Igba Suba
The third type of wrestling popular among girls in Afikpo takes place during the moonlight plays (Egwu onwa) between March and April (the heaping period or Okwu).
This particular wrestling was unique. It was called Igba Suba (wrestle and stand). It was a form of punishment meted out for young girls for:-
refusal to take part in the moonlight games, any serious misbehavior ruled by the girls as unacceptable of a decent girl, or general show of disrespect or disobedience to one’s mother, age-mates or seniors.
The wrestling takes place at the playground at night, usually between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. when only the girls and the male age set detailed to guard them were present. It was done under near absolute silence to avoid attracting attention. The offender was set at the centre of the playground to wrestle with every member of her age set present. The number could be anything from ten. Usually the stronger members of her age set wrestled with her first in order to weaken her for others. The other girls and the boys formed a human fence around the playground to avoid any escape. She had to wrestle with all even if it meant falling down on first touch. But any deliberate falling down on her part attracted a repeat bout.
After the midnight wrestling, the culprit was forbidden to disclose the punishment to her parents or husband. If it was found out that she did, she faced a repeat performance, this time with the senior girls or selected strong girls. However, if her parents or husband happened to learn of it, they usually did not make any fuss about it to save the girl from further punishment. Parents and husbands knew what offences merited the Igba Suba and under normal circumstances accepted it as a way of inculcating good characters in young girls.
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