OSOSO MARRIAGE AND SEMIOTICS
The Ososo philosophy of life is further strengthened by the marriage system. A mistake in marriage affects not ust the couple, but the society in general. That explains why one marriage is for all and all are for one marriage. A collapse in marriage, it is believed, distorts the orderliness and flow of life. Thus the obiko or obiko, maiden rite in which a girl is made to go through the lessons and spirit of marital life was instituted by the society to put marriage in proper perspective and the ishimi -olorho, the marriage punitive dance for a husband, was also instituted to checkmate his assault on the wife.
Read Also: Olden Days Marital Processes and Rites in Ososo
Among the Ososo people, marriage (Ikpovbiko or Ikposa) is held sacrosanct. It is traditional and a means of “Ijetaro” (continuity) and “Ikwegbegbe” (unity) among the four Ososo communities. As we have in most African countries, it takes the involvement of both families of the man and women to contract a marriage. Semiotics plays a crucial role in marriage and evident in the exchange of gifts items, sharing of food (“Enere”) and drinks (“Ato”) and of course dancing (Ishimi). Marriage dissolution also involves the issuance of semiotic materials like; leaves, corn cob, empty calabash etc. In spite of modernization, when three leaves are enveloped and sent to a wife in a distant town or city, it indicates that she should move out of the husband’s home and is hereby divorced. Further still, when a corn cob or calabash is taken to a couple it is to ask them why a child has not been given to the family.
Furthermore, the carrying of a he-goat on the shoulders by a husband in Ishimi Olorho, speaks punishment or reprimand. The aforementioned semiotic interaction, according to Chief Michael Irefu(late) in an interview, ventilates the power of non-verbal communication in Ososo culture. He also points out that a gift of a he-goat to a wife’s mother by a husband at the birth of the first male child signifies gratitude and reference. This attitude and ideological use of sign and symbols among the Ososo people is reflective even more in their dances.
This is not farfetched because dance to the people is a purveyor and transmitter of culture. when a husband divorced his wife with izunu (a curse), never to re-marry her, if the husband so wishes to re-marry the same woman he must perform the goat–backing or carrying, dancing and cleansing ritual known as igwugwe in Ososo parlance. During the performance, his age-grade members use "Operi" (whip in English) on the man An interrogation of the dance implies that a goat is known to be stubborn. It goes astray without telling its owner, the whip is usually the weapon used on it. In this dance iconic signs are applied, the man is the goat, and the whip, the society and the route of the dance performance, a correction. The likeness is derived from the society's recognition of them as traditional semiotics. The man, just like the goat, needs the whip (the society), to come back to his senses before his wife returns to him. It is believed that his action negates the sacrosanct position of marriage in the society. Therefore, he must dance round the town to seek forgiveness. This attitude serves to prevent men from taking undue advantage of the women in the Ososo society.
MARITAL RITES
Ososo kingdom has simple bride price. The list usually request the following items:
(a) 31 or 41 tubers of yam,
(b) suitcase with some bridal clothes, like wrappers, head tie, under wears, shoes etc.
(c) an umbrella,
(d) A bag of Rice, bag of salt, crate of soft drinks, 20L of palm oil, bottles of Wine, 20L of pito, etc.
(e) N 50.00 and N5,000.00 or N10,000.00; depending on bride's family.
Ososo people do not discriminate in issues of marriage. They also have an open door policy for non indigenes. Today, the social taboos about marriage are over in Ososo; the people can marry from anywhere in Nigeria - even oversees. They do not have an inhibition in marrying anywhere in the local government - Akoko-Edo - or in the entire Nigeria.