Saturday, the 27th day in the month of November 2023 was a very special day for Mr. Johnson Augustine who hails from the family of Late SP Augustine Oroboh from Uromi Town in Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, but who found love in a Delta queen from the family of Mr. Michael Tamaratare Jinadigha with origin in Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Warri South-West LGA and Ogulagha Kingdom in Burutu LGA, both in Delta State. It was the day their status as singles finally came to an end.

In celebration of their love, the couple and their families put together a reception party at the NNPC Junior Staff Club in Warri, Delta State, to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, particularly as the bride, Mrs. Naomi Jinadigha is now to be addressed as Mrs. Naomi Johnson Augustine (nee Jinadigha) in reflection of her beloved husband's identity.

But on arrival at the reception venue, it could be seen on the face of the bride that she was sort of worried. Her husband was doing his best to reignite her mood. At first I mistook them for guests at the party as they were standing all alone, behind me, in the shelter I took refuge less than a hundred feet away as no seats were available due to the massive turnout of guests. I had thought the arrival of the couple would be noisy as has become the norm in most marriage reception party.

Though they came behind time (the invitation card indicated 12noon), they were however still on time, thanks to the Ayakoromo-born singer Bestmay JFred who had kept guests, particularly the women, very busy on the dance floor with beautiful dance steps in such a manner that indicated they may have been starving for a dance in a long while. As guests kept waiting it also seemed like the once friendly weather was losing it too as a storm began to gather.

As the MC Abioka The Entertainer announced over the microphone that the couple were around, prompting the women in the reception ground to flock to where I was taking refuge, it was then it finally dawned on me that these handsome man and beautiful woman were the attention of the day.

The women who also noticed her gloominess, cheered her on as they slowly escorted the newly married couple to their special stand, but not after they had first danced round the venue, as was the custom, to show their appreciation to guests in attendance. That act seems to be the medicine needed to cure the bride as she was all of a sudden very ecstatic in the exercise.

As the couple cut their beautiful marriage cake and the bride proceeded to perform the act of first feeding her beloved darling husband as a show of love and care, I could see and hear her laughing out aloud, smiling all away as I clicked to capture that beautiful moment that would hereafter be watched either from the video recording of the event or from the photos captured.

Of course, the rain came down after the couple had their dance together. For me, the rain joined in the celebration as showers of blessing. Afterall, water, they say, is life. Gifts were later exchanged between the couple and guests in attendance.

And just when the party was about closing (as people had started to take their leave when the rain subsided), another prominent guest with a political flair and with the might of security personnel, made his way into the venue that was still colourfully intact as the rain could not wash away the mood of celebration. Even some of the women kept dancing under the rain as it poured.

But what was important for me is the fact that the bride got her groove back. Marriages don't happen often in our lives and as such the joy it brings should not be missed for no reason whatsoever. I can bet that Mrs. Naomi was the happiest among all that were present in the venue. It was after all her day.

"That's it guys," I said to my listeners. "See you at the next marriage event that I will be reporting."

"But wait oo!" said a listener of my marriage tale. "You never tell us the name of that important political guest wey come late to the reception na?" he asked in pidgin English. But I looked at him, smiled, and replied, "Why don't you carry out your investigation to find out? Na everything I go tell una?" I replied, and added, “But I need to add that this report is sponsored by Comr. Paul Uyatede, CEO of UM-Paul Collection A.K.A Obriyinrin Collection, who has also just been appointed as the Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Youths Mobilization.”

#penglobalsocial #marriage #reception