The wedding ring is an intrinsic part of the joining of couples especially in Christian marriages but quite a number of men as opposed to women find it difficult to wear this symbolic ornament. Why is this so?

The Adeyemos (not real name) are a young couple that just walked up the aisle a few months ago. Despite the brevity of their marital experience so far, something causes them to be at logger heads on near daily basis. The kernel of the crisis is the fact that while the wife usually takes pride in wearing her wedding ring every time and everywhere, her youthful hubby sees no need to put on this ornament every time.

It is only when he remembers that he does this. On many occasions, when he sees the wife suddenly pouting on their way to work he unconsciously looks down to his finger and more often than not he usually discovers that he has forgotten to wear the ring once again and this is why his wife is annoyed. They have agreed on a middle ground in the past few weeks. The conclusion now is that the wife would always remind him anytime he fails to wear the ring. At least by this method, he would be able to retain the confidence and smiles of his young wife.

The male Adeyemo's case is not a peculiar one, findings reveal. Some married men do not wear wedding rings especially after spending a while in the marriage institution. Interestingly a larger percentage of the married females wear their wedding rings even years after the marriage has been entrenched. This attitude of many married men is making their wives suspicious of their fidelity.

Why do men underplay the significance of wearing rings while the women lay a lot of emphasis on its adornment is possibly a question that most people cannot actually answer without creating a bit of a controversy. What is the history of wedding rings and what significance does it play in present day marriages especially the dual periscope with which many view it today?

Matt Jacks, free lance writer attempts to trace its evolution in his reaction. He says: 'The wedding ring, that most famous and instantly recognizable symbol of the joining of a man and a woman as husband and wife in the institution of marriage, has a long, wide spread and mysterious history. Its beginnings lie in the deserts of North Africa, where the ancient Egyptian civilization sprang up along the fertile flood plains of the river Nile. This river was bringer of all fortune and life to the Pharaoh's people and from plants growing on its' banks were the first wedding rings fashioned.

Sedges, rushes and reeds, growing alongside the well-known papyrus were twisted and braided into rings for fingers and larger bracelets for wrists. The ring is of course a circle and this was the symbol of eternity for the Egyptians as well as many other ancient cultures. It had no beginning and no end, like time. It returned to itself, like life; and the shape was worshipped in the form of the Sun and the Moon. The hole in the centre of the ring is not just space either; it is important in its own right as the symbol of the gateway, or door; leading to things and events both known and unknown.'

He adds : 'They wore it like we do today, on the third finger of the left hand, because of a belief that the vein of that finger directly travelled from the heart. This legend was later taken up by the Greeks, when they conquered Egypt under the general ship of Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. and from them passed onto the Romans, who called this the 'vena amoris', which is Latin for 'the vein of

love'. These early rings usually lasted about a single year before wear and tear took their inevitable toll. Hemp was probably the first choice, but some decided that they wanted a longer lasting material, and opted for leather, bone or ivory to craft their token of love.'

Wikipedia online has this to say of its symbolism. 'If you look at wedding ring symbolism throughout the world, most cultures still gravitate toward the single plain band that is remarkably simple. With the exception of Celtic weddings, the simple decor of the band was thought to announce a marriage regardless of the region a woman might find herself in. With a universal understanding there would be less temptation for infidelity. Throughout world history and world cultures the wedding ring provides protection and announces the marriage in plain and clear language. There is no need for interpretation when a wedding ring is in sight. This has helped keep the symbolism of the wedding ring alive and thriving.'

But Aaron Shank, online contributor says the wedding ring does not necessarily depict fidelity and eternal bonding as most view it. Rather he says what matters is the mindset of the wearer rather than the ornament. '....The wedding ring has little protective and permanent value under test. This is proven by the more than one million divorces in America annually, of whom most of the involved persons were doubtless wedding ring wearers.

The wedding ring is often worn by persons who have already forsaken their lawful marriage partners and are living in what the Bible declares to be an unlawful relationship. In such cases the wedding ring might well constitute a symbol of hypocrisy. The wedding ring is not an essential part of a valid marriage. It is altogether unnecessary when marriage partners are guided by the Bible principles of true love and purity...' he posits.

Adebowale, a print journalist believes the reason why some men do not like wearing the ring is the fact that they still want to 'eat their cake and have it.' 'When you put on the ring as a man you are telling the female folks that you are no longer 'available' for romantic escapades. Majority of men are not ready to do that. They still want to have a successful marriage and still play around. The ring puts off prospective ladies who they want to mess around with. So they pull it off with no qualms. The ladies on the other hand apart from a few take the wedding vows more seriously than men. That is probably why you see them wearing the rings more.'

Another male respondent, Opeyemi sees the wearing of rings by many as hypocritical. 'Despite the wearing of rings on their fingers, many married men and women still engage in adultery. I do not feel that the ring has any significance in present day situations. It is a mere ornament. Its symbolism has been lost. So don't be surprised men are not really excited about wearing them.'

Olusina Sunday shares a contrary view. 'I take my vows very seriously that is why I always wear the ring. I am not ashamed of wearing it. I do not waste time in telling other ladies other than my wife that I am not available for relationship especially those that pretend not to see the ring,' the young man enthuses.

Rapheal Oluchukwu on his part said he doesn't wear his wedding ring because he has never been a jewellery person from the outset. "I don't like wearing rings naturally even when I was single, so after my wedding, I managed to wear it a little while and then packaged and kept it in a special and safe place because it is sacred to me. The fact that I don't wear the ring does not make me an adulterer, the respect for my marriage lies in my heart, thoughts and actions. Some men wear their ring all the time and chase women while wearing it."

Arit Effiom, a stylist is of the view that a young man has no reason whatsoever not to wear his wedding ring. But she says it is still okay if an elderly man declines to wear his wedding ring years after marriage. 'For young men wearing the rings should not be a problem. After all the marriage is still young and the love is fresh but temptations also thrive during these years. But an elderly man has been trained over the years by experience to manage his emotions so yes, an elderly person can still be forgiven for not wearing his ring.'

From whatever perspective one chooses to view it, it is obvious wedding rings would continue to play a crucial role in the multitude of marriages yet to be formed in years to come.