Nigerian actress Lilian Afegbai has expressed her outrage over the rising trend of selling traditional Yoruba wedding attire, Asoebi, in U.S. dollars.
Taking to Instagram, the actress shared her disbelief after receiving a wedding invitation that required guests to purchase Asoebi for a staggering $1,200. Her reaction to the pricing quickly gained traction online, sparking widespread discussion about the increasing commercialization of Nigerian weddings.
“Una don dey sell Asoebi for dollars in Lagos,” she lamented. “Na so one lady invite me, I come check the invite see 1200, I come shock dey ask say 1200 naira?”
Initially, Afegbai assumed the amount quoted was in Nigerian Naira, and she was excited at the thought that wedding expenses might finally be becoming more reasonable. However, upon closer inspection, she noticed the dollar sign, which left her stunned.
“Na so I come dey happy say things don dey change for Lagos. Na him I say make I just blink, na him I see dollar sign for the 1200,” she narrated. The actress could not hide her shock, wondering how such an expensive demand could be justified for an outfit that would likely be worn only once.
Afegbai further highlighted the financial burden this places on guests, emphasizing how impractical it is to spend millions of Naira on Asoebi. “Na him I say hey, wetin dey occur for here?” she questioned. “I quickly carry my phone times 1200 x 1600. How many million Naira be that? For Asoebi wey I go wear one time?”
Her frustration resonated with many Nigerians who have increasingly voiced concerns over the escalating costs associated with social gatherings, particularly weddings.
The actress’s remarks have since ignited an online debate, with some people defending the practice while others condemn it as exploitative. Those in favor argue that Lagos is an expensive city and that couples want their weddings to be grand and memorable.
They claim that high-end Asoebi pricing reflects the general rise in the cost of living and the desire to maintain a certain status. However, critics, including Afegbai, argue that it reflects misplaced priorities, where more emphasis is placed on lavish celebrations rather than financial prudence.
The conversation surrounding extravagant Asoebi pricing continues to gain momentum, with many social media users sharing their own experiences of being asked to pay exorbitant amounts for wedding attire.
Afegbai’s bold stance on the issue has sparked important discussions on the culture of excessive spending in Nigeria’s wedding industry.
As she and others push back against these trends, the question remains: should guests be pressured into such financial commitments for the sake of tradition, or is it time for a change in perspective?
