SEC-S14W5 | My Biggest Travel in 2023 | [Fun time in Okrika].

Before now, I had several places in mind that I wanted to visit this year 2023 but unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to settle for my home town, okrika, Rivers state, Nigeria. A big event happened during my stay over there and I’ll be sharing with us now but before I go ahead, I’ll love to invite @peacebala, @fanlack and @eveetim

So, let’s move to the main event of the day:

Like I mentioned earlier, transportation fare had risen so high it was not easy traveling outside my state and to make matters worse, there was no money in circulation. We have to buy money from our own bank to get money. ATM was not dispensing cash and inside the bank, you can’t get any cash above 5000 to 10000. So, traveling was a no go area for me, I decided to settle for my village, okrika, Rivers State.

A lot of activities during my stay there. For a very long time, we lost the King of Okrika land and there have been meetings upon meetings going on for the preparation of the burial event. This December was the kickoff for the burial. It lasted for 2 weeks and below is the event of the burial

• Igira-mangi

One of the event I attended was the one they called “Igira mangi”. In this event, we were marching in crowd around the different communities in okrika in honor of the king. We were supposed to leave as early as 7am but u know Nigerians, they find it hard to keep to time, we had to leave by 9am. It was really stressful walking for that long. At some point, I had to sneak into a tricycle ride to move far ahead to wait for them. I manage to get some snacks to eat.

• A march from the mortuary down to borikiri and down to marine base

Another missionary journey we had again was the march we had round Port-Harcourt. When his corpse was carried from the mortuary. All the “war canoe houses and their chiefs” the different villages and their clans was represented in this match with all of them holding their different banners. This match was done in Port-Harcourt town occupied by the okrika people. We moved down to the late kings private residence at Borikiri Port-Harcourt and to marine base.

(War canoe houses on display)

(OMC band squad)

(Abuloma community)

The coffin was placed on top a panel that rotates in circular motion. My first time of seeing such ambulance before!

• Burial day

On the 16th of December was the day his body was led to rest. That day was another mini carnival in honor of his burial. The whole okrika was filled up. Guest of honor that came for the burial was former First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs patience Jonathan. I know not many people knows she’s from okrika. The governor of Rivers State, host of other kings and chiefs… leading them was HRM King Ateke Tom.

(Me and my friends in our group, United brothers of Abam ama, okrika)

(King of Okochiri, HRM, Ateke Tom, with his entourage)

(That’s the boys brigade band during the church procession of the late king’s burial).

The whole of this December will be celebration every day in honor of the late king. Right now as we speak, there is a football tournament taking place between the various communities and war houses in honor of the king.

On January 3rd, we also have the Okochiri beach party that will be hosted by HRM. Ateke Tom. It’s going to be filled with celebrities artists that will come and perform. That is one event everyone is expecting

My village isn’t far from me. So, I didn’t really spend much. Just one boat ride and I’m in my village. I prefer following the river to travel down there because it is faster and you won’t encounter any delays. A boat ride cost 800 naira to okrika. By road it is 1500 naira. But that wasn’t really my major spending.

When I went to my group, I had to pay 10,000. It was amount we agreed to pay to host ourselves after the burial. I had a lot to eat and drink. But, I didn’t stay long with them. I had to leave them to meet and old acquaintance of mine that I knew through Facebook. That was my first time seeing her. So, i had to give her a good impression by spending well… 😊😊😊

After, I left her, my cousin took me out again that mid night to a club for another set of drinks again. I was so drunk that day, I had to leave without telling them. But that burial day was so much fun.

Let me say, I spent close to 40k, because I had to lodge in the hotel for that night alone. The rest of the days, I went to our family house to sleep.

At this point, I can’t really say if I have any particular place in mind in 2024 because I never expected this year December to be this amazing. I came just to spend some quality time with my dad and my relatives that stays in okrika but I met all this fun. But if i am to ever travel next year, I’ll love to go to Lagos state.

I left Lagos when I was a kid and since then I’ve not visited again. Among all the cool places I’ve seen in Lagos, the place I’ll love to be is “Lekki beach”. I love the environment I see there. Maybe, if the opportunity presents itself to me, I’ll visit there someday!!

Traveling , it’s life-changing, adventurous, and exciting to be part of. So, go out there and explore, get to know new cultures and traditions of people, make new friends, eat new dishes and even fall in love because YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE (Y.OL.O.)

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Cheers