KOKO Weddings: 5 Funny Peculiarities Of Nigerian Weddings

Its a Friday and we are sure many of you have one event or the other slated for the weekend. Most likely its an Owambe, particularly a wedding. Africans generally are a happy lot but we get extra excited when there is a love story involved. Weddings in Nigeria happen to be one event you can look forward to to serenade you with the Nigerian idea of fun and interestingly there are some peculiarities that have come to stay because of this. Here are five things that you will experience at more than 90 percent of Nigerian weddings irrespective of the ethnicity of the couple
There Are Always Uninvited Guests: Everybody knows that when planning a wedding in Nigeria, you plan for the ‘well wishers’ you didn’t invite. Its nearly impossible to have a Nigerian wedding without a good portion of guests who know neither the bride nor the groom. This norm has come to stay and funnily it makes the party more merrier.
The Aso-Ebi: Even non-Nigerians are beginning to embrace this very Nigerian concept. Although it literarily translates to ‘clothes for the family’, aso-ebi has gone beyond what only relatives of the bride and groom wear. The aso-ebi is a movement and a very welcome revolution all on its own.
Ring Exchange Ceremony Versus Reception: Even though it is general knowledge that the real ‘wedding’ takes place at the church or any other location assigned for the vow and ring exchange ceremony, Nigerian weddings don’t really start till you get to the reception or at least that is what most people assume. This accounts for the low turn out at the ceremony only for the bride and groom to arrive at the reception venue to a hall full of guests.
The War Between The Makeup And The Dance Floor: The struggle becomes real when you witness the battle between looking good on your wedding day and dancing for joy at being married finally. But you just have to hail Nigerian brides who manage to have their full makeup intact even after several hours of dancing with their groom. Why is this an achievement? We all know the Nigerian climate is hot and an activity such as dancing not only gets you sweaty, it reduces your chances of looking your best as well. So to all our Nigerian brides slaying despite the odds, we salute you.
Where Do Money Changers Come From?: Irrespective of your location, money changers will most likely grace your wedding. We are yet to know the very smart person who came up withe idea for this, but we can assure you that it is meeting a need. For a percentage of your money, money changers provide you with crisp Naira notes to spray at the event while making sure you don’t have to go far to get ‘change’. Another point in favour of this group of people is that you don’t have to find or call for them, they simply find you. 
Photo Credit: Getty

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