Pls i am working on a book and i need to find out the list of items needed to be bought by the groom when paying the dowry of his wife during the traditional marriage. I needed to know from different parts of Nigeria i need help. Ibibio, Efik Ishan, Gwari, Nupe, Isoko, Itsekiri, Igede, Tiv, Hausa, Ebira etc. Will be really glad if i get favourable replies thanks

The essence of bride price in Igbo culture is to ensure that the prospective husband can maintain his family and defend his family for a man is a man only if he can cater for his family and defend his family (Ezi na Ulo).
Initially the amount is expressed in symbols. Sticks of broom or in some cases, the grains of solid waste (faeces) of a young she-goat that has not given birth are in use to denote certain amount of money. The solid waste of a young she-goat symbolises that the young girl in question is a virgin (rarely obtainable now). If the middle man on the part part of the prospective father-in-law wants to start with say N2000:00, he would display ten grains of the solid waste on the floor and tell the middleman on the other side, that is, the parternal family of the prospective groom that each grain represents N200:00. The parternal family of the prospective groom would continue to 'remove and put back' some of the grains until eventually they (the two families) agree on a fixed amount represented by the number of grains left. It is necessary to point out again that the bride price, no matter the amount, is not given direct to the father-in-law. It is given to him through the middle-man on his side; so also is 'okuko onu muo' (cock given as present during new yam festival.
In some Igbo communities, only sticks of broom are in use. The sticks of broom are put inside 'okwa'-small cooking utensil for pounding and grinding things like pepper. The cultural interpretation for using the okwa is to wishthe two prospects good luck.
Again in some Igbo communities where the bride price is fixed traditionally, the bride price includes exchange of gifts such as dried meat and palm wine between the two families.

Igbo people value their daughters a lot. They spend a lot to raise their daughters and as a result, bride price has gone higher than what was obtainable in the olden days. It varies from community to community.

@ The poster, it is worthy to let you know that Igbo custom demands that mere agreeing on the the bride price does not seal the marital agreement. One could pay the bride price but without paying 'Ego ebum okwu'-the money that terminates and seals any further discussion on the bride price. The person could be called any day to come any day to come and take back his money (bride price). In effect, the parents of the girl could give her out in marriage to any other suitor, although this is a dying culture.

The actual dowry also varies from one community to another. It could be:
50 tubers of yam
Bags of rice.
Wrapper--holandis or george materials.
cooking utensils.
Box of matches.
Cigaretes.
STAY TUNED.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-301408.0.html

Check out this link above.

Would like to know Ikwerre traditions. If groom is to pay mothers dowry.