Traditionally Certified Igba Nkwu Style Ideas Volume 1
The Ibo traditional wedding is a culturally rich and colorful event, just like most traditional weddings held by the different tribes in Nigeria.
The Ibos can be found in the eastern (south east) part of the country and the states in this zone include Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi. The Ibo traditional marriage called the Igbankwu is always a day of merriment and joy. Preceding this ceremony is a couple of important events which is mainly an agreement (proposal and acceptance of marriage) between the intending groom and bride before the rest of the family is involved. Once the bride has accepted, the groom then visits the bride’s parents with his father to formally inform the former of his intention. He then comes at a later date with the elders in his family to discuss the bride price (Ika-Akalika).
On the day the bride price is to be discussed, gifts of kolanuts and wine are brought and presented to the bride’s parents and they in turn are fed by the latter. Agreeing on the bride price may take more than one occasion. Once that is settled, the groom brings the bride price and other prerequisite items, which is then verified by the bride’s family and then a wedding date is set.
The wedding, called the Igba Nkwu is done at the house of the bride’s family and it is started with the bride selling boiled eggs to guests, to show her entrepreneurship skills and then her father fill a Iko (a wooden cup) with palm wine and then she goes in search of her groom who has been seated among other guests.
Once she locates him, she kneels and presents him the wine and his drinking from the cup indicates that they have been traditionally married. They then have their nuptial dance and prayers are said over them to wish them a blissful marriage.
For some people, that is where the wedding ceremony ends, for others, they follow their traditional wedding with church and legal weddings.
We celebrate these gorgeous Ibo brides in their wedding attires.
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