"Anyone that did not buy my clothes, I am speaking from a place of anger. If you eat the food, it will choke you. If you don't go out, I'll help you out myself. Don't provoke me."
A Nigerian lady, Oluwatoyin Bucknor, is trending for lashing out at her party guests who did not buy her Aso-Ebi before attending her 70th birthday in the UK.
The Yoruba word 'Aso' simply means cloth while 'Ebi' means family, 'Aso-Ebi' can be described as a family cloth usually worn during funerals or family ceremonies.
It is a long-time practice that has since transcended beyond family outfits because friends of a celebrant, even on their birthdays, can wear similar aso ebi.
In the viral video clip posted on Ajike Ade YouTube channel on Tuesday, the celebrant wielded the microphone while guests were wining and dining.
She called out people who supposedly promised to buy the Aso-Ebi for the party but failed to do so.
She said, "Anyone who wrote his or her name but did not buy clothes. If you are here, I beg you in the name of God to leave the party, and that's if the person wants to turn 70 years. If the person doesn't want to get to 70 years. Let him or her remain on their seat.
"Anyone that did not buy my clothes, I am speaking from a place of anger. If you eat the food, it will choke you. If you don't go out, I'll help you out myself. Don't provoke me."
The clip captured the moment a woman tried to retrieve the mic from her, but she bluntly declined and continued to express her anger.
To the dismay of the guests, she noted that it was the people that bought her Aso-Ebi clothes and she wanted to honour them.
The 70-year-old woman said she respects those who bought the clothes because they worked for it.
"So, anyone that did not buy Aso-Ebi should please leave the party, " she dropped the mic.
The party is reportedly said to have been held in the United Kingdom over the weekend before the clip surfaced online.
Unusual invitation
The party's invitation card also surfaced online and the content has got everyone talking about it.
The card aside from the basic information contained a warning note to guests such as No sharing of Aso-Ebi to avoid being bounced and no access card, no entry.
It also warned guests not to sit on any chair if their names were not written on the table to avoid embarrassment.
The final note on the invitation card justified the reasons for the warning, which was tied to the hall capacity secured to accommodate guests.
The event was held on 30th September from 5 p.m. until dawn and was strictly by invitation.
Leaving the party
After she ordered the guests who didn't buy the clothes to leave, some men stormed out in anger.
Another video clip captured them without revealing their faces outside the venue. They were dressed in the party Aso Ebi, a lilac Agbada attire as they complained bitterly about the celebrant's utterances.
One said the curse was too much, particularly when she said anyone who does not stand up would not turn 70 years as she did.
Another said that whether or not people bought the clothes, it is not enough reason for her to curse her guests.
They described the woman as 'local' and 'low' to think of people in that manner all because of Aso Ebi.
They also said nobody ought to honour such a party. As they made to leave, another guest stormed out of the party, wearing the same attire but he berated the woman's comment.
He noted that it would have been best if they slept in their houses rather than what they came to see at the party because it was uncalled for.
Apology
In a new development, Mrs Bucknor was captured in a video apologising to her guests during the party.
The one-minute clip posted on Facebook by an event planner, Anike Omotara, on Wednesday, saw the septuagenarian apologising a few hours after her outburst.
In the short clip, Mrs Bucknor explained the reasons for flaring up at her guests, particularly those who refused to comply with how she wanted her party to go.
She said, "Please forgive me. Nothing will happen to you and your children. You'll turn 70. You'll turn 80 and even 100. The rest is left to God.
"You know, after anger, one will calm down. The party came with a lot of stress. I turned some people back but there were some certain people that insisted to enter despite the rules, that is why I got angry,"
Reactions
Following the viral video trending on X platform (formerly Twitter), many have expressed their thoughts about the celebrant's comment to her guests.
If you didn't buy my Asoebi, go out. Omopic.twitter.com/Zatv3xC6TW-- POOJA!!! (@PoojaMedia) October 3, 2023
Everyone in this party was supposed to get up and leave immediately she said all that but it shows how shameless they all are anyway.Those curses were damn too much for just aso-ebi. https://t.co/8DH3YnUIYm-- BIG ZADDY (@Iam_Teddybangz) October 4, 2023
"Aṣọ ẹbi" Culture has become toxic nowadays. Especially amongst Yoruba people. You become the enemy if you chose not to buy aṣọ ẹbí. Some even avoid serving you food or gifting you anything at their parties if you don't m aṣọẹbí.Doesn't matter if you came with gifts. https://t.co/7re4jEk6uw-- Sigma. (@dee_oye_) October 4, 2023
This is the moment I would stand up & leave even with my Aso ebi. Not sure I would have attended in the first place though because the character didn't surface today. https://t.co/x7JWAC8phk-- Kevin 'Kaka' Omokaro (@KevinOmokaro) October 4, 2023
How would you be cursing people at your 70th birthday because of aso ebi? I would have left immediately and most of all not eaten anything there. Imagine A fool at 70. 70!-- S.A.O II (@aldmoni) October 4, 2023
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The ugly ass asoebi https://t.co/8yr7b8XTGz-- the pressure (@larabillionaire) October 3, 2023
Granny actually told guests that didn't buy her aso ebi to get out of her party and if they had eaten it would come out of their noses😂😂😂😂... pic.twitter.com/zFtPNrtaul-- MamaRolly (@enioye) October 3, 2023
Even if I was wearing the aso ebi, I'd take my leave. Wtf?! https://t.co/bnaWTAyjI0-- s.o.f.t (@soft_xn) October 4, 2023
This woman just turned 70 yrs old. During the celebration of her birthday party, she said, whoever isn't wearing her aso ebi should stand up and leave her party if they want to turn 70 as well. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/BF3Oc9Ms6c-- I FINE DIE🇳🇬 (@ifinedie_) October 4, 2023
Mhen, this one choke ooo.. Because of Aso Ebi? pic.twitter.com/Flp0eRdejW-- AGW (@africageowild) October 3, 2023
You think all old or aged individuals have sense? lol the senseless slay mamas of today will grow old as well, & this is what some will become.All that matters to this f00l here is her asoebi, she forgot that for someone to dress up and leave their houses in this economy for...-- MissYem K (@YemisiKolaa) October 4, 2023
I'd leave even if I was wearing the asoebi. Rude people disgust me. https://t.co/k6qvT2r7r0-- Ajala. (@aishaabdi___) October 3, 2023
This is a London Birthday party of a Celebrant clocking 70 years old woman who grabbed the Microphone to announce that those attending the party who did not buy the Aso Ebi will not clock 70 years of age and if they eat her food the food will come out of their Noses.Ogbenu... pic.twitter.com/4bDtVDUm0D-- A. Ayofe (@abdullahayofel) October 4, 2023
