The Wedding Party and The Bride's Brother.
After a 6 hours journey from Ogun state to outskirt part of Lagos state Nigeria, I got home and was ready to hug my mom who ran towards me shamelessly and smiling sheepishly. Her hands were wrapped tightly few inches above my waist, and she was moving me sideways at the same time. This woman never seize to express how much she misses me.
After the usual greetings, laughter and short gist upon arrival, I asked "so where's my toast bread and yogurt?" And like the African mother that she is, my mom started with a narration of the many things that didn't allow her prepare what I had asked for before I began the travel: I love toast a lot and could eat it every day. I entered my room to drop mh luggage and took a quick shower.
I went back to meet my mom in the shop (was right in front of the house) and I began to throw question series of questions at her concerning my elder sister's wedding happening the next day. My immediate and elder sister were not at home when I got home so my mom had to answer in their absence. I was curious about the whole wedding plan because I couldn't do much from when I was in school. I fact, I knew so little about the plan, wasn't around for the introduction meeting/party too. I got many informations from my mom and sisters when they got back.
Fast forward to the wedding day, I was already up by 5 am in the morning. That wasn't early in case you think it was because my mom and her friends, including some church and family memebers have been awake since 3 am cooking, frying, boiling, etc. I prayed and commanded the day, switched on the generator and greeted many older people in the room. Then I went to the site where the main food preparations was happening: I carried some needed stuffs there.
2 hours later, the day was bright with blue skies and the usual morning cool air. More people had gathered by this time, neighbors inclusive, to help. There was lot of work to be done, I didn't rest at any point till we were all done and back at the main house to dress up for the church wedding program. My cousin and I were the last to leave the house because we had to make sure nothing needed was left behind.
The service had stated already, everywhere around the church was well decorated, people looked really good in their dresses. As the sibling of the bride it is impossible to be sitted: there is always one or 20 things to be done here and there.
In my white clothes with lilac Yoruba cap and my cross bag, I was walking up and down inside and outside the church premises arranging, organizing, carrying or handing something to somebody. There's this certain uncle of mine who has always been in charge of drinks in every family function we've had, always take pride in doing it (well, he does it for the benefit of getting more drinks into his own pocket). He assigned me to breaking of 10 iced blocks to freeze the bottled drinks and bottled water. Then, I fetched water into the popular big blue party drums, 3 of them filled with different kinds of soft drinks and wines.
An hour later, the Church was already filled with guests (invited and uninvited 😂). The food arrived in a Toyota Sienna car. I stayed with the drums of drinks while my uncle helped with the moving of foods to where the caterer stand was. The usual African party foods, jollof rice, fried rice, semo, amala, yam then deserts like tapioca, puff-puff, small chops etc.
The church service ended with a hymn and the couples walking out of the church. Also, to not spend too much money, the reception was held inside the church, commenced about 15 minutes after the church service.
The reception as expected was the main show, we had a crowd ready to eat and dine on whatever food we haf to offer. The sitting arrangement had changed with flowers portals in between, tables and chairs round them. And, the serious work began, serving of foods.
Initially, my sister, cousin, my parents and myself planned not to be part of the serving of foods, only to direct to certain individuals who were specially invited and to dictate what to give them. Well, the crowd was too much for 8 servers, we had to join except my dad. And, my country people can be very funny when it comes to event like weddings, you witness some attitudes and characters tjay will leave you shocked for a long time. Lies, rudeness, disrespect on different levels. I handled everyone of them that cane my way maturely.
I changed it for some people sha, they seemed to be stubborn and bent on getting much for what they didn't pay for. I made few mistakes on my end, like forgetting to serve some people because it became too crowded at some point, some changing sit thinking it would give them a better chance, not knowing every regular guest was going to get exactly the same.
Most memorable part was when the guests were almost gone and the wedding cake was still standing, just a little cut. In my head, I wondered "is this how we will leave this cake and let some people finish it up?". After careful thoughts, I walked confidently to the front of the church, close to the alter tore a big part of the cake nylon wrap, cut out about 30% of the cake and wrapped it well. Tore another nylon and cut out a smaller part (as big as my palm), wrapped it and threw it inside my pocket.
I went straight to my dad's car, on my way my immediate sister saw me and began to question what I did, I ignored her and she wanted to nag, gave a nasty look and she kept quiet. As expected, she called my dad 😂, I pretended not to see both of them and gracefully and proudly placed the bigger cake in the car. My cousin, friends and I had lots of funny moments, had short gists in between and took many pictures. Glory to God, the wedding was a successful one with no casualty.
It was a long and busy day, I forgot to eat because we prioritized making every guest as comfortable and well respected as we could. We got home almost 6 pm and some food were shared to neighbors, family members took their share of food and gift and left. Past 8 pm, my sister and others that heard about the cake issue asked of the cake that I shoud bring it out. I laughed, I couldn't believe they now want to eat from the cake they frown at when I cut it😂😂. I gave them out of it reluctantly and kept quater to myself plus the smaller one I took earlier: I enjoyed the cake for 3 days, that's how big they were.
Ohhh yes, I kept some meat for myself too, when I noticed the meat kept for family members began to vanish into pockets and bags of unfaithful servers and some family members too. Brought out the ones I kept later the next day for my mom to make stew with them.
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