Nigeria's flamboyant Aso-Ebi clothing style is popular

Aso ebi – “family uniform” – is the Yoruba custom through which people dress alike for social occasions. The custom has its roots in kinship (ebi), a vital aspect of Yoruba social life since pre-colonial times in what’s now southwest Nigeria.

Words like (relative) and (head of family) indicate the importance of kinship on this culture. The proverb literally means: “Whoever leaves his relatives straps a bag of misfortune around his shoulder.” Aso ebi visibly expresses these values: Uniform clothing is meant to strengthen unity and brotherhood.

Historically, Yoruba relatives wore the Aso Ebi – normally specially chosen fabrics – during group identification ceremonies.

Inclusion and participation in uniform clothing for social occasions was initially limited to blood ties and mutual descent. Over time, belonging to a gaggle expanded beyond the family circle through uniform clothing.

From the early twentieth century onwards, aso ebi became more concerning the need for communication social value. My interviews with some elderly people in Ibadan revealed that it was known as (uniformity) or (group uniform) during this era. Blood ties now not played a job in participation.

These days Aso Ebi is a daily Special feature at social events comparable to weddings, funerals, birthdays, conferences and political rallies across Nigeria.

As a Scholars As a theater costume designer, I actually have all the time been fascinated by the Aso Ebi tradition. In the theater, the costume serves, amongst other things, to inform a story, and so Ebi can also be a dressing up when performing a social event.

I desired to know more about modern aso ebi trends. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the practice became something of a burden for some people. My Research I confirmed the next: I discovered that the financial burden of buying aso ebi was each a perceived drawback and a strength.

Aso ebi as a dressing up

In theater and film, costumes transform actors into characters and represent setting, culture, age, and occupation. It tells the audience concerning the character's social class, economic value, and standing in a hierarchy. Costumes can intentionally or unintentionally express personal characteristics. It can assist portray relationships in a gaggle.

In on a regular basis life, items of clothing also give us non-verbal clues about their wearers. They reveal age, mood, gender, culture, social status, religion, career, political affiliation and so forth.

At social events, participants will be considered each performers and spectators. With aso ebi, participants can play premeditated or spontaneous roles.

Modern trends

In recent many years aso ebi hugged from other ethnic groups in Nigeria and the diaspora. The trend has expanded beyond the geographical and social landscape of the Yoruba people.

One reason for this could possibly be his penchant for adding glamor and spectacle to events. More importantly, this may occasionally be attributable to the inclusion bias, because it gives wearers a way of involvement and appears to exclude some non-wearers, thereby drawing social boundaries at social events.

It is common for guests to wear similar fabrics comparable to wax prints (Ankara), lace, brocade and other materials at events.

Planning and coordinating this wearing of uniforms at events has change into quite a task. Typically, a celebrant selects the material, sets the value and handles sales to guests. Often the intention is to make a profit. Guests cannot haggle over price and must wear the material for the event, creating the impression of solidarity and support for the celebrant.

Affordability and social inclusion have change into more necessary, pushing kinship into the background.

Beyond the glamour, the hardship

Despite the recognition of aso ebi, my study found that it causes some problems.

I distributed questionnaires to 270 Yoruba adults (135 men and 135 women) in Osun and Oyo states in southwestern Nigeria, asking them concerning the challenges and advantages of wearing Aso Ebi. Participants reported whether or not they faced a spread of challenges comparable to cost, competition and private taste issues. Potential advantages included strengthening camaraderie and collective sense, in addition to advantages for the makers of the uniforms.

The results showed that the major problem at aso ebi was the financial burden of continuously purchasing the fabrics. This arises from the duty to attend social events and the tendency towards reciprocity: “I bought your Aso Ebi, buy mine.” People find yourself with a big stock of materials and are limited of their ability to make use of their very own Buying, storing and wearing clothes.

Another challenge is that buyers of ASO-EBI fabrics haven’t any selection or ability to barter as they’re non-negotiable. And the fabrics and uniforms don’t all the time suit individual tastes.

Participants also felt that aso ebi encouraged unhealthy, flamboyant competition.

Responding to the list of potential advantages, they gave equal importance to aso ebi as a promoter of social integration and cohesion and as a source of economic value for individuals who produce the fabrics.

The practice goes to this point that cohesion, equality and social egalitarianism may take a back seat. Aso Ebi is increasingly becoming some extent of contention and is dividing the wearers. It tends to create social divides, distancing wearers and placing them at different levels of the identical ladder.

However, in accordance with my study results, the advantages of aso ebi – comparable to camaraderie – still outweigh the challenges.