Dimabo Finapiri

A Brief History of Iria Ceremony in Ibani Kingdom, Rivers State, Nigeria, West Africa

Dimabo Finapiri

The Tradition started in the olden days and the people of Ibani in Grand Bonny Kingdom in Rivers State still uphold it till date...

In the olden days little children run around naked in their neighbourhood, whether boy or girl. But when the Girl child has reached puberty, her parents will give her clothes to cover her nakedness and it signals that she has matured - she's no longer a child.

And for this Ijaw speaking tribe - Ibani Kingdom, it's Iria Egerebite and Bighibite they call this rite of passage into full womanhood.

The people of Kalabari, Okrika, Opobo, Nkoro and Andoni that are also Ijaw tribes in Rivers State, still practice this ancient cultural heritage popularly called Iria Ceremony.

With this Iria Ceremony I have done, I'm allowed to tie two waist George wrapper and all the other Big wrappers that full fledged women tie in Ibani Kingdom.

The Iria womanhood ceremony has three stages according to age: the first stage is between the ages of 12yrs to 15yrs, the second stage is between the ages of 18yrs to 21yrs, and the third stage is for older people that have reached age 40yrs and above.

The first stage, Kala - Egerebite, I will tie a native wrapper called Suu. I'll tie it short with coral beads.

In The second stage, Opu - Egerebite I will tie one waist of Ikaki wrapper (Akwete), Poppy and Damask (soft one) with a matching blouse. Soft Damask is called Lo bite in Ibani language.

Then the last stage is the Bighibite, I'll tie the Awomie bite - that's the dyed George wrapper. And it's the most important piece of clothing and after that, I'll tie lili-inji - that's the Intorica George wrapper.

If you didn't do any of the stages while growing up, when you want to do the Iria ceremony, you must do all the stages from Kala Egerebite to the Bighibite.

Fattening Room Process for Iria - Egerebite and Bighibite Ceremony.

The Iria Ceremony starts when the Iriabo (the maiden turning into full woman) will inform her family that she wants to 'tie wrapper.' Her parents or family will inform the church.

She will tie a short wrapper with a matching blouse and headtie to church.

The second stage is the 'Wari So', that's entering the fattening Room.

There, they will rub the Iriabo white chalk, rub her palm oil, tumeric to make her body fine/smooth for her skin to glow.

They'll also draw beautiful patterns on her body to decorate her and give her good food, feed her well so she'll go fat, so that on the main day that she will come out and dance, people will admire her.

And it also attracts potential husband to come ask for her hand in marriage.

Staying in the fattening Room depends on the individual, some stay one month, one week or three days etc.

The third and final stage is when they will dress you the wrapper one after the other starting with Ikaki (Akwete), the Popo, the Damask (the soft one they call Lo bite) and the wrapper that is called 'Awu' (cooked dyed wrapper).

When she has tied the Awu wrapper she can tie George wrapper and all the different types of wrapper in two waists.

The following Sunday, the Iriabo with her parents and family members will go to church for thanksgiving for a successful Iria Ceremony.

After that the Iriabo is expected to tie complete two pairs of wrapper with headtie, dress properly as a full Ibani woman anytime she's coming out for at least one year, but some people do for six months too.

Anytime she's attending any function in Ibani Kingdom she's expected to dress completely with two wrapper or traditional wrappers and they will recognize her.

By doing the Iria ceremony you now have a say in the community when women are talking.

Originally it's your parents' responsibility to tie their daughter's wrapper (Iria Ceremony) before marriage.

Any Ibani daughter that is getting married and has not done the Iria ceremony, the family of the woman will demand the Iria ceremony as dowry.

Iria Ceremony is so important that if an Ibani woman has not done it, her family must do it for her before they will bury her in Ibani Land.

Author Dimabo Finapiri

Dimabo Finapiri Brown, CIIWN, CISCM, CSCM, CCSS, HRMA, CIWMM is a certified and Associate member of chartered Institute of Warehousing and Materials management, chartered Institute of supply chain management, inventory and warehouse manager, Document control, project portfolio management (Primavera P6), customer service and satisfaction specialist, Human Resources management. She has a first degree in Computer Science from the University of Port Harcourt, a Post Graduate degree in chartered Institute of supply chain management and Android development beginner Bundle with Andela, Goggle and Udacity. She commenced her career at (OTS) Overseas Technical Services as material handler in (NLNG) Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas shutdown team, NLNG site Bonny Island, she joined Pivot GIS Nig Ltd where she spent 5+ years in material Inventory management overseeing the activities of scaffold Materials, collaborates with warehouse employees and other staff to ensure business goals are met, Analy.