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By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
It was a spectacle of colour, culture, and community in Onyirigbo Ishieke, Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, as Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru joined dignitaries and well-wishers to celebrate the traditional marriage of Mr. Chrisantus Chukwudi Alo, a member of the Ebonyi State Market Development Board, and former Miss Justina Chinonso Augustine Uburu.
The event, held at the palace of the late HRH Eze Augustine Chukwu Uburu, radiated the richness of Igbo heritage from the vibrant attire to the rhythmic dance steps that filled the air with joy and ancestral pride.
Yet, beyond the festivities, Governor Nwifuru used the occasion to deliver a message that resonated deeply with guests: a call to preserve African marital traditions in the face of modern influences.
“Don’t be a visitor in your house. Be a man in your home,” the Governor said, his tone both firm and fatherly.
He urged young men to lead their homes with dignity and responsibility, and to honour the sacred values that define African unions.
“Let your wife be your wife, not your partner.
"We must protect our tradition. Marry your wife according to our culture, not according to the English way," he continued.
Nwifuru emphasized that the strength of marriage lies not in lavish displays or material possessions, but in love, understanding, and mutual respect.
“If you use property and material things to marry your wife, the marriage will fail. Marry your wife because you love and understand her,” he cautioned.
His words drew nods of approval from the audience, many of whom described the Governor’s counsel as timely in an era when social media and Western ideals increasingly shape marital expectations.
The Chairman of the occasion and former Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) Chairman, Engr. Elias Mbam, echoed the Governor’s sentiments, describing marriage as “an age-old institution that thrives on love, respect, and submission.”
He urged the newlyweds to uphold peace and mutual understanding as they build their new home.
Also speaking, Prince Chinedu Uburu, the ALGON Chairman and Executive Chairman of Ebonyi Local Government Area, the elder brother of former Miss Justina Chinonso Uburu, expressed gratitude to the Governor for his presence and guidance, describing the occasion as “divinely ordained and blessed with wisdom.”
In his remarks, the groom, Comrade Chrisantus Alo, speaking on behalf of his wife, thanked the Governor, his wife Chief Mrs. Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, and all dignitaries who graced the ceremony.
“We have learned today that love and understanding are the true pillars of marriage,” he said with a smile.
“We will hold on to the wisdom shared with us," he added.
The colourful traditional ceremony, rich with dance, native cuisine, and cultural symbolism, set the tone for the couple’s white wedding slated for Saturday in Abakaliki.
For Governor Nwifuru, the celebration was more than a union of two hearts, as in his words, it was a reaffirmation of identity.
He reminded Ebonyians that while modernity brings style, the enduring strength of African marriages lies in their soul; a soul anchored in respect, love, and the wisdom of tradition.
