GRAND Bonny Kingdom came into existence following the migration of people in the 9th, 10th and 11th century. The Ijo in the course of their migration settled at the Central Niger Delta, where they established (10) ten villages of Ebeni, Ayama, Okoloba, Ekpetiama, Tubaradoro, Ekeremo and Tuomo etc., their occupation was fishing. Political, economic and social factor caused them to migrate southward to look for a favourable settlement. The movement lead to the foundation of coastal city states of Grand Bonny, Elem Kalabari Nembe, Orika, and Andoni to this day.It was the Iyankpo group, the Ijimkorobo group, the Alagbariye group from Ebeni and the Saugeye group that finally settled at the present site of Grand Bonny location; Grand Bonny which is the capital of an ancient kingdom in the Niger Delta extends through some surrounding creeks and villages, geographically, it is surrounded by neighbourng kingdom of Elem Kalabari to the west and north-west Okrika, to the north-east, and to the east by the Andoni. Iria celebrationThe Iria cerebration is a call to woman-hood, a celebration of feminism. The three different types are mainly: Kala egeribite, Opu egeribite/egeribite, and BibiteKala EgeribiteThis ceremony is for young girls within the ages of 11-13 years, where cloth is used to cover her nakedness, below her breast, as well as beads to round her waist. This ceremony is done by her parent, or guardian. Her breasts are left exposed. After this exercise she continues to go about her normal business.Opu Egeribite/EgeribiteCeremony is performed on a girl who had grown up to a certain age, especially at the stage of getting married. The ceremony is usually performed by the girls parents (father) before giving her out in marriage, that is, if the girls parents are well to do. But if on the contrary, she can be married out and the Iria ceremony could be an item in the traditional marriage list, where nothing or little money is paid as the pride price, and the husband is encouraged to perform the Iria ceremony on his wife. If she is already married to an Ibani man, the ceremony will be perfumed on two different days, if her husband is not an Ibani man, the Iria will be performed in one day.On the first day, the Iria ceremony will be performed at the ladys fathers compound, then the youths of the fathers compound at night, after the occasion will carry the Iriabo (the woman) shoulder high to the compound house, then on a different day, if the husband is an Ibani man, she will perform another Iria ceremony in her husbands compound and at night, after the occasion, the youth of her fathers compound will carry her shoulder high to her husbands compound. This exercise is aimed at integrating her into the women fold in her husbands compound; and also give her a sense of belonging.ProceduresA woman who wants to perform the Iria ceremony, whether married, will go unto the FATTENING ROOM in her fathers house. In the fattening room she is taught by the woman of her fathers compound, or an Eremina Ogbo cultural club on all the dance-steps involved in this ceremony at nights with a leader who will lead her and teach her the various steps involved according to the rhythm of the song and drum. Same time the fattening period lasts up to six (6) months, one (1) month or one (1) week, in the fattening room, she is rubbed with special type of oil to make her body smooth. She does not cook, she does not go out; women cook and feed her with what ever she wants to eat, so that her body will be nourished and plump, when she will come out to perform the Iria ceremony. No male goes to see her during the fattening period, not even her brother, husband, or her father the only visitor she would have are all female, because it is all women affairs. Few days to the cerebration; nature chalk, sometimes indigo (Buruma in Ibani Language) is used to decorate her body to make her body beautiful for the occasion.The square (Shiri)The square or play ground to be used for this purpose may be that of her fathers compound. The play ground will be decorated by the cultural club that will lead her out and is paid to drum and sing songs, and dance with the Iriabo. In addition, a special booth is built and decorated with wrapper for the Iriabo at the play ground, when ever she wants to observe her rest periodically.DancingOn the day of the ceremony the Eremina Ogbo nume sing (song during the Iria ceremony) and the dancing pattern is followed by the rhythm of the song and drum. Usually, it is danced by twisting of the waist for both men and women. Here, her attendants are mostly women that are experienced in Iria ceremony; they help her showcase the dance step she was taught while in the fattening room.There is morning and afternoon dance; in the morning, the Iriabo could tie the Sus, the Egeribite, Popo, Akpariakpa, Wrapper, and can change her regalia two (2) to (3) three times all with appropriate blouse to match. In the afternoon, the Iriabo can tie the Lobite, the Darmas wrapper also with appropriate blouse to match.The little girls that have not performed the Iria ceremony hold the saucer and dance by the side of the Iriabo, to collect money for her. During the dance, her father and his people will give her gifts in form of wrapper and money, then followed by the friends and well wishers.The Iriabo in turn also give out gift to people that honour her day, such as sweets, biscuits, umbrella, plastic ups, bucket, plates, bags etc. at the end of the occasion at night, the youths of her fathers compound will carry the Iriabo shoulder high to her husbands house, if she is married, if she is not, to her fathers house.Nowadays, most women due to economic reasons do not wait to attain the age of menopause before performing the Bibite ceremony. They combine all the forms of Iria ceremony and perform it once.In addition, it is not compulsory that the Iriabo should dance at he square (shiri), she can also dress in her Iriabo regalia and sit in her sitting room, while songs in her honour are on, she can change her outfit as many times as possible cutting across clothing for the various types of Iria.Importance of Iria ceremony to an Ibani womanIt gives an Ibani woman a sense of belonging. It integrates her into woman fold in her fathers compound, if she is not married, if she is married it integrates her into the women fold of her husbands compound. In times of sharing anything in the compound, those women who have performed the Iria ceremony are recongnised first before women who have not performed. It enables women to tie two wrappers up and down (george wrapper) and walk on the street of Bonny Kingdom; if a woman has not performed the Iria ceremony, and ties up and down george wrapper, the upper george wrapper will be removed from her waist. It is an abomination to bury a woman who had not performed the Iria ceremony, as the ceremony will be performed on the corpse before interment.Allaputa discussed this topic with National Museum Study Group in Port Harcourt, recently
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