Igba Nkwu Nwanyi is the Igbo traditional marriage ceremony celebrating love.

Most Igbos in the South Eastern part of Nigeria see Igba Nkwu Nwanyi (woman’s wine carrying) as the culmination of several months of traditional rites that are expected to have taken place before the groom along with his family and representatives of his community visit the bride’s family (including external family) in the presence of community elders. Igba Nkwu is the occasion that finally joins an Igbo man and woman as husband and wife.

Prior to this wonderful ceremony, the couple is considered to only be dating irrespective of whether they have declared their consent to each other until a formal declaration is made to the father of the bride through a process called Ikuaka (knocking).

Ikuaka is the first stage of the marriage process. When the groom informs his father of his intentions of marrying to a certain lady, the father in turn informs the eldest male-figure of his kinsmen or umunna as it is popularly known. What follows next is a discussion between the fathers for the date of the marriage; the father of the bride is now obligated to inform his kinsmen that a suitor was coming to ask for the hand of his daughter in marriage.

With the date agreed to and fixed, the groom along with his parents and a small select group of representatives from his Umunna, pay a visit to the home of his bride-to-be. At the event, the father of the groom explains the reason for their visit and their intention to marry one of their daughters.

After the customary welcome of the visitors and conversations between family representatives, the bride, who at this point is absent from this meeting, is then summoned by her parents and asked if she knows the groom; the intention of their visit and whether she consents to his marriage proposal. If she consents, then kola nuts are presented. And in a show of goodwill, the family of the groom presents small gifts to the family of his bride along with presents from their representatives 

Image: Newlywed couple celebrating. Source: Umu Igbo Unite 

The next step is to do a background check on the history of each family without the knowledge of the other. In the Igbo culture, it is referred to as Iju ese (Discovery of family history and background). In this situation, none of the parties is aware that such action is being taken. The purpose of Iju ese is to confirm that there is no negative history within each family tree that would present an embarrassment to any of the families or destroy the marriage of the couple

In the event the inquiries went well with no issues discovered, a date is fixed for the Imego (payment of bride-price) and in most cases, both the Imego and Igba Nkwu Nwanyi are done on the same day.

However, before the date, the groom is handed a list of items that are required by tradition from him to present to the umunna. On the day of the marriage, the groom comes with his family and friends along with the items and presents them to the umunna. From thereon, a select group of representatives of both families meet in a room to discuss the bride-price which is often miniscule. At this time, the father of the bride admonishes the groom to take good care of his daughter. 

Once the negotiations are concluded, both parties rejoin the other guests who have gathered for the Igba Nkwu Nwanyi celebration. This is the stage where the bride is handed a cup of wine and asked to hand it over to the man she has chosen as her husband. The bride and the groom then kneel before their parents to receive prayers for a blessed union.

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According to official data, there are more than 10 million Mormons in the world. There are some outlandish rumors about the followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Harsh punishments for children for attending rock concerts, polygamy, domestic violence, billions of dollars in shady funds, etc. Do Mormons really do all this? 

Here are some very interesting facts about this religious cult.

1. Polygamy

The necessity of polygamy was allegedly revealed to John Smith, one of the founders of the Church of the Latter-day Saints, by God himself. The missionary had about 30 legal wives. Other Mormons are allowed to follow the “Smith Principle” and their discretion, but today, they’re all about a strong patriarchal monogamous family. However, according to the Fundamentalist Church, men must have at least three wives.

2. Family is a business

Mormon fundamentalists not only encourage polygamy but also “make money” from it. Since the US government recognizes only one marriage, other wives of fundamentalist Mormons with the status of single mothers receive monthly welfare from the state. What’s even stranger, polygamous women can move from one husband to another.

3. Mormons are tech-savvy

In addition to the official website, which has long become an integral part of any religious organization, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has its own social network. The “Mormon.org” resource offers users to meet Mormons from around the world, view other people’s profiles and tell about themselves. The site is translated into many languages and acts as one of the platforms through which new followers enter the organization. Here you can find the nearest meetinghouse on the map, chat online, order the Book of Mormon, or “learn more” about the life of Jesus Christ.

4. The 1% Mormons

Being Protestants, the Mormons know the value of money and how to do business. The American government also does not interfere with their activities since Mormons regularly pay up to 27% of their income to the treasury. Mormons own shares in the Los Angeles Times, a large portion of real estate in Utah, land in Hawaii, several radio stations and TV channels, and many other properties. According to official data, more than 4 billion dollars every year comes from just the minimum deductions.

5. The richest Mormon in the world

Modern church followers call Thomas Monson a prophet and bearer of divine revelations for a reason. Monson began his career as a humble teacher. Then he entered the publishing business, after which he worked for a long time in the advertising sphere. After getting a position in the church, Monson became the manager of Mormon enterprises “Bonneville International” and “KSL news.” At the peak of his career, Ronald Reagan appointed him as an adviser to the president, and in the 2000s, Monson already owned church assets totaling more than $20 billion.

6. Mormon women can’t wear pants

In the official Mormon church, the status of a housewife with stereotypical gender roles of a housekeeper is a tribute to tradition, but in the Fundamentalist Church, there’s a strict list of everything that women can and cannot do. For example, Mormon women must wear the famous hand-woven ankle-length dresses with pants and special underwear underneath. Mormon wives are forbidden to wear make-up, paint their nails, cut their hair short, and let it loose. Oh, and teenagers are excommunicated from the church for listening to rock music and having premarital relations.

