A Coronation To Remember

It's day 340 of documenting 2025.
25 days to go!

Happy Weekend my friend 😊
Today turned out so unexpected that I was starting to regret why I signed up for it in the first place.

So what exactly is it?
Okay, let me start from the beginning.
Earlier this week, some seniors came to our class and encouraged us to represent our department at the royal council.
Meaning, at the traditional level.

As they talked about it, one of my coursemates who was sitting on my row, mentioned that I could do it.
I was like, "what?!"
As he said it again, I told him that I don't have the money to pay for the signup form. He said he would pay for it.
I agreed.
Then I thought about it and realized that it would be an opportunity to learn about my Igbo culture.

Little did I know what was in store for me today.
I was informed of the coronation taking place today and assumed it would be something uncomplicated.
Nope! It was far from it!

The event was supposed to start by 1pm, according to the flyer.
But we were to come there by 12pm, so we could prepare for the event.
Around 11:45am, I met with the person who directed me to the place, as well as helped me with the wrapper I was to wear.
Then we went to a place close to the location to wait.

It was then that I was told that I would need beads and a head crown.
Well, I wasn't present at the meeting the former day, and I didn't ask questions...so it was partly my fault.

But then it was shown in the WhatsApp group either. I ended up buying beads on credit from the lady who was crowned as the Lolo.
As we went back to our waiting location, I made a mental note to come back and get more beads after clearing my debt 😶

I waited with the others, and we were told to learn some Igbo proverbs.
As I searched YouTube, I came across a suitable video and on searching the channel, discovered that the channel also teaches the Igbo language.
I subscribed instantly.

Okay, quick confession.
I can't speak my language fluently.
When forced, I can speak it...and I think it's because I haven't really gotten used to my articulation.
Meaning, it still feels weird when I pronounce the Igbo words.

And I think it's because of where I'm coming from...Lagos.
I believe that as I'm in this environment, where everyone is speaking my native language...I'll get comfortable with speaking it very soon 😌

So, where was I?
Yeah, right....waiting for the event to start. We waited.
I think it was by 1:30, we were asked to come over for the official to address us.

We were addressed and taught a few things about traditional objects used for prayer in Igbo land.
And one thing I found out that they take the knowledge of culture very seriously.
Much so that if you fail a question, you'll be told to pay a fine! 😯

We the newcomers were so scared, most especially me....because I know I'm not so good, in speaking the language...not to talk of answering a question.

After all was said, we were asked to change and come out for the questioning.
Yeah....we were asked questions.
By the time they started, it was almost 4pm.

So, the thing is...I signed up for the "ADA"....one of the daughters of the royal council.
There was someone for the post of queen (LOLO), second wife, (IJELE-NZE) and then chief's wife (IYOM).
Those were asked questions before the ADA.

And I wasn't the only one...we were like 8 of them, from different departments.
By the time it was our turn to be questioned by the royal women who would crown us, it was already 6pm.
You can imagine.

All the time, my heart was beating so fast that it could have jumped out of my chest.
When it got to the time for introductions, I forgot to greet them first and was asked to pay 500.
First fail! 🙈

We were all asked 4 questions, all of which I couldn't answer.
Then I was asked to bring 2000, that's 500 for each question I couldn't answer.
Bringing my total fine to 2500.
Man! 🤦
Twas so tough!

And when it was time for them to coronate me, I was told to settle my fine or I wouldn't be crowned.
I was so frustrated and I almost cried....starting to regret why I signed up in the first place.
The thought was,
"I would be in my hostel by now...and I could have just rejected the offer".

Someone from my department eventually bailed me out.
I think it was one of those crowned as the chief 🤔
I thank God for helping me out.

Finally, the moment came for me to be coronated. I knelt down and then was asked for my coronation name.
I called name after name....but they said some other person had used the name.

I looked so stupid, just kneeling down there...as I was the very last one!
Later on, the head queen (Lolo UNIZIK) gave them a name.
I was coronated as
"Adannaya 1 na Psychology".

I took pictures with the rest of the royal family representing Psychology department. I also took solo pictures....and looked good in them.
Being a princess suits me! 🤭

By 8pm, it was over.
Our departmental president took us a nearby spot for ice cream...and I felt like part of a family. It was a good feeling.
And as I told my dad about it, he was so happy...because he always wanted to learn about my Igbo culture.

I got to the hostel when it was already 9pm. I was super tired!
I hadn't eaten anything all afternoon...and I really attacked the food I had with me 😅

Thankfully, my dad had sent money to me, which I used to settle all my debts and pay for my GS fee.
Another thing to be thankful for ✨
A family friend also sent some money...and by the time I paid for all I had to....enough money was left.

Today's experience was one of extreme uncertainties and lots of difficulties.
But through it all, I knew that God was with me....and that He let me pass through all that, to show me that life can be like that.

I simply signed up to represent my class and learn about my culture.
I ended up going through pressure, incuring debts, paying fines and then kneeling on raw, coarse sand for many minutes, to be crowned.
I didn't break, I was just stretched beyond what I could imagine.

I've resolved to learn my language.
Not just speak it, speak it fluently.
That's what will make my family proud....the fact that I'm able to speak my native language and communicate effectively with them.
God help me 😌

That was a pretty long story, if you ask me....
This post is already long and I haven't even shared highlights yet.
Well that's next!
By the way, I'm highlighting daily notes from a 365-day book.

365 Days With Self-discipline
📌 On Better Learning

"Research shows that people who follow strategy B [read ten pages at once, then close the book and write a one page summary] remember 50 percent more material over the long term than people who follow strategy A [read ten pages four times in a row and try to memorize them]."
Quote by Daniel Coyle

Books can change your life, but only if you read them with the intention to learn.
Merely reading a book from cover to cover, closing it, and immediately finding another book to learn from might work as entertainment when reading
fiction.

However, it doesn’t work with non-fiction.
In order to learn, you need to exert a bit more self-discipline and read the book, along with noticing and remembering its key points.

You can highlight important parts, make notes, or write short summaries.
What might be an even better idea than highlighting, making notes, or writing summaries is to make a bullet-point list of its practical applications in your life.

A summary can be helpful if you need to memorize the information in itself, but a bullet-point list of practical implications will be more valuable if you’re after a real education — changing your life through what you read.

Start today with this book.
Grab a notepad or open a new document and make a list of at several practical applications of the advice you’ve discovered in this book.

We’re on day 340, so I’m pretty sure you can make a list of at least 10, if not 100, possible changes you can introduce in your life to instill more self-discipline.

Okay...a few words here.
This is actually a powerful technique for study, especially at the university level.

Once you read a section, close the book and write out all you can remember in your notebook.
That way, you make your mind to work hard by remembering what you have read.
If you don't get it, you relearn and correct yourself.

A lecturer in my department, who we know as "Evangelist", mentioned something about this method as well. He was like, "that's how you do it...that's how you pass".
I'll surely implement this ✍️

That would be all for today's documentation.
Thanks for reading 🎀
And you can catch up on former posts by checking out the main website, Documenting 2025
I've documented all that happened in my life this year, every single day!

See you in the next post 💜