Kwi-Oze is the wearing of copper bangles in time past by Owan virgins. Uokha calls it 'Ayokho'. It is usually done during important festivals. The girls go in groups and almost completely nude except for the Oze and beads around their arms and waists. They moved from gatherings to gathering and even from close villages to villages.

Admirers give them monetized gifts. It is said, these activities are usually the best time for our beautiful lasses to hook our handsome beaux. Those good old days. In Ozalla, the girls do this during their age-grade/manhood ceremonies, Emai and Iuleha do theirs too during their age-grade celebrations too.

Sometimes, some girls do not have to wait for any festival to carry out this traditional ceremony. To the Owan girl of years ago, this ceremony is as important as an initiation into adulthood. Doing it is a matter of pride to them. But alas, this custom has become almost extinct in many Owan communities except Ozalla where you can still see some bold girls do it. To our modern girls, the custom is barbaric. But these same girls will be wearing beads around their ankles and rings on their toes. If you ask me, that one seems more idiotic. Wearing of beads is not only during festivals. Most ladies( married or not) do it all the time and the beads are hardly off their waists as most men find it sexy on their women. Then, there is this other aspect that is also not in vogue now.

A married woman in those days in Owan must wear something( black stringed beads or even black thread or anything that can serve as a necklace) round her neck while cooking for her husband. It is a taboo in those days for a wife to cook for her husband without wearing this. I know, there are many who now think that, these customs were obnoxious but I do know for certain that, it was during the observance of these customs that our community was more civilized, organized and our youths more disciplined. I love my culture.

One of our sister, Oikpor Patricia Omozefe has this to say about this beautiful cultural event,

"Its sad , those beautiful cultures and even festivals have all gone extinct.
I remember back in the days,while leaving with my grandma at uokhai
I was made to kwi ozo and put on ikpollo stack naked
The oze is silver bangle made of mental
Then the ikpollo is round plastic beads of the black and red string together.As a damsel, u wear the oze on your two hands up to your shoulders and the ikpollo on ur waist and across ur shoulders dividing the boobs
You walk naked in rolls from street to street signifying that u were still a virgin.
And also the Asun( locally made ink) was used to make a beautiful drawing in the bodies of the damsel.
It was even a thing of pride among damsels to boast of the fact that . They gba Ayokho'���"

Yes, I forgot to mention the locally made black ( almost indelible) ink usually used during these festivals to design our beautiful girls. Ooh, we miss those good old these when things were simpler and more beautiful.

To those who do not know. Owan is an ethnic group in the Northern part of Edo State. They are one of the Edoid peoples. Ihievbe, Emai people, Iuleha, Ora, Igue, Uokha, Otuo, Ikhin, Ivbi-Mion, Ivbi-adaobi, Ozalla and , etc.

Source: http://www.oradictionary.com/wearing-oze-and-ikpolo-by-owan-damsels-owan-dignified-and-beautiful-traditions/

StubbornGENIUS:
Please which state are these Owan virgins from?