THE PREVALENCE OF PREMARITAL COHABITATION AMONG STUDENTS LIVING OFF-CAMPUS IN UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY, EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

This study comparatively explores the Prevalence of Premarital Cohabitation Among Students Living off-Campus In University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State. Five wellstructured research questions were formulated and twenty questionnaires were administered to the respondent to collect response from them, the population for the study include faculty of medicine, law, engineering, social sciences, management science and education. To conduct the study, a total of 100 respondents were drawn from various faculties. The respondents were choosen using the simple random sampling technique. Results shows that the following conclusions were made: Nigerian university undergraduates practise cohabitation and no longer consider it a moral disorder and also Factors that motivate and sustain cohabitation in our Nigerian public universities 8 are both government-related e.g high tuition fees, unavailability of on-campus hostel accommodation and as well as student-related e.g desire for sexual gratification and uncontrolled enjoyment of freedom from parental control and supervision. Thus, it was therefore recommended that Parents and guardians must not only send their children and wards to school, but they must also pay regular unscheduled visits to them to know how and what they are doing in school. This will go a long way to curtail premarital cohabitation.