The marriage ceremonies in Arochukwu Kingdom are divided into three stages.
a) “IHEAHURU NULO OR IKUAKA”
As I hinted in the preamble above, when a man sees a girl of his choice for marriage, he normally discussed with his parents or the immediate relation of his parents of his intention to marry the girl. Then the parents will then go out in search of facts about the girl, her character, lineage, and behaviour. In theses days her academic attainment etc. After the facts findings and his parents are satisfied, the son is given go ahead order. In Arochukwu, the approval of the marriage of their children is very vital, because it carries blessings. Take note that the fact finding is two sided, when a man makes advances to a girl, she normally informs her parents who equally make some findings about the intending suitor.

Then when the two had informally accepted the marriage, the parents of the man will then set the ball rolling. They take a bottle of hot drink, two gallons of palm wine in the absence of he man and girl to the house of the parents of the girl and declare that they have seen something” in their house. An Aroman calls this ceremony “Iheahuru nulo or Ikuaka”. To be candid this is the first official state of the proposed marriage. And when this ceremony is carried out, it is customarily. Believed that the girl is deemed married customarily. No other suitor will go there for the girl again. So when the Ikuaka ceremony is done the parents of the man after a week or two will go back to the intending father-in-law to demand for the marriage list. This list is a working document. It contains all that are needed for the marriage ceremonies. The father’s gift, the mother’s gifts, goodwill the parent of the suitor takes this vital document home for study, after they had studied I, they will then come back to tell the intending in-law when they will come for the marriage ceremonies.