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NIGERIA'S TRADITION OF MATCHING OUTFITS AT EVENTS HAS A DOWNSIDE
Matching outfits made from identical fabric. They’re a regular feature at parties, weddings and funerals in Nigeria, spotted across social media and fashion pages...continue reading below (a thread)
Matching outfits made from identical fabric. They’re a regular feature at parties, weddings and funerals in Nigeria, spotted across social media and fashion pages...continue reading below (a thread)
They’re called aso ebi, a Yoruba phrase meaning ‘family cloth’.
This communal cultural tradition serves to publicly display one’s social relations. Sociability among the Yoruba can be said to be centred around family ties.
This communal cultural tradition serves to publicly display one’s social relations. Sociability among the Yoruba can be said to be centred around family ties.
But in time, aso ebi has come to include distant relatives and friends, birthing new and unintended forms of social anxiety, this practice is growing among Nigerians. Everybody now wan use Aso Ebi, even for child naming sef.
While the intended functions of aso ebi remain a show of love, identification, solidarity and social bonding, the way they use it to source for money is causing conflict and the unequal treatment of party attendees.
This is because those lacking the financial power to buy the clothes are left out in the distribution of souvenirs and even food. Chai! Food! They experience exclusion, embarrassment/withdrawal from participation. This purpose of aso ebi frustrates its intended bonding.
"The purpose of aso ebi is to easily identify the children of the deceased during funerals, and not relatives nor friends and not for other occasions." So we heard during one burial planning like that.
But right now, aso ebi has undergone transformations. Its use has been extended from family members (ebi) to co-workers (alabasisepo), friends (ore), alajogbe (co-residents), neighbours (aladugbo) and other well-wishers.
"The main reason that we buy and sell aso ebi is to make the event colourful, unique and beautiful." But aso ebi is now a fundraising tool now people use to source for money.
Attending the social event is as important as agreeing to buy the cloth for it. People are invited through invitation cards and reminded through text messages on their phones. No money, no Aso Ebi
A poorly attended event can be a shameful affair and so a broader group of social connections is now invited to the event.
"I have attended weddings that I did not know the couple at all or the families of the couple but I wore the same aso ebi that everybody wore at the occasion. This is not the way it is supposed to be."
The downside:
Solidarity is reciprocated consciously or unconsciously in the culture of aso ebi. This is in line with the Yoruba maxim, “Gbami nigba ojo, kingba e nigba erun”, “One good turn deserves another.”
Solidarity is reciprocated consciously or unconsciously in the culture of aso ebi. This is in line with the Yoruba maxim, “Gbami nigba ojo, kingba e nigba erun”, “One good turn deserves another.”
A person who does not rally round a celebrant may not be given support from the organiser of the event. Embedded in this is the purchase and wearing of aso ebi, which may be the basis of social differentiation at the event.
The seating arrangement, serving of food and distribution of gifts are at stake.
A lady told us that she attended the wedding ceremony of a friend and could not spare the money to buy the aso ebi, which was sequins and satin lace. The price was put at N12,000.
A lady told us that she attended the wedding ceremony of a friend and could not spare the money to buy the aso ebi, which was sequins and satin lace. The price was put at N12,000.
She decided to use what she had to buy a gift for her colleague, but paid the social price for that decision when she arrived at the wedding:
"We were not allowed to enter the venue because they said they wanted people of a high class to have a seat. Seats had name tags but my colleagues defiantly occupied a table, at least four of whom had bought the aso ebi...
But trays of food were passing over our heads without any being placed on our table. It took about one hour before there was anything to eat. At that point I stood up and left because I felt so bad."
Those who cannot buy aso ebi and stay away from events may be avoiding being hurt or embarrassed, but they stand to lose the opportunities that lie in group convergence and networking.
This reduces communication and pits people against one another. Ultimately, we can see that wealth affects relationships, participation, social integration and power.
Do we continue paying more to join the Aso Ebi gang simply because society demands us to? Inequality has now becomes entrenched by beautiful clothing. What an irony!
