It was a Tuesday morning in July, breakfast time at the Fairmont Resort in Marrakesh. Tobi walked up to Teni, a burning question weighing on her mind.
“Teni… what if I can’t make it to Adetutu’s (Teni’s Daughter) traditional wedding in Nigeria?”
Teni sighed, her appetite suddenly gone. “Tobi, every time you make that remark, it upsets me,” she replied quietly.
Tobi feels a sense of guilt
When they returned to England, Tobi wasted no time. Almost immediately, she searched the internet and booked a KLM ticket for Tuesday, the 7th of October.

Now it’s time for Tobi to renew her British Passport, at 10 weeks to the wedding .
She checks the Passport renewal website turnaround for passport renewal is 3 weeks.She mails in her passport and necessary documents at the same time focusing on her AsoEbi for the wedding that was supplied by Beautiful Fabrics.

Asoebi (or Aso-Ebi) is a Yoruba Nigerian tradition of wearing matching fabrics as a uniform to show solidarity, unity, and support for the celebrant at special events like weddings, birthdays, and funerals, literally meaning “family cloth” and symbolizing belonging and community. It involves selecting a specific fabric that guests buy and tailor into unique styles, creating a visually striking and cohesive look that distinguishes groups of friends or family at celebrations. 

Tobi’s dressmaker and designer is Julie of Get Me Snatch. Back in August, Tobi had sent Julie her preferred style and design for the aso-ebi. True to her energetic nature, Tobi put a great deal of thought and effort into choosing the perfect look for Adetutu’s wedding.
Now it was Thursday, the 28th of August, and there was still no sign of her passport approval.
She called the passport office, but to her disappointment, she was told it wouldn’t be ready within the three-week turnaround. The man on the phone sounded cold and indifferent. “It usually takes three to four weeks,” he said flatly.
Tobi explained that she had booked a vacation to Marrakesh for Tuesday, the 9th of September, and would lose her money if her passport wasn’t ready before then.
She hung up, disappointed.
Under her breath, she murmured, “This is not looking good.”

The Wedding She Missed
It was now just one week before Adetutu’s wedding, and Tobi’s passport had been at the office for nine long weeks.
She was consumed by a thousand thoughts.
Why is the passport taking so long?
Will I be able to attend the wedding?
What if it doesn’t arrive in time?
The questions played over and over in her mind. She tried to remain hopeful, but the uncertainty was becoming unbearable. Her eyes filled with tears, and before she could stop them, the tears rolled slowly down her cheeks.
“If it doesn’t get here by Saturday, the 4th of October, I will cancel my flight,” she whispered to herself.
The anxiety was simply too much.
Then Saturday came.
Tobi woke up, checked her phone, and stared at the screen for a few moments. There was still no news about her passport.
Her heart sank.
With a heavy sigh, she opened her airline app and cancelled her flight.
The refund she received was only a fraction of what she had paid.
She sat quietly for a while, staring at the amount on her screen. It felt like yet another disappointment.
Then came the Traditional wedding day.
At exactly 7:20 a.m., on the morning of the traditional wedding, Tobi was still at home.
Suddenly, her phone made the familiar sound of an incoming message.
She grabbed it immediately.
Squinting at the screen, she opened the message.
“We have approved your application. We will let you know when your passport is ready to dispatch.”
Tobi stared at the message.
Approved.
After ten weeks.
The passport had finally been approved—but it was too late.
She wasn’t going to make it to the wedding.
For a moment, disappointment washed over her. She had imagined herself there: dressed beautifully in her Aso Ebi, celebrating with family and friends, taking photographs, dancing and being part of what she believed would be the wedding of the year—2025.
But the wedding had arrived before her passport did.
Tobi wiped her tears and decided she would not allow the situation to ruin everything.
If she couldn’t be at the wedding, she would at least create her own memories.
She immediately called Oshewa Beauty and booked a makeup session and photoshoot for her next trip to Nigeria in November .
She brought out the beautiful Aso Ebi she had bought especially for the occasion and prepared herself for her own little celebration.

She might not have been physically present at Adetutu’s wedding, but she would still wear the outfit.
She would still take the pictures.
And one day, when she looked back at them, she would remember the wedding she had desperately tried to attend—and the passport that arrived ten weeks too late.