Alabo Samuel Diminas Jack and his wife, Alabota Ngowari, recently celebrated their Kalabari traditional Iya marriage at the Awo Barboy Memorial Hall, Owukori Compound, Abonnema, following the Udo-Ugwu marriage rites concluded three days earlier in Ahoada. The occasion drew family members, community leaders, and well-wishers who gathered to witness one of the most revered forms of marriage within Kalabari culture.
The Iya marriage is highly esteemed for its depth and permanence, symbolising a lifelong union in which the wife becomes a permanent member of her husband’s family. Within this tradition, the marriage establishes clear lineage and belonging, with children born of the union fully recognised as members of the husband’s household. It is a form of marriage that speaks to continuity, responsibility, and deep communal values.
The ceremony was marked by elaborate and culturally significant rites, including the Bibife—often referred to as “buying the mouth”—as well as vibrant Iriawo dances that brought colour, rhythm, and meaning to the celebration. Substantial bride price payments further underscored the seriousness and honour attached to the union.
