Women
Joy, Love As Chituru, Tina Tie Nuptial Knots
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between a man and a woman called spouses. It is regulated by laws, rules, customs, beliefs and attitudes that prescribe the rights and duties of the partners and accord status to their offspring (if any).
Biblically, marriage is God’s creation and design, for one man and one woman together for a lifetime of joys and trials. In other words, marriage is not man-made; neither is it subject to human design. God is the author of marriage, meaning marriage was made in heaven.
According to Bible, the first marriage God ordained took place in the Garden of Eden, when God created a woman out of Adam’s rib and brought the woman to Adam, and both of them became one flesh (Genesis 2:22-23).
In Nigeria, three types of marriage are well recognised. These are traditional, court, and Church/Islamic marriages.
In obedience to God’s command, Miss Chituru Emeka Egbuchu, the daughter of the Deputy Registrar, Rivers State University (RSU), Mr Emeka ThankGod Egbuchu, solemnized her relationship with her heartthrob, Master Prince Chibuchi Nnokam, in Port Harcourt on Saturday December 10, 2022 in a cultural way.
Traditional marriage is one of the most colourful types of marriage that is well recognised and accorded respect in Nigeria. It showcases different cultures of the people to the admiration of audience.
Chituru’s own was not different as her traditional marriage reminded one of the age-long rich tradition of the Ikwerres in Rivers State. Through her attires and physical appearance, the Ikwerre tradition was promoted.
Like every other bride, Chituru could not hide her joy that she finally found her crown. She radiated joy, love and affection as she danced around the wedding arena with her heartthrob.
Chituru has this to say: “It’s just God that made this possible. It is a thing of joy and I am very happy today.
“At a certain stage in my life, what I was going after wasn’t it and God redirected me and showed me light and this is where I am today.
“My advice to the single girls out there is that they should hold unto God by remaining steadfast in their prayers.
“My message to my husband is that I am grateful to God that it is you that God gave to me as no else would have been better. You always understand me, you know the way that I want my things and you have corrected every wrong, both from the family and past relationships.
“I am really grateful from the bottom of my heart. I want you to know that I truly love you and I will continue to help you to be consistent in doing good.
“To the men out there, please nobody is bad. I could be bad in your own story and good in another person’s own. It all revolves around what you do to that your girl. So, please treat a girl nicely and I don’t think if you treat a girl in a nice way, she will be bad to you.
“It is not about the money, for me it’s about the gesture, be nice to a lady because you are supposed to treat her nicely”.
Chituru’s husband, Prince Chibuchi Nnokam, also radiated joy for finding his missing rib in Chituru. Also dressed in a traditional attire that befitted the occasion, he admonished single men who are searching for life partners not to dwell too much on the past life styles of their lovers.
He said, “Today is the happiest day of my life having my desired woman as my wife; I am most grateful to God Almighty for this day.
“My advice to those men out there that are very selective is that they should stop judging their girls based on their past relationships. If you are looking for a good wife, know that a good character is the beauty of a woman.
“What every man desires in life is to have peace in marriage and that is the peace I have found in my wife and I am just so happy.
“I want to also tell these men not to be judgemental about any woman. It is better that you give them a chance to explore their character and know who they are, but to me I believe that I have found what I wanted in a woman in my wife and that is based on my choice”.
Th father of the bride, Mr Emeka ThankGod Egbuchu, who also spoke to The Tide, expressed uncommon joy as he witnessed his daughter saying “I do” to her man.
Egbuchu who is the Deputy Registrar, RSU, said that he was happy to see his daughter getting married. He advised parents to bring up their children well to enable them see a day like this, adding that the most valuable thing in a woman is her good character.
According to him, “There are lots of women and men, who are ready and searching for who to marry, but it all depends on the character of the woman who is searching as all that a man wants in a woman is good character”,
He advised the couple to live together peacefully, love themselves, avoid third party intervention and keep their family together with the fear of God.
Similarly, a journalist with the Garden City FM in Port Harcourt, Miss Tina Amanda Stephen, tied the nuptial knot with her heartthrob, Ekere Chisom Collins. The nuptials took place at the Living Faith Church a.k.a Winners’ Chapel, off Owhorchukwu Street, Aker Road in Port Harcourt. It was an event that attracted members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Rivers State.
The Resident Pastor of the church, who officiated the wedding ceremony, Pastor Emmanuel Onilu, highlighted the importance of marriage.
Speaking on a topic: ‘The Good Of Marriage’, the pastor, quoting from the Bible – Ecclesiastes 4:11, Deuteronomy 28:2-20, and Proverb 18:22, said marriage is a good thing not bad, pleasurable and not a burden.
Onilu said: “Marriage brings out a better version of you. It brings you into a better life, it also adds to your possession, it does not subtract from you.
“Marriage brings help (Genesis 2:18), when you locate your God, God brings help to you in time of need”.
Tina, who could not hide her joy, told The Tide that her marriage to Chisom was ordained by God. She advised the singles who are looking for partners not to lose faith in God
“Do not be discouraged, keep praying and serving God and your right partner will come when you are least expected.
“To my husband, I promise to love and cherish you all the days of my life. Like the pastor already said, we will enjoy the good things of marriage because we will continue to serve God sincerely sticking ourselves to biblical teachings”, Tina stated.
On his part, Tina’s husband, Chisom, said: “God surprised me with a hard working wife, as such I would do all within me to make her happy.
“She has been my childhood friend, but never knew that a day like this would come for us to be husband and wife. She is very hard working, focused and determined. God surprised me by bringing her into my life.
“For those out there still searching, look inwards around you, your wife is not far from you”.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
