Why We Organise Annual Mass Wedding — Kwara Community
The Ohoro of Shao in Moro LGA of Kwara, Chief Job Atolagbe, has said that the community's annual mass wedding tradition during the Awon festival is to promote unity and inclusiveness among the indigenes.
Atolagbe, who noted that the wedding model provided an annual rallying point for indigenes, recalled that his mother wedded during the Awon festival.
Delving into the history of the tradition, Atolagbe explained that a hunter in the community in ancient times called Omo Larele often stopped at a stream to drink water anytime he went hunting in the forest.
He said, “As was his tradition, he stopped by the stream to drink water on a particular day and he saw a strange woman seated on the banks of the stream with only one breast.
“History tells us that the woman was a fairy and her name was Awon. She told the hunter that she was the owner of the stream which he normally drank from.”
“She then told the hunter to take her to Oba Olanibo who was the first Ohoro of Shao.
“Awon was taken to Shao and she spent 18 days with the people of Shao. Before she left, she had a meeting with Oba Lanibo and his chiefs.
“When she was set to depart from Shao, she was accompanied by Oba Lanibo, his son and the chiefs of Shao, following a path that Awon chose.”
He further said Awon pledged to protect the community, but stipulated that indigenes should immortalise her through an annual mass wedding for females.
He pointed out that women married through the Awon mass wedding festival must acquire skills and should be of marriageable age, adding that would-be grooms must be employed or engaged in vocations to cater for their spouses.
Atolagbe, therefore, appealed to all tiers of government and NGOs to support and promote the Awon festival.
Also speaking, a community leader, Dr Wole Oke, said, “Our sons and daughters usually return to the community to celebrate the event.” he said.
(NAN)
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Raliat Elelu-Habeeb Abegunde Goke Sulyman Tejidini Olaitan Adefila Al-Adaby Nigeria Computer Society Binta Abubakar Mora Lateef Ademola Olatunji Bisi Kristien Unilorin Emir Of Lafiagi Joseph Daudu Farouk Salim Aisha Buhari Omotoso Musa Chief Imam Of Offa Abdulrasheed Lafia Olatunde Michaels Timothy Olatunde Fadipe Ibrahim Abdulqadir Abikan AbdulRaheem Ahmad Shayi Galland Marcias Salman Jawondo Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata Tunji Olawuyi Aiyedun Oniyangi Kunle Sulaiman Government House National Information Technology Development Agency Haruna Olawale Sulaiman High Court SSUCOEN Bolakale Saka Wahab Abayawo Amosa Doyin Awoyale Khadijat Ayoola Yusuf Mohammed Lawal Bagega Ilota Sunday Popo-Ola Moses Rahman Popoola Abdulmajeed Wahab Kwara NIPR Raliat Islamic Foundation Umar Gunu Oyedepo Ibikunle Ogunleye Gobir Organization Foundation Millennium Development Goals Raji AbdulRasaq Wakilin Mata Lafiagi Emir Of Shonga Ambassador Kayode Laro Doyin Group 11th Galadima Sobi Oluwole Dupe Mumini Ishola Hanafi Suleiman Alege Kuranga Abdulrazaq Solihudeen Zara Umar Bayer Nigeria Limited Yakub Ali-Agan SWAN Innocent Okoye Balogun-Ojomu Jaiz Bank Kolawole Akande Alikinla Lola Ashiru Basic Education Certificate Examination Guber Aspirant Admiralty Villa Gafaru Olayiwola Olorisade Amasa Emmanuel Bello NYSC

