Rivers girls pass virginity tests, issued certificates

 By Nehru Odeh

It has been reported that some young girls who were tested for virginity were issued certificates after passing the tests on Saturday 2 December 2023.

This rite of passage took place as the people of Ogu Kingdom in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State celebrated Iria, an ancient ceremony done to mark the transition of girls, usually virgins, into womanhood. The girls, of marriageable age, were issued certificates by the Council of Chiefs.

Iria, is considered a rite of passage for young girls as they reach puberty and begin to mature physically.

To be certified a virgin, the girls are checked by women in the town. After that, they are then kept in a room in which they undergo training on womanhood

After passing through this process, which is an Okrika (Ijaw) ceremony that dates back to the 17th century, the qualified girls are given certificates showing that they are now adult and ready to marry.