This question is stemming from my complete ignorance of the pre-colonial history of West Africa - so, I do not know to what extent cultures like the Nri, Oyo, Benin, and Kaabu etc. shared similar characteristics or whether they had completely different societal and religious systems. Massive question, I know - but I'd love to learn about the history of love and marriage in African thought! So contributions also regarding just one of the empires or periods would be also fab, or answers to less narrow questions like, did people in the pre-colonial Africa marry for love? Did they have myths and stories of epic romances? Were they monogamous cultures? How were LGTB people treated? Thanks?
Are you referring to the lower or upper classes? Most of West Africa was the domination of a mostly pagan populace by a Sunni upper class. I don't have specifics with me at the moment, but the precepts of this upper class on love and marriage equate closely with similar traditions of Islam in the Maghreb, including homophobia and concubinage. This isn't the tribal culture which you seem to refer to but it was an important part of pre-colonial society.
As for those
extent cultures like the Nri, Oyo, Benin, and Kaabu etc.
my ignorance is as complete as yours.
Hope this helped.