THE IGEDE TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE RITES,
STAGES AND CUSTOM. (Groom’s Guide)
BY PRINCE JARDON HOLY CROSS 2020
In most cultures in Nigeria, traditional marriages are
usually an arrangement between two families, some
times this arrangement may not be the wishes of
the two individuals involve. Education and
civilisation is changing that norm gradually.
Furthermore, in many Nigerian cultures, it is the
man that pays the dowry or bride-price, invariably
making him head of the family.
IGEDE WEDDING TRADITION
The Igede people live in central Nigeria, Benue
State. IGEDE people are from Benue state Nigeria,
they can be found in four out of the 23 Local
Government Areas in the state namely; Obi, Oju and
Konshisha Gwer local government area. Other IGEDE
can be found in Yala local government of Cross
River State and in Izzi, Ebony State. I.e it has
subgroups like Yala’s, Takpa’s, and Idele’s.
Marriage tradition in Igede land is considered a
lifelong state, although divorce is possible on the
grounds of adultery or other concrete reasons.
When an Igede man is at least twenty-five years old
and has the financial and physical capacity to
maintain a wife and children, he looks for and finds
a woman of his choice, who must be least eighteen
years old. He reports his findings to his family,
which then chooses a go-between, a person who is
familiar with the girl’s family.
THE PURPOSE|AREA|INTEREST|FOCUS.
If you’re a man who is planning to marry an Igede
woman, this post will get you familiar with the
Igede engagement ceremony stages and process
and the customary marriage rites a groom is
required to complete. It’s not as overwhelming as
people say it is. In this post, you will get an
overview of the Igede engagement and traditional
marriage ceremony process, as well as see what
goes into the Igede traditional engagement list that
the groom should take to his in-laws, so that you’ll
know, in advance, what to expect.
The purpose of this post is to give you an idea of
what to budget for, when preparing for an Igede
traditional marriage ceremony. While this is a guide
for grooms who want to marry Igede women, note
that the Igede custom requires that a groom is
required to officially asks his in-laws to be for the
customary engagement list. If your prospective
father-in-law is alive, he is the one to ask; if not,
ask your fiance’s mother – she knows how to get
the list (usually, she’ll ask for it from the elders in
the village).
The Igede traditional engagement ceremony is in
stages, but they can be done a few days apart. It all
depends on when you (the groom) get the
engagement gifts ready. If you’re on low budget,
and your future wife understands, you can robe mind
together it’s matters Of understanding.
Marriage is the coming together of man and woman
as husband and wife to be father and mother to any
up-spring produced by their union.
Marriage rites and tradition among the Igede people
in Nigeria is unique, fill with rich cultural practises.
Formerly Igede marriages come in different forms;
Accompanying marriage, Elopement -running away
with a bride and abduction (force marriage)
catching a bride of the interest either from road or
market before negotiating the marriage rights with
her parent. Which ever the case maybe there must
be gun firing, telling other intending suitors to keep
away from her; the lady is officially somebody’s
wife.
The civilisation and Christianity has eroded some of
the intriguing aspects of the marriage rites.
However, it has also help in stopping forced
marriage. For this article am only going to limit my
discussion with the traditional marriage rites of this
wonderful people of Igede.
AGE LONG PRACTISE OF IGEDE TRADITIONAL
WEDDING
Most times marriage in Igede land is stimulated by
a boy or girl’s hard-work and good character. A
mother or house wife could solicit for her male or
female relation to marriage. She may decide to ask
a girls hand in marriage for her relation. She
therefore, facilitates the initial contact between the
would be
bride and groom.
THE ENGAGEMENT.
A day is set aside when the
groom visit the bride accompany by his friends, at
this gathering the bride and groom are suppose put
on a transparent clothing or semi-unclad. This is
done for both parties to see each body so as to
enable them have a fair opinion of themselves. Any
injury mark on a man’s body could be judge to a
hoe or cutlass cut which means the man is hard-
working. This believes; invariably means he can take
care of the woman and she is assured of abundant
food at home.
Courtship can now commence after this meeting –
if the bride is satisfied with the groom. At this point
also the groom is always careful, making sure he
prevent a situation where by the girl would prefer
his friend/relative to him. There is gift exchange
between the bride and groom. The man shows that
he is a good son in-law by farming for the bride’s
parent from time to time. At this point also secret
investigation begins, both by the groom’s and
bride’s parent – this is done to know if the family
of the other side is free from diseases, insanity,
stealing traits, alcoholism and what have you. This
investigation is also done to ascertain that both
families are not related by blood. If unfortunately let
say the groom’s family is not satisfied with the out-
come of their investigation and marriage could not
hold, the farm work the groom did for the bride’s
parent will be paid back in cash, other presents and
gifts will be returned also. If the bride’s parent
fined the groom not worthy of marrying their
daughter, they would tactically withdraw from the
process.
Canal knowledge between the prospective bride and
groom is forbidden before the final marriage rites is
observed. Gifts and encomium is always showered
on a bride who proves her virginity on her wedding
night.
A mediator call “Oleru” is contracted by the bride’s
parent, usually a man through whom all demand
could be channeled to. This is after the father must
have certified the marriage free from doubts.
THE BRIDE PRICE
Bride price in Igede land is called echwuotaba. It
has no fixed amount; it can be paid instalmentaly. It
is expected that the balance of the bride price is
paid shortly before the girl is taken to the man’s
house. Good gesture shown by the husband
towards his in-law in time of hardship or need is
also part of bride price. In fact there is a saying in
Igede that says “payment of bride-price can’t be
exhausted”.
In Igede tradition, bride price is complete when
twelve bundles of brass bars is provided which
today is an equivalent of N10,000 and above. The
amount paid for the brass bars varies from family
to family and according to the social status of the
family.
THE WEDDING CEREMONY.
After the bride price is settled, a possible date is
fixed when the groom should come for his wife. The
arrival of the groom and his people is marked with
a lot of funfair and feasting ( Uganyahuonyewe ) in
the bride’s house. A bride is regarded as wife only
when a gun is shot at least once on her arrival at
the husband’s house in company of her friends.
There will be shouting (ekwuta jeije, jeije
jeeeeehhh!) and jubilation in the groom’s
compound. Smoked meat and roasted bush meat
well-seasoned with pepper and palm wine is served
to everyone at the reception ceremony.
We are meant to know that a new wife is firstly
camped ( ahu Ojuga ) in the home of her relative
living close to her husband’s house at least three
days before she finally moves into her husband
house. This is done to settle any complain between
the groom and his in-laws. Eating and dancing is
the order of the day, at the end of the day the bride
return to her lodge. The next day the groom’s father
host both the husband and wife to a big feast and
blesses their union. A hen is slaughtered – the
gizzard and kidney is for the couple to eat. The
meat of the fowl is shared into two equal parts, one
part to the bride’s family and the other to the
groom’s family. These wedding sacraments depict
everlasting commitment of the couple to each other
till death.
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