NIGERIA: Wedding and another wedding. Thank you! (part 1)

Thanks to Madam, I've attended a fair share of weddings here in Nigeria. Mostly in Lagos so far.

Once, we arrived early and managed to witness the traditional part of the ceremony. The elders of both families would meet and sat in front of each other, especially both bride's and groom's parents were present. During Fadamewa's and Richard's wedding, there were two ladies as the MCs (emcees or Master of ceremony) and every few minutes they will break into sing song about the ceremony.

Also with sing song and jest, they invited the groom to meet his future in-law. The groom and his entourage would enter the hall dancing...all happy and smiling before the MCs dropped the heavy end on them.... Ah! Some Naira (money) is needed to proceed... Both MCs would bully/pester him to deposit some money into the waiting container. Of course the groom and his entourage would comply... Eyes on the  asking for some money...of course he complied. Eyes on the prize broda (brother).

He will be on his parents side of seating and then would be on the floor facing the bride's parents (on his stomach, prone) in what looks like him (and his friends) paying respect to the bride's parents. Again, the MC for the event took part in each step of the procession... always sing song and praising God, which the rest of the attendees would reply accordingly. He would repeat them, I think.. but this time towards his family.  

After the necessary steps were made and approved by both parents, the groom may sit with his in-law. I'm pretty sure the groom is relieved to know that he had passed the ordeal and now it's the bride's turn to enter the hall with her escort.

The atmosphere usually raised a notch when she enters the hall. All dressed up for the most important day of her life... She and her entourage would dance all the way from the entrance to the front of the hall where the parents were waiting. Dance is an essential part of culture and they do dance really well... and I'm as stiff as a post. 

With my own eyes, I saw her knelt before her parents and her mother as if giving advice and also her blessings and prayer for her daughter before she begins her journey as a wife and later a mother. I'm sure in that short span of time, she would have "flashes of her life with her daughter before her eyes" moment. 

She would somehow remembered the first day she held her in her arms, from infant to a grown lady and now giving her away to continue a new chapter in her daughter's life with a husband beside her. 

What happened next was truly amazing. The bride sat on her mother's lap as if for one last time. I can imagine the feeling. This time I saw the mother silently crying. Beads of tears trickled down her cheek. I managed to capture the moment and I consider it too sacred to show. Too personal. I can feel her hardship raising a daughter. 

Three things a mother do which no man can. 1) carry her unborn child in her womb (pregnant), 2) giving birth 3) feed the child as in breast feeding. Some scholar went on to say, why Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a Hadith said 3 times to honour thy mother  before the fourth time he said "thy father" is because of those 3 hard undertaking. 

After sitting on her mother's lap, I saw her covering her daughter's face under a veil/cloth the same as her 'gele' (the head tie or headgear) and the bride walks towards her inlaws where they would open the veil and then accepted her to the new family. I bet there was more to it but I was busy to and fro from the table to the ceremony area because of the FOOD. 

Three types of rice, fried rice, jollof rice and ofada was on the menu plus the yam porridge and all the accompaniment dishes plus free flow of water and juices. Sometimes I can't help it but to try those dishes one after the other. It was delicious!

Finally, both bride and groom were united on the dais. Still, the MCs now would asked the groom to kiss the bride here and there and teasing the newlyweds. It was funny and at the same time they kept us entertained. When you thought the session came to an end...nope, it went up another notch. Usually there's a DJ at these wedding events and he would raise the atmosphere by playing popular Nigerian tunes. Usually we would excuse ourselves and let them enjoy the rest of the day without having to see a stiff oyinbo (foreigner)  to ruin the party. That would be wahala (problem)...