One morning I received a text from a friend, informing me about his intentions to tie the knot with his heart throb, it was good news and I congratulated him. The next thing, he sent me another text telling me that he has included me amongst his marriage planning committee members and also added my contact to the WhatsApp platform for the marriage planning committee of friends.
The committee meetings were to be held only on Sundays with about 40 people expected to be in attendance. The first day of the meeting was said to be a great one, but I was not in attendance because I was confused and broke. I asked a close friend what a marriage planning committee was like and told him I was added as a member and he advised me to attend the meeting most especially to enable me learn how marriage ceremonies in my tribe were being organized most especially for the fact that I did not grow up in my locality.
On the next day of the meeting, I was in attendance but the Secretary of the meeting was absent. The Chairman was trying to appoint someone else to stand in for the incumbent secretary just for that day and while he was looking for whom to appoint, I was praying in my heart that he doesn't appoint me because I thought I might not be competent to the task. He finally appointed someone else and I felt relieved.
The meeting was held successfully and we were all asked to contribute financially in order to assist the celebrants. I never saw this coming, I was broke and I didn't know how to say that to them. People started making pledges one after the other and boom! It was my turn, I did not know when I muttered N10,000.00, it was taken down immediately. I heard the next person say hers and then I knew I was in trouble. After the meeting, I began to soliloquy inside the cab that conveyed me home. I called myself all sorts of names and also said "you actually voiced that aloud, are you alright? you can't even afford a square meal and you went to pledge ten thousand Naira to be redeemed in 6 days." I didn't even know when I got home nor did I realise the cab driver was calling my attention until he touched me and I jumped out of my thoughts.
While trying to catch some sleep at night, I remembered a movie I watched where someone was positive with her mouth and had to send the positivity to her mind and even others around her despite the situation of her dying son which later worked for her. Then I sprang up and changed my statements, I began to be positive by saying and thinking positively. The next morning, I got an outside job apart from my main salary work that paid me N30,000.00, thrice the amount I pledged. I believed the saying that there is power in spoken words most especially when connected to the mind. This is how I was able to pay my pledge at ease even before the next adjourned date of the planning committee meeting.
At the next committee meeting, the Chairman was absent on express notice while the Secretary was present. The Secretary stood in for the Chairman and sought for a Secretary. I was like this again? oh gawd🙄 I bowed my head and immediately I lifted it up he said excuse me Ma'am, with his eyes fixed on me he added, you're standing in for the Secretary, and every one applauded. I remembered my positive spirit and said I got this, I can do this and walked up to the podium.
After the meeting, I was given a well done handshake by Mr. Chairman who also turned to me and and to the hearing of everyone he said "I never made any mistake in choosing you to stand in as Secretary for today's meeting, you're amazing." and everyone again applauded. On the last day of the meeting, I was not in attendance due to my very tight schedule.
THE CEREMONY
Finally the day for the Traditional Marriage Ceremony arrived. I went late, three hours past the fixed time, only to arrive at the venue and realise that the ceremony had not even commenced later on, foods and drinks were brought in and served to everyone, we all ate and drank happily. Next, MC got angry that someone came and took water from the High Table and began to express serious aggressiveness not minding the fact that he was on microphone and to the hearing of everybody, which stirred up the audience that were like "what kind of MC is this? an MC is supposed to be Very playful and funny but this one seems to be an all weather no nonsense man".
It was as if people began to leave and I hoped for the situation to get under control. Finally the situation got under control and everyone found themselves dancing to the tune of the music and drums that began playing. At first the parents of the bride were danced in, secondly the groom was danced in and when he took his seat, the bride was also danced in. Then the traditional rites were being performed. At last the ceremony was concluded successfully. I also got a free ride home last Las 😁.
Finally, don't forget to stay positive no matter how the situation looks like.
Photographs here were taken by me.
