CORONATION OF OKENZE (NEXT TO KING)
The coronation picture
INTRODUCTION
It is my pleasure to be here in steem4nigeria as newbie. I will be talking about the coronation of my uncle as an Okenze of my community, Amala in Ngor Okpala, Imo state.
In every Autonomous community, there must be an Okenze, some villages call them Onuowu which means (next to king). here is the coronation of Okenze in Ikem Obiogu 1 Amala Autonomous community.
before the day of coronation, an election will be made depending on the village that is supposed to be next to king. if the village has village 1 and village 2 (example: Umuokwa umukube, and Umuokwa umunwere) which bears the same name, an election will be conducted between the sister communities and their elected representative, but if it has only one village, the head that will wear the crown will be selected according to the person's character and reputation and will be presented to the cabinet for blessing after that, celebration will continue in the Okenze's compound.
PREPARATION FOR THE CELEBRATION
WASHING OF TOMATOES
In preparing for the coronation, there will be lots of food to eat both native soups and rice. above is the washing of Tomatoes and pepper for stew and jellof rice.
FRYING AND STEAMING OF MEAT
COOKED RICE
Second set of jellof rice. Mostly all the things used for cooking is done and prepared at night so as to keep everything ready in the morning before the occasion starts proper. Things like stew, steaming and frying of meat is being done at night. Then by 4am in the morning the cooking of soups and rice will start boiling till when every food will be ready.
NATIVE GUN
By 1pm in the afternoon, the occasion will start proper with the sound of 21 native gun (Egbe ala). Being a traditional occasion, there will be a masquerade dance and ogene dancers. There is something we call (Ima ngwu) it is being done by the one of the masquerade dancers anybody it touches to climb the palm tree will do that without rope and be he will match all the palm fronts down with his bare foots until he uproot the pre-mature palm fronts, then he will climb down.
PALM TREE
PROCESS OF MATCHING DOWN THE PALM TREE
REMOVING OF THE PALM FRONTS
HIM WITH HIS PALM FRONTS
CONCLUSION
After this, comes the entertainment and the Okenze (next to king) taking photos with his loved ones and the King cabinet members.
OKENZE AND KING'S CABINET MEMBERS
SPECIAL MENTION
@ngoenyi
@goddybest
@cryptokannon
@inspiracion
You are doing well keep it up .the coronation is a beautiful one I was there.