Traditionally, an Igarra girl was betrothed between the ages of 7 and eight 8 years, and was expected to move to her husband’s house as soon as she saw her first menstrual flow. This has However, changed longer as a result of modernity.
In the olden days Igarra people practiced a system of marriage that never gave the intending couples the leverage of having a pre-marital relationship before marriage. Parents had the responsibility to find suitors and wives for their children. They had the sole responsibility to look at the family background before deciding whether to go forward or not.
HRH Oba E.A. Saiki the Otaru of Igarra confirmed this while speaking with 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE through a phone conversation. Oba Saiki said bride price in Igarra is paid in two parts. And the amount should not exceed N5,000 in total, depending on the family.
A young man from Igarra, Azemata Amune who recently got married according to Igarra tradition, said he paid his wife’s bride price in two groups of N1, 000.000 and N2, 000.000 respectively. Amune said the first step in their traditional ceremony was the bride price discussion which is a dramatic ceremonial process. It is usually done amid a lot of fun and laughter.
Once the negotiations are done and everyone is satisfied with the agreed upon price, the introductions begin. The N1000 is paid as dowry in the family group in Igarra which comprises of the Andele, Eshinagada, Eshinogu, Eshinavaka, Andida which happens to be the ruling family kindred according to Oba Saiki.
Igarra people in their unique culture, do not give any preferential treatment to indigenes or any class of the person to be married, but everything followed tradition. One very unique aspect of the marriage ceremony is when “fake brides” are bought out by the older women of the family and the groom is asked to identify his bride. If he misses his bride, he would pay ‘heavily’ for it. Amune said, this is a very fun – filled process during which the groom is extorted of some considerable amount of loose change. ‘’Even if you pick your wife correctly, those women just have a way of extracting money from you, Amune said, with a laugh.
After all this drama, Finally, the bride is brought out, to the groom’s excitement and the groom, hopefully identifies his mate. The bride is then presented to her new family, who then hand over their new wife to her husband. Igarra brides are usually adorned in very captivating traditional coral beads.
Aweh Christopher, an Abuja resident who spoke to 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE said when he got married three months ago, his wife made three appearances in different traditional handwoven attires that are made by Igarra women especially for marriage ceremonies and other special occasions. Christopher said these hand-woven clothes are locally called: Itive, lbanku, Anyere, Itaresufa and ltishezi. Christopher however, did not know the meanings of these names.
Photo Credi: Afemaitoday.com, Facebook.com
