Cohabitation: The New Topic Stirring Controversy on Nigerian Twitter
A tweet has sparked a lively debate on Nigerian Twitter about cohabitation, a topic that has long remained under the radar in many Nigerian households. For those unfamiliar with the term, cohabitation refers to two people living together while in a relationship, often before marriage. In the typical Nigerian setting, cohabitation involves the woman moving in with her boyfriend, sharing a home and daily life.
What started as a tweet questioning whether cohabitation truly helps individuals get to know their partner has quickly snowballed into a passionate discussion on who actually desires or benefits from it more: men or women?
Men’s Perspective: Women Subtly Kickstart the Process
The debate began with men claiming that women are the ones who subtly initiate cohabitation. The argument goes that women start by leaving small items at their boyfriend’s place—an eyelash here, a wig there, a pair of panties—gradually marking their territory until the space feels like their own. This slow and steady process, they argue, creates an environment where cohabitation feels inevitable.
Women’s Counterargument: Men Want the Perks of Cohabitation
Women, on the other hand, fired back with their perspective. According to them, men are the ones who actually desire cohabitation more, especially given the perks it offers—constant sex, home-cooked meals, and household duties that would otherwise be expected of a wife. They argue that men are often less reluctant to welcome a woman into their home once she becomes familiar and comfortable there.
Men’s Claim: The Reluctance to Cohabit
Men continued to argue that while women might start moving in, most men are actually hesitant about cohabiting, particularly when it becomes a permanent arrangement. They pointed out that when a woman stays over for a few days, the man might casually ask when she plans to leave, only for her to guilt-trip him with statements like, “You want me to leave so you can bring your side chics, abi?” This dynamic, they argue, reveals men’s discomfort with cohabitation, despite women’s tendency to gradually settle in.
Responsibilities: Financial vs. Household Duties
Another key point of contention is the distribution of responsibilities in cohabitation. Men argue that they often bear the financial burden—paying rent and providing food—while women typically handle the household chores like cooking, cleaning, and managing the day-to-day. While some couples share responsibilities, the common pattern remains that men contribute more financially, while women take charge of maintaining the home.
Who Really Benefits More from Cohabitation?
With all these perspectives in mind, one burning question remains: who really benefits more from cohabitation—the man or the woman? While men may enjoy the comfort of a wife-like situation without the commitment of marriage, women might benefit from the perceived security and convenience of having their partner around full-time.
The Aftermath of Cohabitation: What Happens When It Ends?
A particularly intriguing aspect of the conversation is what happens if the relationship ends after living together for years. Do the partners simply move on to find someone else to cohabit with? Does the woman go back to her father’s house? Does the man rent a place on his own or return to his bachelor lifestyle? The logistics of transitioning from cohabitation to separation often remain unspoken, but it’s a critical aspect of understanding the full scope of cohabiting relationships.
As cohabitation continues to be a hot topic in Nigerian society, it raises important questions about relationships, responsibilities, and the deeper motivations behind sharing a living space. Whether one views it as a practical arrangement or a precursor to marriage, it is clear that this debate is far from over.
