Igbo Engagement

In igbo land, when a man sees a girl he likes and want to marry, he tells his parents. His parents in turn, investigate the hackground of the girl's parents. The investigation extends to very essential finding out if the families of both parents are fertile; if they are descendents of slaves, or if their health is bad (history of madness, leprosy, if they have thieves or murderes in teh family). If and when the boy's parents are satisfied with their investigation, they proceed to the engagement.

On the first visit, the father or the mother of the boy will go to the mother of the girl, to inform her of the son's intention. The mother will at first pretend that she is not interested and will therefore put her guest off by telling them to wait a while to be sure that they are serious with the proposal. In sire of this guarded welcome, the prospective parent(s)-in-law continue to press on. If the girl and the partents accept the proposal, and if the girl's parents are satisfied with their own inquiry into the boy's familiy background, then the first sate of the engagemetn has started.