).In many homes nowadays, women are stressed with the overload of upbringing of children that they bear together with husband.  It is not ideal as Dzukogi said “building the home is not the responsibility of the woman alone” (page 57).  It is disheartening to see husbands abandon care and upbringing of children and homes entirely in the hands of wives.

Chapter 15 is with the titled, Planning for Children.  Children of both sexes must not be denied privileges to make some meaning out of them.  Both females and males must be given equal rights at home. The society takes the blames of all the moral decadences that have taken it over.

The highly-interesting and practical book continues to chapter 25  and it highlights the challenges that new couples are likely to  face as new home builders and how to come over them.

Indeed, no other book of similar nature can be compare in value to this book. The content is clear, understanding and real.  Those who take the path of positive changes in our society cannot afford to do away with this book. The author is an experienced teacher, a reformer and a parent par-excellence.  This book has proffer solutions to all the marriage predicaments our society is battling with.