traditional ceremonies in Abiriba.

INTRODUCTION
Celebration of the native calendar that is, the native new year, months, weeks, and days, the new yam festival, wedding ceremonies are but few of some traditional events that are observed in various cultures tribes and tongues in Nigeria . In remarking these events, there are some ceremonies that is, traditional ceremonies which must take place in the hosting community.
Nigeria is made up of over three hundred ethnic groups of which the Abiriba people are one from the Igbo community. The life of an Abiriba child revolves around its culture which is a circle of traditional events or ceremonies. Traditional ceremonies in this part of the country becomes a vital tool of study in order to have a good understanding of the social structure, the economic structure, the political structure and the belief system of the Abiriba people.
HISTORY OF ABIRIBA
The people of Abiriba an Igbo community in the south eastern state of Abia, Nigeria are renowned adventurers and are largely traders and merchants with commendable successes. Descendants of a common ancestor stemming from Yakor tribe of Ekoi Cross River, the Abiriba people migrated and settled at a place called Ena. After a long period of time, they continued their journey to the present Abiriba kingdom under the leadership of Nnachi Okonta who is also known as Oke Nnachi Oke from whom the title of the paramount ruler Enachioken is derived.
Abiriba kingdom is one of the most beautiful and developed villages in the whole of Africa with population of about 150000, it is made up of three major settlements namely, Ameke, Amaogudu and Agboji.
Ameke is the largest division, it has eleven sub-divisions, and it is also the seat of power that is, the capital of Abiriba kingdom. Amaogudu is the second largest division with four sub-divisions. Agboji, the smallest of the three settlements has two sub-divisions. Over the years these three divisions has grown in population and in size adding other settlements to them.
The administration of the kingdom is based on the combination of monarchical, gerontocratic and democratic system of government. The Enachioken (the paramount ruler) in council (elders) precise directs and coordinates the calendar for all cultural and traditional festivals. They stipulate the broad traditional rules and guidelines for every ceremony. The Abiriba Communal Improvement Union (ACIU) is the pivot for socio economic development in the kingdom. It regulates and coordinates the activities of the age grades harmonizing developmental projects. ACIU has a litigational court (Inyinmoka and Umon), they also serve as the chamber of commerce. While Inyinmoka handles all uplands, Umon handles those of the riverine areas.
TRADITIONAL CEREMONIES
Traditional ceremonies are common to all nations, tribes and tongues. These ceremonies includes the various ways, manners and methods of celebrating or remarking event or happenings among people which has continued over a period of time or was transferred from generation to generations.
The word traditional is derived from tradition which is a belief, custom or way of doing things that has existed for a long period of time among a particular group of people. It is also anything such as a doctrine, belief, custom, etc. that is passed on from generation to generation especially orally or by example or an established standard or usual practice or custom.
Ceremony is formal or religious ritual performed to make a particular, especially public or religious occasion.
Traditional ceremonies are therefore believes, customs, doctrines or ways of doing things formally or religiously to make particular public or religious events passed on from generation to generation orally or by example.
TRADITIONAL CEREMONIES OBSERVED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE ANCIENT ABIRIBA KINGDOM
The people of the ancient Abiriba kingdom have grown in size, economy, culture etc., justifying the name Abiriba-where to dwell and prosper. As you read on, you will understand more about this people as the life of the Abiriba people is reflected in their traditional ceremonies.
The life of the people of the ancient Abiriba kingdom circulates on series of ceremonies and events of which the age grade system as explained in the following events or ceremonies is an important one.
IGBA NNONO
As infants, children are not segregated but at the ages of four to six, they are separated .the young boys are given catapult, bow and arrow to hunt a bird at the nearby bush. They do this under the supervision of the older male children. This time may be full of fun but it could also be stressful as they would have to learn on the job how to use these weapons to hunt and to protect or defend themselves. At this stage most children return home with bruised fingers as their greatest challenge for their age is the ability to use these weapons properly without sustaining injuries. At the end of this period of searching, learning and hunting the successful ones comes rejoicing with their bird and ogilisi leaves. The successful ones are celebrated by relatives and well-wishers who give them farm products of different sort as is available at the time of the successful outing. This is the first step into manhood for the boys. Therefore, they are allowed to make choice of anything that is shared in the community before their female ones.
ICHEUCHE OBAGH
At the ages of eighteen to twenty five, the boys haven completed the first stage of Igba nnono, they are sent to guide the farms and barns from thieves or intruders both humans and animals. At this stage the boys are equipped and grouped with each group comprising of those that are not more than three years older than themselves and each group having its period of training and service. Also in this grouping two brothers cannot be allowed to belong to a group except they are twins. This was in order to reduce the risk of lost or wiping out of an entire family at a time. It also gives an opportunity for the younger children to stay back and help keep their home safe. This duty of Iche uche obagh takes a longer period than the Igba nnono and the task is greater as they learn how to use more advanced weapons because it must be carried out with great prowess, the boys are trained on the usage of sound of the wild and the usage of things in their environment to camouflage themselves so that they are well position to strike or defend themselves when the need be. At the end of this training period, they would have learnt these skills and put some of them to work. They come back celebrating, most of them still clothed in their camouflage suit looking horrifying marching around the village all together.
