The Diary Game- [5/04/2025] - Congrats to my big brother on his traditional wedding

Warm greetings, my beloved Steemians friends across the globe! I'm delighted to share with you my daily routine.

Saturday was the busiest day for me, as it was my elder brother's traditional marriage. I had to travel from my base to the village two days before the big day. Despite the economic challenges, all my family members came from far and near to celebrate this special occasion.

The couple

That Saturday, we all woke up around 5:30 AM and began with a family devotion that lasted about 30 minutes. Following the prayer session, we divvied up tasks among everyone.

With a full house, including my sisters-in-law, we worked together to prepare a variety of dishes, including traditional favorites like ekpang, otong, Afang soup, and jollof rice. After completing the cooking and storing the food in coolers, we started getting ready for the main event.

By 3 PM, we were all set and prepared for the occasion. My father and elder brother (the groom) were the first to head to the event center.

My father's sister fully dressed and ready

My father fully dressed in his traditional attire

My mom and the girls

These are the pictures we took at home before heading to the event center. When we arrived, the venue was packed with people, and all the canopies and chairs were filled – there wasn't a single seat available.

However, that didn't bother me, as I knew I wasn't there to relax. Since it's my brother's wedding, I was more focused on being involved and ensuring everyone had a great time. My phone was also put to good use, capturing all the special moments.

First, I had to find my brother (the groom), who was hiding somewhere, so we could take a family photo. He hadn't dressed up at home, so we needed to find him and take some photos. We finally located him with his colleagues – fellow Nigerian Police Officers (I might have forgotten to mention earlier that my brother is a police officer). We brought him out, and our hired photographer took some official photos, while I also snapped away with my phone, being the dedicated Steemian that I am.

I, my elder brother and my elder sister

It was time to escort the groom to the high table for presentation, where he would also perform traditional marital exercises for the village elders. He executed all the tasks so well, to demonstrating his readiness for marriage. With the tasks completed, he was directed to his seat, where he could relax and await the arrival of his bride. Soon, they would be joined together as one.

The Groom

As he made his way to his seat, people showered him with money, continuing until he was comfortably seated. The next event was the procession of the bride, accompanied by her family members and friends. I joined in the excitement, dancing alongside the crowd and capturing photos of the beautiful bride.

The Bride

After she finished dancing with the crowd, the marriage ceremony began, and the groom was asked to step down from his seat and stand beside his bride.

The bride and the groom

The bride was then asked to take a drink, which she presented to her parents, and received a blessing and prayer from them. Following this, the officiating minister led a prayer for the couple and then joined them in marriage with the exchange of rings. Next, the newlyweds cut their wedding cake together, and afterwards, they danced to their seats as guests began to receive food and drinks.

Groom's family|

The presentation of gifts from guests to the couple and the distribution of souvenirs to the guests also took place. After this, the couple stepped down from their seats to perform their nuptial dance, followed by a vote of thanks.

Cutting of cake

The ceremony came to a close, and everyone dispersed to their respective destinations. My family members and I remained behind to ensure that all the guests had departed before we packed up our belongings and headed home. It was a challenging but ultimately rewarding experience, and we're grateful to God for the success of the occasion.