DAR ES SALAAM, July 27 -- “NDOA si mchezo.” We have heard those words for generations. Parents tell them to their children. Religious leaders repeat them before couples exchange vows. Elders invoke them whenever they speak about family life.

We all agree that marriage is serious, yet few stop to ask why. Perhaps it is because, somewhere between planning the wedding and preparing for married life, we forget that marriage is more than a celebration.

It is more than elegant attire, family gatherings, beautiful venues or picture-perfect moments shared on Instagram.

It is one of the most important legal institutions a person will ever enter. Ironically, despite its legal significance, many people begin marriage knowing more abou...