Cultural Kinship Pressures and Marital Harmony in Ilorin

Marital discord triggered by cultural kinship pressures particularly financial demands, reproductive interference, and residential intrusions remains a pervasive problem in Nigeria frequently cited in family courts, counseling sessions, and local surveys as a primary source of conflict among couples. This study investigates the impact of kinship pressures on marital harmony among couples in Ilorin, Nigeria, framed within the theoretical lenses of Family Systems Theory and the Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation (VSA) Model. A quantitative crosssectional survey design was employed with a final valid sample of 366 couples, (selected from a targeted sample of 400 couples) via multistage sampling across the Ilorin metropolis. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed with multiple and hierarchical regression analyses. The findings revealed that financial, reproductive, and residential kinship pressures all had a statistically significant negative impact on marital harmony, with financial pressure being the most potent stressor, consistent with the systemic intrusions predicted by Family Systems Theory. Furthermore, aligning with the VSA Model, the quality of spousal communication was found to be a significant positive moderator, serving as a critical adaptive process that buffered the deleterious effects of kinship pressure on the marital relationship. The study concludes that kinship pressures are a major source of marital discord in Ilorin and recommends the implementation of community-based financial literacy programs, psycho-educational workshops to establish family boundaries, and marital counseling initiatives that prioritize evidence-based communication skills to enhance couples' resilience.