It was a day of honour for the family of Mr. Joseph Mulade (of blessed memory), a native of Bralabor Quarter in Benikrukru Town, and those of Mr. Famous Birinimigha Abai (of blessed memory) who hails from Abai Quarter in Igoba Town and Kenebra Quarter in Oporoza Town, all of Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, as their children brought together both families in a traditional marriage setting and to celebrate their union on Thursday, May 30, 2024.

The handsome groom, Abai Ebikeme Samuel, who studied Mass Communication from the Benson Idahosa University (BIU), Benin City in Edo State, accompanied by family members, had stormed the venue armed with the list of demands from his suitors to claim his beloved heartbeat, the beautiful bride, Mulade Timiebi Jasmine, a graduate of Theater Arts from the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka.

Indoors, in the home of Dr. Alfred Mulade, the Registrar of the Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, the business of the day kicked-off as both families settled down, after the entertainment session outdoors, to come to terms with the fulfillment of the bridal list.

As is the norm in most traditional marriage setting, humour is not ruled out in the course of payment of the bride's price. A particular one marked the day when a member of the bride's family, in his bid to checkmate the groom from presenting a fake wine, offered to verify the authenticity of the palm wine among the list of items the groom was expected to present.

He tasted, tasted, and kept tasting the palm wine, spurring laughter from those present in the ceremony. At the first and second attempts, he claimed it was water in the jerry can that contained the white substance. On each claim, money would be offered him as a subtle way to gain his approval on the veracity of the palm wine. Luckily for the groom, he finally gave in on the third attempt, verifying that the substance was indeed palm wine. Somewhere in the audience, someone muttered in pidgin English "Na so corruption take start for Nigeria".

The rest, as they say, is history when the beautiful bride made her entrance into the sitting room and into the arms of her darling husband, who was full of smiles. In that moment, both couple had just metamorphosed their identities to Mr. and Mrs. as they officially became husband and wife.

Prayers of blessings were offered the newly married couple as they knelt down before the bride's parents as represented. Then came that moment when the husband is expected to lift up his wife in a show of manliness after rising up first at the end of the prayer session. It was not an easy task for the groom but he did finally come through.

From then on it was celebration as the newly married and blessed couple made their way through the multitudes of guests to the reception arena in the residence of the NMU Registrar to begin the outdoor party.

Both couple are now set to begin the month of June 2024 come Saturday, with their wedding ceremony at the Gloryland Baptist Church, Igbogidi, 230 DSC Expressway in Udu, and followed by a reception at the Shell Ramp, Enerhen Junction in Warri.

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