Features

Marriage Ceremony In South West Nigeria

Published

3 weeks ago

March 2, 2023

South West Nigeria is a native for the Yoruba people, it is considered to be the most educationally advanced geopolitical zone in Nigeria.

They often refer to themselves as ” Omo kaaro Ojire” however, going back to their history white men will always prefer to call them ” “Eku people. ”

Because, a typical Yoruba will always greet people, and majorly all of their greetings have “Eku” or “Aku” for example, ” Eku irole, Aku Ojo yi o”

South West Nigeria comprises of six states : Ekiti States, Ondo States, Ogun State, Lagos State, Osun State,and Oyo State.

All these states are rich in culture, and culture is the total ways of life of people.

Starting from their Food, Dressings, Languages, Marriage ceremony etc. The way they lives their life make their culture to be unique.

One of their culture as mentioned earlier is marriage. Every states have their ways of joining together their man and woman to become husband and wife.

Hence, marriage can be said to be a contract between a man and a woman, to become husband and wife for a period of time, better for worse, forever and ever.

Some types of marriage in south west Nigeria are: Gbami- o- ra- mi, Pademinidiko,Ifomodoko, etc.

Gbami-o-ra-mi ( Assist me and buy me) .This can be said to be marriage that happens between a man that assist a woman in problem. It can be that the woman is seriously ill,and her parent might have try different means to cure her,.

After much effort,they will then look for a powerful herbalist and agree with him that if he can help them to cure the woman, the woman will marry him.

In most cases, if the sickness of that woman requires a man to help her carry sacrifice,it is the man that helps her carry the sacrifice that she will marry unless,the woman had had a suitor that can carry the sacrifice for her.

Pademinidiko( meet me at the car) this is when a man elopes with a woman his parent did not agree to them getting married and vice versa.

Both the man and the woman will plan to elope from the village without been notice or seen.

Ifomodoko ( Giving out a daughter to a man) this type of marriage mostly happens without the consent of the man or woman.

It is mostly plan between the parents of the man and woman. It mostly happens among a wealthy family or two family friends in order to tighten their relationship.

The process of marriage in south west begins with Courtship, after man has identifies a woman he is interested in. Then he asks his friends or a mutual friend to approach her on his behalf. The go-between person or friend is called alarina.

Once the woman has accept to marry the man, the man and the woman will inform their parents of their intention to get married.

The man’s parents would then arrange to pay a visit to the prospective bride’s parents to ask for their daughter’s hand and as well set a wedding date, once consent is granted.

This introduction stage is known as “Mo mi i mo e” (know me and let me know you). The payment of bride price is also arranged at this stage.

The wedding day is a day of celebration and feasting. After this glamorous ceremony, the bride is escorted to her husband’s house by family and friends to the doorstep of her new home in a ritual called “Ekun Iyawo” meaning ‘The cry of the new bride’.

This is to show that she is sad leaving her parents’ home and signify her presence in the new home. At the doorstep of her husband’s house, she is prayed for and her legs are washed.

It is believed that she is washing every bad-luck that she might have brought into her husband’s house away.