By Abdulwasiu Hassan
Aso ebi, "family wear" - is an enthralling Yoruba tradition of kinsmen dressing alike at social events and its popularity is spreading rapidly in Nigeria.
The spectacle of uniformly-dressed guests is becoming a common sight at weddings and festive gatherings in the West African country, with onlookers left captivated by the splash of colour and pattern on display.
It has become part of the glamour of the social scene - it's nearly impossible to be at events without seeing a set of people wearing the same colourful African fabric sewn in creative designs.
Why do they wear Aso Ebi?
“It’s nice to look around and see all your friends are wearing the same outfit and it also serves to show that you were very likely invited to the wedding,” Hauwa told TRT Afrika.
Fauziyya Sa’ad shares Hauwa’s view, saying wearing Aso Ebi gives her a sense of belonging when she attends a ceremony.
“I feel good and being part of the wedding ceremony,” she said.
But beyond the sense of belonging, the celebrants too get the feeling of being loved by friends and family attending their event.
The fabric used to make the clothes can at times be sourced in bulk by the celebrant who then sales it for profit to people who want to attend the event.
Those who buy such fabric see it as a form of financial support to be used to off-set some of the expenses incurred in organising the event.
Downside
Despite the popularity of the trend, there are concerns that it causes distress to those who can not afford to buy the fabric chosen as uniform for a certain occasion.
“It’s so sad sometimes because I would feel slightly envious and out of place. It’s just that I feel like I am not among the friends of the celebrant and you’ll not be given that special treatment on an occasion amongst others,” Hauwa told TRT Afrika.
“No Aso ebi, no food, no high table for you. But you end up not wearing most of the Aso Ebi cloth after the celebration,” she said.
Fauziya also explained why most people prefer not to wear the Aso Ebi after the occasion.
“I dislike aso ebi because anytime you wear it afterwards people know where it came from, the amount you bought it,” Fauziya told TRT Afrika.
Hauwa has another thing that is off-putting for her when it comes to Aso ebi - forcing the fabric on her when she cannot afford it.
Another thing she doesn’t like about buying chosen fabric for Aso ebi is the cancelation of the ceremony it was chosen for.
“I spent N25000 on my friend’s Aso ebi only for the wedding to be cancelled two days before. Is all the stress worth it?” she told TRT Afrika.