7. Infiltrating the US government

Mormons on the inside are seriously counting on the presidential elections and a change in the country’s policy. The famous love story of presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife, Annie Romney, touched the hearts of millions of Americans. But this wasn’t enough to trump Michelle Obama’s image. Ordinary people were wary of the Romneys’ promises to ban abortions and restore the so-called “traditional family values.” Even though the election was lost, according to experts, Mormons will keep trying to rule the country by backing new candidates.

All you need to know about how Anderson Cooper co-parents sons Wyatt and Sebastian with his ex-partner Benjamin Maisani

Anderson Cooper is the proud father of two boys, Wyatt and Sebastian.

“It feels like my life has actually begun,” he told PEOPLE about becoming a father in June 2020. “This is a new level of love. It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced.”

The CNN anchor welcomed his first child, Wyatt Morgan, in 2020. The following week, Cooper announced that he and his ex, Benjamin Maisani, planned on co-parenting. The pair split in 2018 after dating publicly for four years and being involved for nearly a decade but remained close friends. In 2022, they welcomed a second son together, Sebastian Luke.

While the former couple hasn’t gotten back together, they continue to live and parent together.”It’s probably an unusual setup,” Cooper told PEOPLE about their co-parenting relationship in 2021, adding, “but I knew he would be a great dad and he is.”

As for the future, Cooper remains open to having more kids, telling PEOPLE in September 2022, “I love the idea of it — but there’s nothing planned.”

For now, he’s enjoying every minute of fatherhood. “I want to be the best parent I can be,” he said.

Here’s everything to know about Anderson Cooper’s two children, Wyatt and Sebastian.

Wyatt Morgan Maisani-Cooper, 3

Cooper welcomed his first child, Wyatt Morgan Maisani-Cooper, via surrogate on April 27, 2020. Three days later, he shared the news in a heartfelt Instagram post as well as on his CNN show, Anderson Cooper 360°.

In his announcement, Cooper explained that his son was named after his late father, Wyatt Emory Cooper, who died when he was 10 years old. “I hope I can be as good a dad as he was,” he said before adding that his son’s middle name, Morgan, is a family name on his mother’s side.

He also shared that Wyatt weighed 7.2 pounds at birth and “is sweet, and soft, and healthy and I am beyond happy.”

During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert the following week, Cooper shared that he would be co-parenting with his ex, Maisani, who was with him in the delivery room for the birth. “Even though we’re not together anymore … he’s my family, and I want him to be Wyatt’s family as well.”

Cooper further explained the unconventional decision in an interview with PEOPLE. “I knew what it was like growing up without a dad,” he shared. “If there was ever something that happened to me, I would want Wyatt to be surrounded by love.”

In a later interview with Howard Stern, Cooper reiterated that sentiment, saying, “If more people love my son and are in his life, I’m all for that.” He went on to add, “My ex is a great guy, and I think it’s good to have two parents if you can.”

Appearing on the cover of PEOPLE’s first-ever Pride issue in 2020, Cooper opened up about becoming a father, calling it “a dream come true.” He added, “I’m more tired than I’ve ever been, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

The following year, Maisani told PEOPLE that Wyatt “grounded” his former partner. ” He’s happy and relaxed in a way he’s never been before,” Maisani added of Cooper.

At 13 months old, Wyatt took his first-ever steps. However, Cooper was in Israel for work at the time and missed the major milestone. “It was my first work trip for 60 Minutes and I was doing an interview and I get this text from Wyatt’s other dad, Benjamin, and he said, ‘He just walked,’ ” Cooper recalled on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

“My reaction was fury,” the CNN host joked, adding, “I got really pissed at Benjamin.” As for 13-month-old Wyatt, Cooper admitted the little one “walks like a drunken sailor.”

In 2022, Cooper announced that Maisani was in the process of formally adopting Wyatt and that his name would be legally changed to Wyatt Morgan Maisani-Cooper.

“We’re a family,” he said of the decision. “Wyatt calls me ‘Daddy’ and Benjamin ‘Papa.’ “

Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper, 1

On Feb. 10, 2022, Cooper and Maisani welcomed a second child together, Sabastian Luke Maisani-Cooper.

The following day, he announced the news on Anderson Cooper 360°.

“He was 6.8 pounds at birth and he was healthy and happy and even his occasional hiccups, are to me, adorable,” he said before thanking the surrogate for all the “sacrifices” she and her family made.

He shared with fellow CNN news anchor John Berman that having a second child was less frightening and he was “definitely calmer than I was the first time.” Cooper also said that Wyatt was “thrilled” about having a younger brother, adding that the then-22-month-old helped build Sebastian’s crib.

Following the birth of his second son, Cooper took time off work to stay at home and be with his kids. On Live with Kelly and Ryan, he shared that it was the longest vacation he had ever taken.

“I’ve never taken three weeks off before and it’s just been so amazing,” he said.

For Sebastian’s first birthday, Cooper shared a video on Instagram of Sebastian playing with a music box that used to belong to his deceased mother.

“He loves listening to an old music box that belonged to my mom,” Cooper wrote in the caption. “Sebastian is sweet and strong and smart and loves his big brother Wyatt a lot. They fill my heart with joy and love in a way I never imagined possible.”

Cooper told PEOPLE in September 2022 that he is open to having more kids down the line, though he noted “there’s nothing planned” at the time.

“You forget how quickly they change and to see Sebastian and Wyatt together, that’s really an amazing thing,” he continued.

In the meantime, Cooper is enjoying being a father — a lifelong goal he didn’t think he could see to fruition.

“All my life, I’ve dreamed of having children,” he once shared. “It puts everything in perspective and expands you in ways that are wonderful and magical.”