The traditional wedding in question has already come and gone. There is no debate about it that thousands of inter-ethnic, inter-regional and even inter-faith marriages take place every now and then. But none is the same as the other because each has its own audience. That is why there is a return to this particular case of when ‘our’ daughter married ‘their’ son on this page. Predictably, the inter-ethnic marriage between Ihotu Ekoja from Benue State and Akaniyene Ukpong from Akwa Ibom State went above and beyond the duo even right at the wedding. That is the point the faces and moments in this story attests to, particularly that picture where all the cultural walls assumed to exist between the two states crumbled.
In laws greeting inlaws
Stepping out well groomed in appropriate Edumoga ‘Ólaiye’
The first time it crumbled was when Prof Ekoja’s Akwa Ibom in-laws came to greet him formally. It was a clear case of doing sociology in Yoruba (apologies to Prof Adesina) but everyone understood the Idoma they spoke. Hence the approving laughter that followed. The second moment was the dancing session in which the language of the musician didn’t matter anymore as both sides were digging the jig seriously. It was an epic demonstration of how weak the walls or barriers we assume to exist between the different identities are. If Nigerians were sensitized to it, ethno-religious divisions can cease. It may sound idealistic but it has been done before.
Dr. (Mrs) Olowu of Bingham University, Karu – Abuja with two other powerful faces at the event
His and Her Excellency still have enough love and energy for a re-run
From the moments to the faces. Intervention’s lens caught a few such faces. One was that of Ambassador Fidelis Idoko and Her Excellency Vicky Idoko. The way those ones were carrying on, nobody will be surprised if they issue a new wedding invitation to renew their marriage. As in love, so too are they in physical terms. I asked Mrs Idoko if they postpone ageing. She has promised a reply. Joined by (former?) Comrade Adama Edeba, Dr. Okpeh Alleh, Dr Mrs Olowu, Chief Noah McDickson and briefly by AVM Stephen Onuh, their table was in some way the table at the marriage.
Mr and Mrs Stephen Ola, prime movers of the process in a pix with playful Abuja contractor, Engineer Simon Ogaje
Who wasn’t dancing as Ambassador Adoli (in green) & Hon Agbo Oga in wine kaftan can be seen in action
Interestingly, on the same table sat Mr and Mrs Stephen Ola, someone’s host some three decades ago at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where Ola used to work before relocation to Abuja. Intervention’s scouts have it that he was like one of the pillars of the marriage. The good news is that, notwithstanding his years away from the village, his Oglinya footworks (one of the Idoma war signal dances) is still of legendary proportion.
Former US president Bill Clinton once said it is difficult to understand Nigeria. Bob must be right. Otherwise, how does anyone understand the extent of musical creativity locked in the country? Here, the focus is just on Idomaland, particularly the number by the one who calls himself Benue Boy and who sang ‘Onyayenge’. Intervention’s mastery of Idoma language has not reached the level to even attempt to translate the huge poetry there. That’s not the ambition here. What is under attention is the resemblance between that song and Barrister Joe Omakwu’s ‘Ochenche’, done in the 1960s. Both outings are in praise of beauty but while Omakwu was in a poetic overdrive on the black beauty, Benue Boy is doing the same for the exceptionally unblemished beauty. It is not clear if unblemished here is in the physical/complexion dimension or in character. But both are wonderful outings in creativity. Unfortunately, no one can find Omakwu’s Ochenche today. The last person who said he heard it did so from Radio Kaduna which used to have a rich library of every such work of art in the old Northern Nigeria. But, as everyone knows, things are so bad for Radio Kaduna that the glorious Music Library under reference is in total disarray. Sometimes in recent years, the entire radio station goes off air for upwards of five months. Nigeria, we hail thee, indeed!
This modern guy is doing it in the footsteps of the ancestors oh!
When music crumbled all the fault lines
Bongos Ikwue can sign the lyrics of Ochenche but he needs more than that to recreate it. 2Face Idibia has wanted to do something with Ochenche. He cannot make any progress too. So many people are in search of Ochence, from within and outside Nigeria. It cannot be for nothing they are doing so but Nigeria itself is so lost in pain and agony that it has no time for arts yet. In Idomaland, only very few can spare time to bother about Ochenche or Joe Akatu and even Bongos Ikwue who is getting richer and richer, philosophically but older in age and is ageing. Oh yes, the world of Bongos Ikwue becomes more and more philosophically dense as he ages.
Some faces of the strong team that formed the bridegroom’s mission party
‘Onyayenge’ moves closer to mother-in law as the programme winds up
It is possible to say that as long as there is ‘Onyayenge’ and ‘Umolo’, the Idoma will be content. As at today, Israel Okere’s ‘Gwumolo L’Owoicho’ is the Idoma national anthem. From Australia to Canada to London to Rome to New York, it creates an instant dancing session among Idoma, including their foreign wives and children who have not stepped into Nigeria yet. The musical, the lyrics and the blending of the cultural and the religious elements in the making of ‘Gwumolo L’Owoicho’ is such that it is irresistibly danceable, whether at birthday or burial. At this wedding, everyone was digging it each time the Deejays played it. Everyone here includes Ambassador Mathews Adoli who was in the thick of the presences.
There is the likelihood that Amb Adoli will report back to his old constitutency the kind of negotiation he witnessed at the marriage. The bride price of a million Naira was negotiated down to just 500 Naira at the end of the day. It is safe to speculate that the negotiation of peace in Ukraine and Gaza wars will have since achieved their mission if they take any lessons from the negotiators at this wedding. Achebe tells us that the dog says if you fall down for me and I too does so for you, that is play. It was skill and suavity at work in a terrain with its playbook on how in laws negotiate. It is an art.
And who is this girl? Ihotu Ekoja didn’t look like ‘the docility as good girl’ type. She stepped out in a dancing style that leaves no one in doubt that she is on the move, that she knows she is the ambassador of one culture to another and that she is protected on both sides! Engineer Oketa who chaired the occasion and prayed over the kola has said it all: the marriage will be blessed with plenty children. Intervention authorizes itself to add that one of those children will seal the fate of ethnicity in Nigeria when s/he becomes Nigerian leader!
