Child legitimacy and sexual morality in a traditional sudanese society : the position of illegitimate children among the nuba people with special reference to the nyimang community

Abstract EN

This paper is an attempt to discuss customary notions of child legitimacy among the Nuba.

It is not meant to discuss the place of customary law in the Sudanese legal system .

Despite the diversity of the Nuba cultures and their customs, nevertheless, there is always a possibility of a successful intermarriage between indigenous customary laws with the statutory laws in the country.

It is also conceded that little difference (normatively) exist between certain tribal customary practices and the Islamic Sharia’ since the bulk of these customary practices do not contravene any tenets of Islamic faith.

The Nyimang society is taken as an example on the basis that: a) it has shown, in the recent years, vibrant changes toward Arabicization and Islamization b) it apparently reveals a different pattern in the notion of child legitimacy compared to most Nuba communities and some other African societies as well