11 January 2022
Vimbayi Mahachi
On Saturday the 8th, some parts of Harare continued with their daily lives, but the Domboshava area nearly stood still as so and so in the sociliate life descended into this rural setting-turned-to-a plush-suburb.
The traditional lobola ceremony of Harare Celebrity Socialite Danielle Simba Allen was taking place.
Danielle Simba Allen an award winning British born fashion designer of Zimbabwean origin who is also the founder and owner of T.I.R Fashion House, was married off traditionally, to Igho Uburibo a Nigerian business tycoon.
The T.I.R Fashion House director’s colourful lobola celebration ceremony comes after the couple’s engagement that took place in August last year in Las Vegas, United States of America (USA).
The bride and groom and numerous invited guests were clad in fancy green designer Nigerian outfits.
To add to the frenzy that made the occasion fit into a Hollywood scene was the presence of David Adedeji Adeleke, Nigerian born, American singer and producer whose stage name is Davido, who is friends with the groom.
The lobola ceremony was held at The Nest at Thirty along Domboshava Road. Some popular figures who were present at the occasion were Pokello Nare, former Big Brother Africa participant, Jackie Ngarande and Zanu-PF aligned, Affirmative Action Group Zimbabwe (AAG) President Mike Chimombe amongst others.
In African societies especially in Zimbabwe, people had taken to place more emphasis to the White traditional weddings than their own African traditional one. The white weddings would be given more attention and a lot of finances would be used to glamourise the ceremony. From the bride’s dress, the bridesmaids, the venue, the food and the cake, all would depict a White wedding ceremony.
However, nowadays people are returning to their roots as they now realise the value of the lobola process.
The process is receiving its glamour and value it deserves.
Designer traditional gear and a cake is baked for the occasion, whilst food the beverages will be traditional as well. The ceremony is usually carried out in the cultures of both the groom and the bride.
As Africans had copied the European way of wedding, after lobola, the couple together with their families then organise a White wedding.
Because of loss of cultural knowledge, many did not know that after the lobola process the couple is considered married.
The reason for which lobola is still practised in many African traditions is hinged on building relationships between the families of the would be bride and groom since, in African Traditions, marriage is beyond a union of the two. And the good thing about it all is that the relationship is considered to be a life-long one, which is why in some cases, even after the groom had died, somehow, the widow remains bound to the family of the groom. This is obtainable, especially when children have been born into the marriage.
Another notable significance of lobola is that it validates and authenticates the approval of the parents of both intending couples to get married. In fact, in the past, divorce became a difficult thing to do for couples because of lobola and a reason for this is that before any separation could hold, there would be talks between both families.
Surprisingly, the elite Socialites of Zimbabwe were notably missing at this prestigious event in Domboshava. The likes of Passion Java, Mai Titi, Madam Boss, seemingly were not invited.