IZARA AFA
Haven successfully completed the iche uche obagh each group continues in other community service at the age of at least forty, the team is evaluated based on their performance on all assignment or mission they accomplished then a name is given to them based on their achievement .each individual goes back home to celebrate with his family
IGWA MANG
After celebrating the Izara afa , the group is given another duty that is, to guild other young ones to carry out their communal duties successfully for the next ten to twelve years .the group will serve as the executives that is , the police of the community, they also serves as the bridge between the elders and the youth. At the end of this duty that is, when they are at least fifty years a thanks giving service is organised between the third and the last week of December to celebrate a successful life of communal service this could be at church or at the village square depending on each individual.
UCHE CEREMONY
Ten years after the celebration and thanksgiving of the igwa mang, the uke ji agbala as they are called plays mainly advisory role s until they are at least sixty four years then they are fully retired from active communal service. A range of days is set aside by the community at the end of the year from which each individual would choose a day to celebrate his or her retirement from active communal works.
Celebrating this event, the celebrant sits behind a table colourfully decorated with flamboyant wrappers (judges). The celebrant is dressed in a chiefly attire then friends, relatives and well-wishers would come to him with gifts of all sort in sequence that is, his female children from the eldest to the least would come to him first with their gifts in the same order the wife or wives as the case may be, then the male children, the relatives, in-laws and well-wishers. At the end of the ceremony, the celebrant must have received gifts of cash and kinds that would likely sustain him for the rest of his life.
IRI AMA (ITU EYE)
The most important of all Abiriba ceremonies is the Iri ama (itu-eye) because it involves the physical appearance of the Enachioken and his council with his Otisi (symbol of authority) - like the mace in the legislative house. All members of his cabinet come fully kitted in their traditional apparel The Uke igwa mang –the age group that is the present communal police, positions themselves strategically .they are easily noticed as they are gorgeously dressed in traditional apparel. They position themselves to coordinate the policy pronouncement of the king (Enachioken) and his cabinet mounts the platform to make the proclamations and laws that would govern the community for the year .This is why it is also called Itu eye
The second day of the ceremony ,young children are sent to their relatives to collect dry maize, yam and little vegetable this signifies the passing away of the planting season and the expecting of the harvest. At evening of the same day, a meal of dry yam and fresh vegetable is prepared and served signifying the passing away of the old year and the welcoming of the New Year. This normally happens during the month of July which is the second half of the regular calendar.
To crown this remarkable event, traditional wrestling contest among the seventeen sub-divisions (villages) is organised. At the preliminary stage, men of the same age group fights, the winner advances to the inter village level where the champions emerges and are given accolade and recognition in the village which also gives them emissary of war or peace.
EKEMBU (NEW YAM FESTIVAL)
The second week of September is another notable period in the Abiriba Kingdom as this is when the people celebrate the new yam.
Elders are gathered at the village square and the wooden drum (Ikoro) is played to announce the appointed time. People of the village both young and old comes with gift of farm products to present to the elders while those who are not into farming would present other gift items such as money, drinks, textile, etc. The uke Igwa mang rightly dressed will come especially with their gifts items just like others previously mentioned. This event usually last for about four days.
OLULU NWUNYE (MARRIAGE CEREMONY)
The marriage which still holds well till date had come down from the ancestors. Payment of dowry or bride price was firstly in labour service which was changed to brass rods which was fixed to be one hundred and forty (140) pieces the standard bride price. These rods also known as Nkpo Ola Ocha was valued at five kobo 5k each piece which makes the payment equals seven naira (N7.00) still hold up to date.
Marriage starts with the girl accepting the man that has proposed and the girl’s parents approving of him. The young man goes to the girl’s parents with wine and meat traditionally valued at twenty kobo (20k) .this is the formal announcement of the process that is, Manyi njuru. The young man performs the Nkpola ulo ceremony which involves giving twenty five kobo (25k) to the parents of the girl. This shows how ready the man is financially to have a wife. After which he performs the Manyi Ulonta ceremony which involves the presentation of palm wine to the father of the girl and the head of girl’s kin’s men both maternal and paternal this cost about two naira (N2.00).The young man is further oblige to present ten kobo (10k) three times a year to the girl’s parents three times a year for as long as the courtship lasts. In the final year of wedding, the Ewunso ceremony is performed which cost the young man two naira twenty kobo (N2.20k). Further presentation of wine is made to the girl’s parent to announce the wedding date. This stage is called the manyi Ikwuribe and it is valued at fifty kobo (50k). This low dowry was fixed to enable any man who wants to marry to conveniently do so. Marriage in the kingdom is generally fixed between the third and the last weeks of December because of the December –January holiday and the weather which is generally cool, dry and sunny.
CONCLUTION
As the year goes by, some of these traditional ceremonies diminish in value while others are celebrated extravagantly. Yet the purpose and its principles remain intact.
The age grade system is no more efficient as it use to be. From the igba nnono which is no more common as it use to be. Presently, it is very difficult for parents to allow their little boys to go too far from them for fear of being kidnapped or joining bad companions.
Young boys think that the idea of the icheuche obagh is archaic and should be faced out. Therefore, many desist from it. It is only the igwa mang ceremony and the uche ceremony that most people takes pride in because it gives them the opportunity to celebrate and publicly announce that they have joined the gerontocratic class.
People now spend more and sometimes extravagantly than is required in the olulu nwunye. The official dowry still remains seven naira (N7.00) in principle but in practice, it cost much more than this.
Political tussling and wealthy gerontocrats seeking the control of the democratic system are gradually making the ekembu and the iri ama lose their value as there has been a dwindling participation by the people.