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[REVEALED] Economy: No more gifts for aso-ebi patronisers at owambe
“Only few people appreciate the hosts by spraying money while they dance because most people just buy the asoebi as alternative of not attending the party. They know that the expenses for attending such parties will be higher than that of buying the asoebi.”
The era when one buys asoebi, with the hope of getting a gift in return, is over. Bad economy has shattered that arrangement.
The implication is that major owambes in town may start getting scanty, and revenues accruable to hosts may begin to wane.
Usually, Owambe hosts buy cloths, mainly local fabrics known as ankara or lace materials, as the case may be, in large quantities, attach a price and distribute to loved ones, friends and well wishers willing to attend their events.
One of the reasons for this gesture is to use the cloths to disntinguish visitors in that particular event, and the other is to generate fund.
At the end of the event, those who patronised the host by buying the asoebi are usually appreciated with some good gifts.
But today, Economy&Lifestyle has discovered that, due to bad economy, Owanbe hosts hardly recover half of what they spent, let alone having enough to fund sharing of gifts.
Owambeis a yoruba slang to qualify a large grandiose party thrown by a host, or a combination of hosts.
They are parties such as wedding ceremonies, funerals, house warming grand styles showing off their expensive shoes, bags, jewelries and other designer accessories.
Oluwarantimi Durojaiye, a fish seller who is preparing for the burial ceremony of her late father in Lagos, told Economy&Lifestyle that she is selling Asoebi worth N5,000 for six yards and not attaching any gift items as incentive for buyers.
She noted that the prices of plastics and other gift souvenirs are expensive and that she had to sell the Asoebi to make the party grand.
She said:”I am having a party to celebrate my father’s final burial this month. I chose an asoebi worth N5,000 for six yards. I don’t intend to attach any gift for its patronage because I don’t have the luxury to afford that.
“If you want to buy less and better quality ankara material , it goes for as low as N4500. I will board a bus to purchase in batches. Some people will even buy it on credit. So there is nothing left to purchase gift items.
I have attended parties where I bought asoebi and I wasn’t appreciated for buying it. I only ate a few wraps of amala and meat and left for my home.
“Nowadays, people dont attend parties even when they buy your asoebi. They see the buying of asoebi , a replacement for attending your party. It also helps them save the cost of transportation and money for spraying the host while dancing.
“It is only a few people that will spray you money even if you have the hope of getting something from such a source after buying gift items with your money for those who bought your asoebi.
Ät the end of everything, you will open your mouth to the air when you finish spending all your money.”
Awolade Sulieman, an artisan,said that he has attended over four parties this year and was not given a souvenir or gift items for buying the Asoebi. He noted that the culture of sharing souvenirs by other relatives of the hosts of a party has also died as nobody worries about gift items for Asoebi buyers.
He noted that they only worry about feeding and drinks which has also limited in parties.
He said:”I have attended over four parties this year and bought Asoebi alongside. I have never received gift items attached to those materials I bought. The highest amount I paid for these Asoebi was N15,000. The least Asoebi I bought was N5,000, a cap material.
“Even those relatives of hosts who normally share gift items don’t do that again.
“They are only concerned about feeding their guests and sometimes these foods are not always enough.
“Only few people appreciate the hosts by spraying money while they dance because most people just buy the asoebi as alternative of not attending the party. They know that the expenses for attending such parties will be higher than that of buying the asoebi.”
“Ïnfact, a friend of mine, who celebrated the final burial of her mum told me categorically, that she has ordered those who bought her asoebi to sew it in order to avoid embarrassments and not be entertained as supposed to.
The culture of attaching gift items to Asoebi patronage was highly practiced by the South West people of Nigeria, especially those in the cities.
Asoebi usage for parties originated from them.
