Okolo-Ama

So little so beautiful
Perched in the middle of the deep blue sea
Surrounded by pelicans and shells
Sited at the very end of  Rivers

A beautiful heritage
Young women vibrating to the rhythm of the drums
With their ‘biebite’ and ‘egerebite’   firmly around their waist
Proudly celebrating the rite of passage to womanhood

A friendly paradise
Luring her friends with the gyrations of  ‘nwaotam’
And the quest for oil money
And fulfilling all her promises

Dignified, reserved and unassuming
While her peers were running around naked
She was playing host to the British
And drinking tea from teacups

‘Okolo-ama‘, my Bonny
Ushering in your children with ‘essem akpakpa’
Into the welcome embrace of their mothers’ arm
You are truly a kingdom and rare




*OKOLOAMA-is the indigenous name for Bonny Kingdom in Rivers State, Nigeria
*BIEBITE AND EGEREBITE-special sets of wrapper tied by young women when performing the rites of womanhood
*NWAOTAM- a masquerade of the Bonny people usually celebrated on the 25th of December
*ESSEM AKPAKPA-periwinkle shells