5 Common Type of Relationships in Nigeria

Relationships make up a sizeable amount of our everyday lives, whether or not we like it. For starters, the average Nigerian is most likely to spend time worrying about his/her love life if they are single and not in a relationship at the time.

Knowing there are over 30 relationship types available in the world today, it is very easy to predict the type of relationships that are mostly practised or preferred in Nigeria. Unlike most western countries where liberalism and adventure take centre stage, Nigerians in Nigeria are more comfortable with practising certain relationship types that have come to form our ideas on the type of relationships we must get into.  Here are 5 of the most common types of relationships in Nigeria.

1. Dependent Relationship

This is the most common relationship type in Nigeria and it usually involves one partner depending more on their partner than the other on them. In this type of relationship, you are more likely to have, often times the girl being more dependent than the guy. Make no mistake, there are certain male folks who are totally dependent on their well-to-do girlfriends but in the Nigerian context, it is often the females largely depending on their men.

As a matter of fact, an average Nigerian girl is so dependent that you are likely to be confronted with a list of “must buy/do” things the moment she agrees to be your girlfriend. See this as a “special privilege” that she said yes to you. There have been reports of supposed girlfriends asking their newest men for smartphones, airtime, internet data subscription and “urgent 2k” just less than a day into the relationship.

Oftentimes, dependent partners in such relationships usually exhibit a flagrant sense of entitlement that one wonders how they got tangled in the first place.

Beyond this, there is the notion that it is the duty of one, mostly the male to be the provider in a relationship and rightly so. However, the sense of entitlement that comes with the idea and how it is projected can be nauseating.

2. Closed Relationship

The closed relationship also joins the dependent relationship as the most practised in Nigeria. It is the traditional relationship type where the parties involved agree on being with each other exclusively. “Straying” outside of the relationship is considered and termed “cheating” and such persons as “cheats”.

3. Sexual Relationship

Another common relationship type is the sexual relationship which sees that people get into relationships for the purpose of having sex. More often than not, most relationships have, in some cases, unwritten agreements that sex is a must in the relationship and the refusal of a party means there is no reason to continue in such a relationship. This relationship type has created problems over time as many misconstrue sex for love; “if you love me, you will let us do this…”

4. Short Distance Relationship (SDH)

Since relationships need constant communication and presence to grow, there is no denying that this relationship type does so many wonders for parties involved in it, particularly, hopeless romantic folks and those who fancy cuddling and being around their partners often. Unlike the Long Distance Relationship (LDR) which is more expensive to manage, the short distance relationship is somewhat cheaper and encourages partners to bond more by engaging in activities that will make their love wax stronger. This type of relationship doesn’t allow for parties involved to stay too far from one another.

5. Toxic Relationship

No one genuinely loves a toxic relationship…well, except for sociopaths, of course. But there is no denying that toxic relationships in Nigeria are gradually peaking and becoming a cause for concern. This relationship type is now so common that almost everyone has found themselves in a toxic relationship at some point in time in their life. Unlike healthy relationships which are often characterized by genuine support, happiness and forgiveness, toxic relationships…are…well, toxic, so much so that they ruin whatever happiness a relationship is supposed to bring.