Nature seems to have recognized the distinct differences between the many ethnic groups of Nigeria, and naturally divided it into three distinct sections by the Niger and Benue Rivers forming boundary lines between the three most dominant ethnic tribes, the Yoruba, Hausa-Fulani and Igbo.
The types of marriages principally performed in Nigeria are traditional, Christian, Muslim, and civil.
Christian wedding ceremonies are held in a church, civil in a government registrar’s office, and Muslim ceremonies in a mosque. For the Christian and Muslim couple, the wedding ceremony is conducted according the tenets of their respective faith. The traditional wedding is held at the bride’s home, and most men have more than one wife.
Traditional Yoruba wedding ceremony
According to the guys at wedding photographer cheshire, the traditional wedding is an integral part of Yoruba history, as well as being a part of their ethnic identity. The traditional wedding consists of introduction and engagement ceremonies that differ according the various ethnic groups throughout Nigeria.
Three people necessary that make certain all engagement and wedding activities go as planned are the standing policeman (olopa iduro), the sitting policeman (olopaijoko), and the standing chairperson (alaga iduro).
The standing policeman (olopa iduro) represents the groom’s family, the sitting policeman (olopaijoko) represents the bride’s family, and the standing chairperson (alaga iduro) is employed and paid by both the bride and groom’s family.
The wedding ceremony takes place at the home of the bride. Upon their arrival the groom and his family are greeted at the door by the sitting policeman in a kneeling position. The sitting policeman then escorts the groom’s family to meet the bride’s family, where the standing policeman supervises introductions between the two families.
After introductions are made, the standing policeman presents a proposal letter from the groom’s family to the family of the bride, and the sitting policeman reciprocates by giving the groom’s family an acceptance letter from the bride’s family. After the bride accepts the groom’s proposal a date is set for the engagement ceremony.
The first activity on the wedding day is to inspect the requested gifts. Next, the bride and groom repeat wedding vows, and the groom and bride exchange rings and are pronounced husband and wife.
Traditional wedding customs
Family and friends of the bride and groom become participants in the wedding experience by reenacting customs that have been observed for centuries. For example, as part of the “fattening ceremony” the bride is taken to a room where she eats course after course of deliciously prepared food, and is given instructions on how to be a good wife.
Then, there’s the custom of covering the bride and two other women from head to toe in a white shroud, and as proof he knows his bride the groom has to identify her among the two pretenders.
Another custom is the “tasting ceremony.” As symbols in object lessons of what the bride and groom can expect in married life, the couple tastes peppercorn, honey and dried fish. The spice and foods are representative of bitterness, happiness and nourishment the couple can expect to experience during the length of their marriage.
Finally, before the new bride enters the home of her new husband for the first time, her feet must be washed, and she must not see her husband as she enters the home. And, with this last traditional marriage custom, the new bride is thought to enter her new home in peace.
