Marriage counsellors and authors Vincent Hope and Deborah Vincent on Saturday unveiled three books aimed at helping young people navigate adolescence, make informed relationship choices and build enduring marriages.
The books — Growing Up: Understanding Yourself, Relationships & Pressure, Finding Your Soulmate and Building a Great Marriage — were presented at a public launch in Kano attended by government officials, academics, media practitioners and other guests.
SolaceBase reports that the launch comes amid growing public conversations about relationship challenges, marital instability and family values in Nigeria, with counsellors, educators and faith leaders increasingly advocating better guidance for young people before marriage.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano, and spokesperson to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, described the publications as timely interventions that offer practical guidance for young people preparing for marriage.
He said the event reminded him of a time when reading culture was stronger, and books played a vital role in shaping values and preparing young people for life’s responsibilities.
“As somebody who is a polygamist, I have seen the effort of these authors in trying to capture the reality of society in terms of marriage,” he said.
According to Dawakin Tofa, one of the greatest mistakes people make is choosing the wrong life partner, stressing that while many people focus on wedding ceremonies, sustaining a successful marriage is often the greater challenge.
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“It’s not just about having a wedding ceremony or getting connected to somebody in marriage, but managing life in marriage is the most difficult thing to do. If you are wrong in the choice of your partner, then you might be wrong in your entire life,” he said.
He added that the books were long overdue and particularly relevant in a conservative society like Nigeria, where young people need practical guidance in building stable families.
Delivering a keynote presentation on personal development, Professor Aliyu Barau of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), urged families to cultivate wisdom, patience, courage and emotional intelligence in navigating the complexities of modern life.
He said couples should strive to understand one another’s feelings and perspectives, noting that emotional intelligence is essential to resolving conflicts and maintaining healthy relationships.
Barau described marriage as humanity’s oldest and most resilient institution, urging people across religious, ethnic and cultural divides to protect and preserve it for future generations.
“We all should do everything possible to support the institution of marriage. It is a legacy, and we must ensure that we pass it on to the next generation,” he said.
Co-author Vincent Hope said the three books were written after years of counselling individuals and families and were intended to provide practical knowledge that could reach a wider audience through both print and digital platforms.
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He explained that Growing Up addresses the challenges adolescents face as they transition into their teenage years, while Finding Your Soulmate seeks to help young people make informed choices about life partners amid growing frustration over relationships.
Hope said Building a Great Marriage was written to address the knowledge gap that often contributes to conflict in marriages.
“Marriage is not a scam. What becomes a scam is when people enter marriage without the right knowledge,” he said.
He added that documenting their experiences in books would allow the lessons they have shared over the years to benefit millions of readers beyond those they meet through counselling sessions.
Also speaking, co-author Deborah Vincent, a Senior Reporter with Channels Television, said the inspiration for the books came from concerns about the direction of society and the belief that healthy homes are the foundation of a peaceful and prosperous nation.
She said the couple drew on more than 24 years of marriage and counselling experience to produce practical resources that would strengthen families and positively influence society.
“If the family is okay, we will have fewer problems in society. Even our leaders come from homes, and when people are raised properly, they are able to dispense justice and lead with the fear of God,” she said.
