Breach of Promise to Marry (a Short Legal Break Down)

In 2019, during an annual Program held by a reputable Church in Nigeria tagged ‘Shiloh’, the internet was engulfed with captions such as “I will take your picture to Shiloh” as meaningless as it may sound, the Nigerian connotation of the phrase means that you have been summoned before a higher authority and as a result, in no distant time, one expects to hear the sound of wedding bells or a marriage proposal.

In the event that the trip to Shiloh results in a marriage proposal which is subsequently called off, one can only imagine the disappointment the other party will feel. Question is, can this be regarded as a “Breach of Promise to Marry”? What counts as a promise to marry and what will be considered as a breach of such promise?

We shall share a brief insight into the concept of Breach of Promise to marry and the position of the law in this article.