From Everest Ezihe, Aboh Mbaise
The people of Umungoma kindred in Eziala Nguru in Umunneato Autonomous community in Aboh
Mbaise LGA of Imo State under the leadership of HRH Eze Leo Nwokeocha,(Choko Arugwu 1 of Umunneato), the Chairman Aboh Mbaise Council of Traditional Rulers and its environ are still in happy mode as Engr. Progress Osahon Obioma Akagburuonye took their daughter, Barr. Paula Ihuoma Mbakwe for a historical traditional marriage rites spiced with free comprehensive health care and food empowerment.
The traditional marriage rites held last Thursday, commenced with comprehensive free medical services at the bride’s ancestral kindred hall. The ultra modern free healthcare includes Surgery, Optometry and Dentritic, then raw food empowerment to all members of the kindreds that constituted the village.
Thus to Mother Glory Nwaeze, ” am 80 years old, a senior citizen, I have not seen this kind of traditional marriage that have brought health and food empowerment to the in-laws. My prayers is for the peace of God to be upon them” she prayed.
Over 500 persons benefitted from the comprehensive primary and secondary medical services while the beneficiaries of the food empowerment were more than 2000 as the traditional marriage was enmeshed with touching lives with over pouring gratitude and appreciations from the beneficiaries and the people.
The ancestral but modernized compound of Prof and Mrs Paul Mbakwe was really agog with unprecedented seeds of personalities from all works of life, and nooks and crannies of the country, even as the venue decorations were in tandem with the demands of the 21st century.
The traditional marriage was more likened to a carnival, as the community and its neighborhoods felt the arrival of the bridegroom with his lively parents, kinsmen, friends and associates. With their intimidating convoy of personalities, classy cars and water tight security men, they majestically, courageously and happily entered the splendid venue with thunderous cheers of ovation, with the seated guests who are already in their thousands.
It was also a thing of excitement as the environment simultaneously charged into vociferous frenzy with the traditional cultural dancers, flutists and the masters of ceremony became overwhelmed with the emotional love the guests displayed for seeing the man of the moment,Engr. Progress Obioma Akagburuonye, the handsome, youthful but gentle bridegroom with an enviable height in his simple but beautifully adorned Igbo traditional attire, intermittently beaming similes of emotional happiness and love, while waving hands in appreciation of their cheers.
The flamboyant entourage, greeted the people with sense of love and appreciation, most often exchanging few minutes pleasantries and banting with closed friends, relatives and associates. For young Akagburuonye, who was in the eye of the storm, he looked so emotionally calm with courage of confidence, as a man truly prepared to accept the responsibilities of living with the angelic love of his life.
However, to the Chief Celebrate, It was again a moment filled with nostalgia and a great reunion of his bossom friends and classmates of Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO as they missed each other for more than 12 years ago after graduation and national youth service.
It was a traditional wedding of varieties of sumptuous entertainment, Professor Mbakwe and his dear wife just like Barr. Akagburuonye and his lovely wife, the parents of the bride and bridegroom respectively were evidently happy and proud of their children for bringing both disciplined and responsible families together as in-laws.
After the traditional kola nut rites, the bride, Barr. Paula Ihuoma Mbakwe with her beauty pageants like maidens equally adorned in precious Igbo attire was simply a beauty to behold as many young men were emotionally envious and salivating, while she as an elegant humbled bride, walked round with her bridal train, greeting and acknowledging the up surging guests.
Thus, culminating into another moment of emotional joy and happiness, as the father of the bride with his wife publicly, called out his pretty and young first daughter, pet and lovely names, and the bride shyly but happily came out, kneeled before her parents in humility and respect, the father filled a glass of fresh palm wine, happily sipped it and asked her daughter to go and give the drink to the man, she has for ever accepted his hands in marriage.
It was a difficult task for the bride, who hail from Eziala Nguru in Aboh Mbaise LGA locating were the friends of the bridegroom hid him, after moving round the canopies, anxiously and desperately looking for the first son of Chief Success Obioma Akagburuonye of Ogbor Uvuru in the same Aboh Mbaise LGA of Imo State, but with the Spartans spirit of Never Say Die coupled to divine direction, she finally saw her heart-throb, who already was emotionally waiting for the historic moment as justified by the way and manner he slowly took and drank off the palm wine, and gladly opened his wallet and put mint dollars in the cup, to the lovely and surprising admiration of the bride.
Akagburuonye Jnr all of a sudden acted like a loose lion, as he hurriedly held the bride romantically and majestically moved to his father and mother in-laws, and their daughter, with full of smile of shyness, handed the dollar filled cup to his father who is an illustrious son and a Professor of History and International Studies at Abia State University, Uturu Okigwe.
Honestly , the heaven opened as Prof. Paul Uche Mbakwe, his wife and elder brother prayed and blessed their daughter and her husband for the successful marriage journey they have agreed to embark upon. The guests endorsed their prayers and blessings with thunderous, aaamen !
As if, the bridegroom was passionately waiting for the thunderous Amen to end , he romantically again, held his wife so closely and was highly supported by his happy friends, like confirmed Army General who have gone to “war” of love and conquered his heart desire, he courageously with emotionally attached to his “booty” , whimked her with smile of love and boldly moved majestically and confidently to publicly present his ” conquered ” love of life to his parents, the Akaraugo Gburugburu, the founder, financier and Global Co-ordinator, Hope Rising for Imolites,(Olile Anya Di), Barr and Mrs Success Obioma Akagburuonye, the doyen of philantrophy in Nigeria. The Akagburuonye’s happily accepted the bride as a wife and daughter into their happily blessed and christian family of Assemblies of God Church denomination. Akagburuonye’s equally took time to bless and prayed for the couple, asking God to be the pilar of their marriage.
Quickly, the couple cut their artistically designed 21st century ultra modern traditional wedding cake to the applause and appreciation from all, this prompted them into bridal dance in which the bride dwarfed the bridegroom in terms of modern and traditional dance steps. The landmark traditional marriage rites have become an evergreen reference point in Umunneato Autonomous community and its environ.
