Love Series, Episode IIIa

Love Across Naija!

Hey! Finally Love Across Naija is ready!!! Even me sef, I tire for the thing but I’m glad it’s has finally taken shape and has been released into the market...lol.

It's not actually love perse but one of the key things involved in sealing the love between 2 people: Engagement Process.

Co-hosting with me on this last episode is Ela, (a bird from the native town of .... Never mind, she wants that kept a secret between us two).

So, join me to welcome, Ela! as she flies in.....*wink.

Yspot: So Ela dear, you are so welcome, so good to have you on Yspot!.

Ela: tianku wise-spot!(blushing). Ets so gwud to be heir.

Yspot: (laughing at the change of name). Ela, the tribes we have are: Yoruba, Igbo, Eggon, Igala, Idoma, Ibibios and Ishan. Which should we begin with for today?

Ela: Hmmm...the Igbo tribe pwease.

Yspot: Ok, so here we go. Irene is going to take us down the road to the Igbo land. Seat belts please....lol. Ok Irene shoot.....smiles.

     

 

Love in igbo is ifunaya. And when a guy and a girl finally think they wanna go ahead to get married. The parents of the boy 'knocks' on the door of the girl’s house and request from the parents of the girl; saying they saw a flower in the house and they have come to inquire more about the flower. Sometimes, the parents will call the girl out immediately while others will ask the parents of the boy to go and return back in some few days for them to enquire from their daughter. After inquiry and consent from the gal, a list is given for the introduction. There are about 2 sets of lists; one for the introduction and the other is for the engagement.

The thing about all this is that the guy cannot exactly tell what both lists entails. The parents are the ones who handle the list. In igbo, the parents marry for the boy -i.e they pay all that is required for the marriage (except in rare cases). The items on the list 'MAY' be exceeded in delivery but it MUST NEVER be under- delivered.

‎​It is not known if someone bribes when the lists can't be met but something sure is done. The whole extended family goes all out to help get the items on the list together. After the introduction (where the engagement list is given), the engagement takes place and it is pretty much like the introduction but the whole village in quote, attends (depending on how large and inter related the family of the girl is).

The oldest in the family of the girl alongside other relatives call in the guy's people and they discuss the dowry (amount paid to take a woman’s hand) the bride price is based on the lady’s level of education and training. If she's a medical DR, or PHD holder etc it would cost more. They'll ask the parents of the guy to say how much they think the girl is worth. And whatever is said is down played with the saying 'is that ALL our daughter is worth to you?' They soon reach an agreement and some call millions while others ask for just a merger amount from the millions offered (the decision for price also depends on the bride’s family). The price varies from state to state in the Eastern part of Nigeria.

‎​At the engagement when it’s time to bring out the bride, the relatives of the girl can actually say the money given to convey the bride from her room which is ''abroad'' to the engagement venue is not enough and so all the relatives of the boy should start coming out to drop more money or else the engagement would not continue. Once the necessary money contribution has been done, the bride is brought out to meet the guy at the center of the crowd. She'll dance with a cup of palm wine in hand and other guys would call her to deceive her that they are the ones she should give the palm wine to but whoever she gives the palm wine to 'is the husband to be’.

***************************************************************************

I do hope the flight was worth it.

Irene Ikie

Yspot : Thanks dearest. Twas worth it.... I actually have heard of people who know nothing about their fiancée or fiancé culture. It’s our duty to find out; some fetish things might be part of his/her tradition, finding out before the d-day is your duty. If don’t ask you will never know. Ela....

Ela: tianku eye-reen!

I agwee with wise-spot. How miany have seen tha mowvie Jumping the Broom? Et was a bwone of cuantention betwixt tha couple. Fwind out what you need to.

I thwink I like tha igbo trwibe buh lets see tha other trwibe fwirst.

**********************************************************************************

That’s all for today guys! Thank you! More tribes to come don’t know which will be next. Hmmmm...I think it’s gonna be.....lol anyhow just stay with us....smiles.