What a man must do before marrying an Ibibio 1st daughter?

The Ibibio people live primarily in the states of Akwa Ibom and Cross River. They share kinship with the Annang and Efik peoples, and have a rich culture and tradition.

Marriage rites in Ibibio land is a peculiar tradition, so if you want to court or get married to a daughter of an Ibibio family, you should look out for her position in the family. There’s a special bond attached to every first daughter in Ibibio land.

The Adiaha

The Ibibios refer to their first daughters as Adiaha. She holds a special place in their hearts. Her parents regard her as a precious stone, and they're scared of losing her.

Any man who aspires to marry an Adiaha must be willing to go through all of the necessary rituals and rites. The groom-to-be and his family members must perform the rites listed below:

1. Awa oduongo (Sacrifice and throw away)

This rite must be performed before getting married to an Adiaha. The woman will not be considered legitimately and customarily betrothed to the man unless this is done.

The Adiaha brings her soon-to-be husband and a handful of his family members home for the Awa oduongo. For the bride's parents, the groom must provide a bottle of wine.

Following the collection of the bottle of wine, a specific day is set for the Awa oduongo itself. The date is normally set one or two months ahead to allow enough time for the groom and his family to be thoroughly investigated and background checked. Following the examination, the groom and his family would be given a list of food items to prepare for the ceremony.

The groom and his family arrive on the day of the Awa oduongo rite with the food items on the list. These items are the dishes that will be prepared for the ceremony.

The bride's parents, on the other hand, are not permitted to eat any food prepared during the Awa oduongo.

2. The Awa Dia Ceremony

A week after the Awa oduongo, the Awa Dia ceremony takes place. It is a breakfast rite performed in the early hours of the morning for the groom by the bride's parents. The groom then expresses his gratitude to his in-laws.

Following that, the groom and his family are handed the final list of items for the major marriage ceremony.