Is financial hardship really what determines whether a marriage lasts? Nigerian singer Brymo thinks the answer is more complicated.
The musician has offered a different explanation for why some men with modest incomes appear to maintain long-term marriages. His argument is less about how much money a man earns and more about who controls his livelihood.
It’s About Independence, Not Income
Brymo pointed to trades such as vulcanizing, carpentry and butchery, where workers can own their businesses rather than depend on an employer.
In his view, a man who runs his own shop may have greater control over:
- His working hours
- His income
- His business decisions
- How he organizes his daily life
That independence, Brymo suggested, can influence the dynamics within a marriage.
Why Self-Employment Matters
The singer also described a typical small-business owner who travels to farms or markets to obtain goods, processes or sells them, and trains apprentices to support the operation.
For Brymo, the important distinction is not whether such a man is wealthy. It is whether he has authority over his own work and circumstances.
He argued that a marriage involving a financially modest man can remain stable when the man is still economically independent rather than being dependent on someone else to sustain him.
His Argument Goes Beyond Poverty
Brymo rejected the idea that marriages involving low-income men necessarily last because their wives have simply accepted poverty as a way of life.
Instead, he believes autonomy may matter more than income level.
His broader point is that a man earning relatively little but running his own enterprise may experience a different sense of security and authority from someone earning more while having little control over his time or working conditions.
A Theory, Not a Rule
Brymo’s comments present a personal interpretation of marriage and economic independence, not a proven formula for marital longevity.
Income, employment, independence and household power can all shape relationships, but marriages are influenced by many other factors, including communication, compatibility, trust and shared responsibilities.