Engagement list in Yorubaland
The Yoruba engagement list include the following: bag of rice, bag of sugar, large number of bitter kola, alligator pepper, bag of salt, kola nuts, tubers of yam (average of 40 to 50 tubers), bottles of honey, clothing material such as lace, pairs of shoes, wristwatch, umbrella, and a big box. If the bride’s family are Christians, a Bible is included. There might be other items but these are the common items.
The engagement list in Yorubaland also includes a bride price which is an amount of money quoted by the bride’s family and it is subject to negotiation. The bride price will be put in an envelope and presented with the other dowry items.
Besides the dowry and bride price, there are other charges in form of cash paid during the engagement as stated earlier. Some of these charges include the following:
- Owo Ikanlekun which means entrance fee – 500 Naira.
- Owo Omo Ile Okunrin – 500 Naira. This amount is paid to the young men in the family of the bride.
- Owo Omo Ile Obinrin – 500 Naira. This is money for the ladies and women of the family of the bride.
- Owo Iyawo Ile – 500 Naira. This money is for all the wives in the family of the bride.
- Owo Ijoko Agba – 1,000 Naira. This money is reserved for elders of the family of the bride.
- Owo Baba Gbo – 500 Naira. This amount is money paid to ask for the consent of the father of the bride
- Owo Iya Gbo – 1,000 Naira. This is the amount which is paid to ask for the consent of the mother of the bride.
- Owo Isigba – 500 Naira. This money is paid to the bride family before they open and inspect the gifts brought by the groom’s family.
- Owo Isiju Iyawo – 500 Naira. This money is paid for the unveiling of the bride. The bride always has a veil covering her face when she’s escorted outside.
- Owo Alaga Ijoko – 500 Naira. This money is for the Alaga Ijoko.
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