"Owambe", a Yoruba word loosely translated as "It is available there" is the common name for Nigerian parties including wedding parties, birthday celebrations, burial ceremonies, house warming parties, naming ceremonies. While being originally used to refer to Yoruba parties, it is now commonly used in referring to any kind of elaborate Nigerian party.

When attending an "Owambe", there are several things, which you will definitely find at the venue. Every organisation has got it's trademark. These things are the trademark of a typical "Owambe". and without some of them, an "An "Owambe" can be said to be incomplete. Some of these trademarks include:

"Aso Ebi"

That is the uniform of a Nigerian party. At a proper "Owambe", you are sure to find out that there is a common dress code. If you are an assassin who was hired to kill a Nigerian at an Owambe, you would have a difficult time identifying the person as you would be dazzled by a sea of attractive colours, with everyone dressed in the same colours as the other fellow. The "Aso Ebi " is sometimes sold at exorbitant prices but people buy it just to have that feeling of not being lasser than the other guests at the party.

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Food (Especially Jollof Rice)

One thing that you can be sure of at an Owambe is the availability of food. The elaborate "Owambe" have different food items which might include Amala, Pounded yam, Fufu, Yam porridge, etc with different soups and stews to go with them. Now, the life of any Nigerian Party is Jollof rice. As a meme I saw a while back said, "A party without Jollof rice is a meeting". While other food items might not be available, you can be sure of Jollof rice at an "Owambe".

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The Money bags

Some "Owambes" are organized with the hope of making profits or at least part of the money spent back. And Nigerians don't disappoint in that aspect. At an "Owambe", you are sure to find the celebrants being sprayed by various people while dancing to the songs praising them by the musicians. It is not uncommon to find the musicians praising the sprayers also, all in a bid to get a part of the money. You will find people who will "spoil ground" at an "Owambe". I once attended an Owambe where the musician stopped singing the praises of the celebrant and started singing the praises of a guest, who was seriously spraying him money.

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The Gate crashers ("Mogbomoyas")

This are the group of people who attended the party without invitation. An "Owambe" can only avoid these set of people if guests only gain access to the venue after stringent scrutiny. However, even this is not always adequate to stop them. These people are only there for the food and these days, the beautiful ladies to be found. If you accost them, you are bound to hear something like "I am the cousin to the celebrant's mother's sister's daughter's husband's best friend". Try tracing that tree in an instant.

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The souvenir collectors

These are the people who will do anything to ensure that they get every souvenir given out at the party. Whether they have such souvenirs at home or not does not matter, they'll ensure they collect everything.

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