Long before colonialism, Nigerian tribes had their own distinctive ways of carrying out traditional rites; some of these methods have since disappeared, while others are still used today.
These rites are carried out on special occasions like birth, death, coronation, and many others. The transition from childhood to adulthood is one of these events that calls for a customary rite.
In Nigerian traditions, becoming an adult is a crucial stage. According to popular belief, this is the age when young boys and girls make decisions about their future.
As mentioned earlier, each tribe has a unique method of carrying out rites. For instance, in Northern Nigeria, the Sharo festival is the customary ceremony for entering adulthood, while the Iria festival is held in Okrika, a town in Rivers State, Southern Nigeria. Here is where you can read more about the sharo festival.
The Iria Festival.
The Iria Festival is an annual ceremony marking the entry into womanhood that takes place in the market square of the historic town of Okrika in the Nigerian state of Rivers. It was created in the sixteenth century.
The people initiate young girls into womanhood by showing them their bare breasts. In the fattening room, where they are cared for for the festival, virgins are presented and kept.
The young women are fed, treated to pampering, and prepared for the real task at hand, which is dancing half-naked in the market square, as part of the fattening process. They will eventually enter the mature stage as a result of this.
Chiefs and family heads are gathered in the market square to watch the dancing young virgins, who only cover their lower body and expose their breasts to the public.
Pregnant women cannot participate in the festival, according to the Okrika locals. In the crowd of maidens, the elderly women, known as “Gbenerime,” can quickly identify those who are pregnant and disqualify them.
The girls reportedly emerge from the fattening room when it’s time, with their bodies painted in black patterns and their hair dyed yellow, looking pretty angelic.
Some of the girls attract suitors at the festival because relatives, friends, coworkers, and spectators are present for the grand parade. One of the criteria used to judge this competition is the breasts.
Having a daughter who has maintained both her virginity and the family’s honor brings great joy to her parents. A girl was thought to have trouble becoming pregnant in the past if she skipped the puberty rite.
The girl and her family experienced embarrassment as a result of those who were disqualified, making them targets of ridicule.
An Okrika native explained the custom’s long history by saying, “The Iria is a very ancient festival of the Okrika nation organized by various towns, particularly in the period between December and January. It was once a practice in all 10 communities in Okrika. But for the past ten years, only two communities have been using it, including Ogu. Parents should encourage their daughters to attend the Iria ceremony if they are between the ages of 16 and 17. The Iria ceremony was observed by those who had not yet reached that age range and had not yet been deflowered. “.
Because of Western education and Christianity, which have conspired to convince parents not to enter their daughters in the festival, the Iria Festival has gradually lost its vibrancy over time. They label the Iria tradition as fetishistic and claim that half-naked dancing is against their religion.
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