Rivers Community Initiate Young Virgins Into Womanhood (Photos)

The annual Iria festival, which ushers in young virgins into womanhood, is held in Ogu Kingdom, a community in Rivers State’s Okrika Local Government Area. This year’s photos of the event garnered a lot of attention on social media.

Africhome gathered that the Iria, a ceremony of womanhood, is an ancient festival of the Okrika people organised by various towns, particularly in December and January period.

The celebration, which has its origins in the 16th century, continues to arouse curiosity in both locals and visitors, who eagerly await the final three to four months of each year to witness the full display of breast-baring maidens being initiated into womanhood.

In addition to providing a naturally occurring source of entertainment, the Iria Festival is regarded as an annual competition that Okrika families use to highlight virginity as they present their daughters and prepare them for the fattening room, where they are fed body-nourishing meals, particularly pounded yam mixed with pounded plantain and fresh fish.

Photos from the event this year have gone viral on social media.