Aṣọ Ẹbí: Necessity or luxury?
By Tolulope Adigun
Despite the downturn in Nigeria’s economic fortunes, weddings remain a constant all year round in the country. You can’t claim to be Nigerian and not know that anytime a wedding is mentioned, you almost always have to talk about Aṣọ Ẹbí.
The Aṣọ Ẹbí is a uniformed outfit celebrants recommend to their guests to grace their occasion in. It may be uniformed clothing materials other times it’s just the fila/gèlè with ipele.
The concept originated from the Yoruba culture. It used to be a family affair as the name suggests. This culture was imbibed mostly in weddings to differentiate the groom’s apart from the bride’s family.
In recent times, this culture like every other in the world evolved. It’s become like an unwritten rule of thumb that everyone planning to attend a party has to buy the chosen Aso Ẹbí. And they come at a price which defers depending on the celebrant and his or her tastes.
This culture has turned into money making venture for some people, these people buy the materials at cheap prices and inflate the price, some others use their turn in for the wedding or event preparation.
Which begs the question is Aso Ẹbí a necessity?
“You buy it’s a waste, you don’t buy you have made an enemy,”Cassie Nnakwe told NewsroomNG.
“I hate events,” Mr Akanni says, “if I have to go I just where white as it’s neutral and nobody really questions it. It is a total waste as I don’t like the concept of uniformity, if I wear what people can predict why I got it there is no point”.
Here are some pros of this phenomenon
1. Supporting the celebrants.
2. Reckoning and Recognition
3. Respect and acknowledgement
4. Souvenirs.
And some cons
1. It expires right after the event
2. One is prone to being bounced
3. No one reckons
4. No respect
5. No souvenirs
6. No food
So, what do you think? Is it really necessary?.
