The Best Diary Game Last Year — Attending the Traditional Marriage of my Friend's Father who's my Friend

It's been a while since I wrote a quality diary game post. I'll do it today. I'll be sharing a diary game I've been longing to share, but due to the singing competition I held last year, I couldn't and I didn't want to rush this diary game as it has a lot to say and a lot to learn from the tradition of people in Uyo, Nigeria. It was the traditional marriage of my friend and my friend's father. Funny right?

On a Saturday morning, I left my house to my friend's house. Ohkay, to be specific I have two friends, one is the person to be married and the other is the son to the one that would be getting married. I had to carry out a selfless service for them since they are like a second family to me and their photographer and videographer didn't come in time.

So I had all the pictures and videos during the cooking. I didn't miss anyone even though some of the chefs there didn't buy the idea as they were waiting for the main videographer to come and do the needful. I didn't give a damn. I saw the wife to be of my friend in her glory. She was just so happy with every.

Hope I didn't confuse you with family relations? Let me explain. This man that married to his wife had children before they did their official marriage last year. It's actually a lifestyle for people to cohabit, taste their wife to be of she'll conceive before officially marrying her and paying all the dues.

Some may be married within themselves. When they have been able to pay all the dues, they'll now marry officially. That's what happened in the case of my friend. He had children before his official marriage date and he has been living with her wife for quite a while.

I've never been to a traditional marriage that prepares a lot of meal for the event. Let me tell you what was cooked that day for the invitees.

As tradition demands; there's a food called Udia Ebeñe which means food in preparation for the the groom. This is the food prepared by the wife's family to receive the groom into their family.

You may not understand. This are some of the traditional dishes in Ibibio culture. My work was to interview these ladies as they cook these food. It was the best experience I had and the first I've done. Everyone was so busy trying to do one thing and another. The guys were grinding the wild spinach leaves, there was a lady in charge of handling the meat, another woman in charge of soups, rice and the likes. The marriage was going to be a bountiful one from the look of things. Some of the questions I asked during the interview were;

• What's happening here? I'm seeing smoke everywhere
• What are you preparing? Can you tell us the necessary ingredients used in preparing this food?

After conducting interviews on rice, soups, meat, plantain porridge, rice, Ekpang and the likes, I moved on to eat my own share of the food cooked. I then left to take my bath as I was smelling smoke. After taking my bath, i took on my best outfit traditionally because it was the best day for my friends.

I wore Usubo with my chieftaincy shirt and held the staff to make the outfit adorable. I stumped into the event centre held at Udoudoma in an open field. They said this place is called INEC Field and can be used to play ball or perform important events. It was just 250 naira from my place to the field.

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People's eyes were just fixated on my outfit, making me feel uncomfortable as if i was overdressed. I saw most of my neighbours who came out to witness this event. It was good to see and take pictures with them. The decor was exclusive and it just matched with the colour of their outfits. In no time, i saw the groom in a tent with his best man and best men. They were getting ready for the MC to introduce them first as that's the tradition in Ibibio culture.

Once the man is taken out, the woman comes next. Traditional songs were played and the friends of the groom alongside the groom danced to where he would have a seat and wait for his bride. The groom surprised me with his dance steps while i gave him mine at some point. I gave him back to back as he could have it. He was interrogated after the dance and was tested to fitness if he would be able to handle the wife. After all the process, he was taken to his seat to wait for his bride.

Beautiful as she was, she came out in her splendor. She danced gracefully and was also tested to fitness before presented to her husband officially. While all these was ongoing, i took pictures with a few people. The marriage lingered till 7pm with the presence of bouncers to coordinate the place. That was how my friend got married and was sealed.