The Chief asserts this is because parents overcharge for bogadi and put forward all kinds of arguments to scale up the woman's value as if they are commercial commodities. A motion has been raised by the House of Chiefs that bogadi should be standardised across all tribes to curb cohabitation and fornication. Kgosi Ebineng explained how men often argue in their case against getting married;"why buy the cow when the milk is free", thus remaining in a cohabitation partnership. He said paying bogadi is an honourable thing to do since it shows a man's qualities of protector, provider and head of the family. Kgosi Ebineng said initiatives such as Re A Nyalana comes both as a response to and in an effort to curb the commodification of women.
He said bogadi is known to have created disputes between sons and parents. Media reports have shown how infanticide in India is prevalent, especially of female babies. In India, the bogadi process is reversed; the woman pays the dowry and the man inherits her surname. Realising how expensive it is, some parents have been known to murder the female babies.
