Should dowry be abolished in Collo community?

Dowry or dower, the tradition of the groom's parents/family paying livestock, money, or even giving gifts among other things to the bride's family is still a common practice not only in Collo community, but also in large parts of Africa.

Traditionalists argue that it is a gesture of appreciation. Not only in Collo community, but also in many other African countries such as Zambia for example, where families have been known to sue if the dowry is not paid. In Kenya however, modern young women nowadays say they are fed up with "having a price on their heads".

Now, what do you think about dowry? Is it an outdated tradition, or an integral part of our culture? This article was originally published (in a different format): Tuesday, 6 March, 2007, 12:35 GMT 12:35 UK on the BBC. For more information please refer to:http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=2643&start=15&edition=2&ttl=20081113041431