page_title: Opobo
section_title: The Initiation into Womanhood
hierarchical_section_title: Opobo / Traditions / The Initiation into Womanhood
caption_attribution_description: English: King Jaja
context_page_description: Opobo, otherwise known as Opubu, is a city-state in the southern region of Nigeria. The Kingdom was founded in 1870 by King Jaja. A greater part of the city state is still referred to as Opobo in Rivers State.
  Opobo is made up of several islands and communities, mainly Opobo Town, Queenstown, Kalasunju, Oloma, Ayaminimah, Iloma, Minimah, Okpukpo, Iwoma, Ekereborokiri, Kalaibiama, and Epellema. A part of the city state is now in Akwa Ibom State, made up of Ikot Abasi, Kampa.
context_section_description: A certified wife who has not been initiated into womanhood with the appropriate initiation ceremony, known as the Mgbede, is not allowed to tie a special wrapper called 'George'. Such a woman would also be denied many other rights: there are sacred places that she cannot enter and she will not be entitled to mix freely with women that have been initiated. In fact, she can be traditionally disgraced by the other women in the community at any time.
caption: King Jaja of Opobo's Palace
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