Mixed reactions have continued to trail the harmonised bride price of the people of Eggon ethnic group in Nasarawa State.
The Aren Eggon, HRH Justice Ahmed Ubangari Alaku (Rtd) pegged N5,000 as the bride price with four basins of traditional butter beans known as Ebyekpyen as the maximum requirements to be met by the groom in order to marry an Eggon lady.
Aren Eggon, who is the paramount ruler of the Eggon people worldwide, made the pronouncement on May 25, 2024, at his palace in Nassarawa Eggon Local Government Area.
The royal father explained that the action was in response to the outcry from many quarters, complaining about the exorbitant requirements often placed on young men intending to marry Eggon ladies.
“We thank Almighty God for what has happened today about these two events; the issue of bride price in Eggon land and the little crises that have affected our growing children. These two issues have been pending for a long time and I am particularly happy that what has been bothering our local communities has come, particularly the issue of bride price in Eggon land. And I am sure you have seen the reaction from the crowd,” he said.
“It is an issue that has been affecting the youth, both the female and male alike. You see them littering around because they cannot pay the dowries. So exorbitant. During our days, if I should tell you how much I paid my father-in-law, you will be shocked
“And we don’t want these children to remain at home. Let them marry in good time so they can bring children in good time. It is not good to wait till when you are 50 (years old) before you get married and he starts producing children. By the time these children are growing, he is also getting older. The training will not be there. I think that is the essence of what we have done. Train these children in good time so they can become good citizens.
“I told them I have done my own. What is left is for the parents of the children. If they go by this, the happier the lots of all of us. If they refuse it, the children will remain at home with them, which is the problem we are trying to avoid. I am now using this opportunity to call on to them to abide by this conventional agreement which has been reached this morning so that it becomes something for the good of Eggon land,” the traditional ruler added.
The presentation of the butter bean is very significant as it validates the marriage between the two couples.
The bride’s family accepts or rejects the butter beans from the groom’s family as a sign of their approval or disapproval of the marriage.
The butter bean is specially prepared with Beni seed and lots of palm oil that can be seen on the surface.
In a Facebook post on Friday, December 6, some people expressed their approval of the fixed bride price while others insisted that the requirements are still too high.
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