06/04/2020
IBIBIO MARRIAGE 👇
ARE YOU ADIAHA OR PLANNING TO MARRY ADIAHA, PLEASE READ THIS.
(What a good MC should know too)
Please note that this isn't expensive though subject to family understanding and believes...
Some family's first daughter in Ibibio tribe of Akwa Ibom State, known as Adiaha, is often seen as a prized item by their parents, who place high value on her, though not sold.
Marrying an Ibibio first daughter with a view to separating the Adiaha from their parents has often been ‘difficult’ ( imeme itom) for some parents as it is also inevitable that an adult daughter must be given out in marriage honourably so that she does not end up bringing shame to the parents by not being married.
Ibibio marriage
However, in order for any man to qualify to marry out an Adiaha, there are specified sacrifices (not rituals) that he, his family and that of the parents must perform in order to make the marriage a reality.
Although as an MC traditional marriages in the Niger Delta are similar in nature to other parts of the Niger Delta or South-South, the performance of the traditional marriage rites in Ibibio land ( Uruan / some Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State) in respect of first daughter (Adiaha) and the special rites (Akukim or Awa Oduongo) must be solemnly executed for the woman to be considered as having been properly married by the man.
This is because the specified sacrifice are usually marked by individuals, families and communities with stipulated fun fares and ceremonies.
As I am told, the Ibibio's are of short stature and may have probably derived their name from the word ‘ibio’, which means short. The Ibibio share boundaries with the Igbo's of the East Central and the Kalahari people of Rivers State on its Western side with principal towns such as Uyo, Nung Udoe (Ibesikpo-Asutan) , Etinan, Eket, Onna, Ikono, Ini, Ibiono, Itu, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubium, Uruan, Nsit Atai, Ikot Abasi and Mkpat-Enin.
First sacrifice: Akukim or Awa Oduongo (Sacrifice and throw away)
The Awa Oduongo ritual usually takes place when an Adiaha (first daughter) in a clan (Ekpuk) that practices this sacrifices (not ritual) is about to have her traditional marriage. It commences when the lady takes home her suitor and his selected family members to go and introduce to her parents and they have to come with many specified natural items to offer to the bride-to-be parents. This is known in our Ibibio land as the Nkon udok (knocking of door). After collecting the specified items and entertaining the groom’s family, thereafter sets a date for them to return. Such time line could span a month or two and the space is to allow the bride’s family to carry out a holistic investigation of the potential groom and his family background. Chai!!! Seriously, this aspect can be so scary.
Such enquiry extends to finding out the health, social, religious and medical status of the would-be husband and his source of income ( Nso Asie Anam ) as well as the overall integrity level of the man and his family so that they do not give out their daughter to a questionable person who can bring shame to the family. Though this has changed now. Some parents are so blind with the wealth of the man or that of his family without knowing the source.
Once the family completes the enquiry and is satisfied with the status of the groom-in-waiting, a date is finally fixed for the first sacrifice (not ritual) AKUKIM or AWA ODUÒÑÒ- ‘sacrifice and throw away’. This is often preceded by the parents inviting the potential husband to come and collect the list of items he is expected to produce for the first sacrifice (not ritual), which is often conducted on a particular market day in Ibibio land, such as fiong aran or fiong etok market day. Please Udo Mbakara STANDS CORRECTED...
To my little knowledge as an AMBASSADOR OF CULTURE Items required for Akukim or Awa Oduongo sacrifice (not ritual) are:
Akukim Erong, Erong anana nnuk( Hornless sheep), ikuwa Efok, ikid (tortoise) Uyai adua( Squirrel), mman iyak (female fish, one stick),inaha iyak(one stick),imin iyak, nice fish, one stick) 6 bottles of Schnapps, 1 jar of local gin, 5 jars of palm wine,25 pieces of yam,1 tin of palm oil,afang,ikon, mmeme(assorted vegetables), ifia oton and other types of firewood, a bundle of plantain, a piece of wrapper, cartons of beer, crates of softdrinks, Esarisa unen( a special breed of female chicken). Please remember, this is subject to family understanding and believes.
SACRIFICE (not ritual) ‘AKUKIM OR AWA ODUONGO’
The Akukim or Awa Oduongo sacrifice (not ritual) ceremony starts at anytime of the day when the items are brought to the family members. Usually, the groom’s family informs his prospective in-laws when they would be coming in with the items on the list.
On this day, the males in the bride’s family await their arrival by digging a very wide pit at the backyard of the compound where the ceremony is to take place, in preparation of the sacrifice (not ritual).
When the groom and his family members arrive, the bride’s parents and kinsmen welcomes them and the sacrifice (not ritual) ceremony....
MBÒK SHOULD I CONTINUE OR?
