Reactions as Virgins Get Initiated Into Womanhood in Ogu, Rivers State
It is reported that the ceremony happened on Saturday, December 2, 2023. The Iria ceremony is an ancient ceremony that marks the transition of girls who are usually virgins into womanhood.
The virgins were given certificates by the Ogu council of chiefs for passing through the test. Iria is considered a rite of passage for young girls as they reach puberty and begin to mature physically
To pass through the test, the girls must first be virgins which will be checked by women of the town, then they will be kept in a room where they will undergo training on womanhood
After passing through this process, the qualified girls will be given certificates showing that they are now adult ladies ready to marry. It’s an Okrika-Ijaw ceremony that dates back to the 17th century.