Posted by By Udede Jim on
Celebration, joy and back-slapping marked the two-day elaborate 'Iya' marriage ceremony of Alabo Opuda Gogo Batubo, head chief of Batubo Group of Houses in Buguma, to his wife Mrs. Opuine O.G. Batubo.
Celebration, joy and back-slapping marked the two-day elaborate 'Iya' marriage ceremony of Alabo Opuda Gogo Batubo, head chief of Batubo Group of Houses in Buguma, to his wife Mrs. Opuine O.G. Batubo.
Iya, the highest level of traditional marriage among the Kalabaris is the ultimate dignity a man can confer on his wife and the occasion was a lavish one, befitting the kingly status of the Vice Chairman of the ruling people democratic party (PDP) in the Rivers west Senatorial District of the state.
Last Saturday, January 8, 2005, the grand finale of the ceremony at Buguma, the headquarters of Asari-Toru local government (ASALGA), the Batubo compound venue of the ceremony was a carnival of sorts: social, traditional, communal and political, with the gathering of political shakers like the chairman of PDP in Rivers State, chief (Prince) Uche Secondus, who represented Governor Peter Odili, the Secretary of the party, Chief Oris Onyiri, Rivers East Vice Chairman, John Tamuno, Hon. Tammy W. Danagogo and Hon. Aroloyeteim Brown (chairmen of AKULGA & ASALGA respectively), Hon. Tonye LongJohn, House of Reps. Member for Bonny/Degema constituency and a good number of chiefs who represented the royal institution that the celebrant also belongs to.
At the Friday, January 7,2005 section which took place at Abonnema, which is the wife's paternal hometown, HRH, Chief Morgan Bob-Manuel, Amadabo of Abonnema, had formally handed over the bride to the husband who was represented by Barr. Batubo, the younger brother after satisfying all the customary demands for a marriage that was first formalized at the Marriage Registry in 1996.
In his felicitations to the bride and groom, Prince Uche Secondus expressed joy that Alabo Opuda Batubo had finally joined the elite club of responsibly and properly married men in the PDP, having towed the footsteps of Gov. Odili, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, (Min. of Transport) and himself who concluded his on the 18th December, 2004.
As a party executive, total chair said the groom's contributions were highly regarded because of his cool-headedness and penchant for peace and development always, adding that he could not have wished for a better person to work with in the party. On behalf of the leader of PDP in the state, Prince Secondus assured the celebrant and his wife that the party would return in a grander style to Buguma during his installation as a the chief of Batubo Group of Houses.
The chairman of the occasion, Chief (Dr.) Okorosaye-Orubite, a lecturer in the University of Port Harcourt, extolled the virtues of his childhood friend (Alabo Batubo), qualities he has strived to imbibe in the youths of the community and senatorial zone. Furthermore, he charged all able Kalabari men to dignify their wives by performing the 'Iya' marriage rites for them, pleading with the women to also stick with their husbands in all circumstances, because "marriage in not for better, for better."
Humbled by the large presence of dignitaries which included the Lagos Forum and Warie Ogbo of Kalabari under the chairmanship of Engr. Tonye David-West Horsfall, Alabo Batubo said he and his wife (Opuine) were short of words to express the depth of appreciation to all who stood by them, from conception to execution of the marriage programme, stating matter-of-factly that it was very tasking but that he decided to go through it since his wife had proven worthy of the honour. Specially, the PDP Chieftain remarked how grateful he was to Governor Peter Odili, his family, youths of he Batubo Group of Houses, the elders and notable traditionalists who have supported him since he was nominated as the paramount head of the Batubo Group of Houses in Buguma.