The naming ceremony was supposed to be held by 4pm that evening but due to the market, Danddy shifted it to 6pm to enable those that went to the market to come back and attend the ceremony.
It was finally 6:00pm, the scheduled time for the ceremony to begin but the invited priest that would perform the ceremony was yet to arrive , though Danddy had a feeling that this might be the case but he didn't dwell so much on it and decided to go bring him himself.
Getting there, he saw the priest pacing to and fro his Porch, anyone with a good sight could easily see how agitated he looks right now.
Upon seeing Danddy, he smiled awkwardly and greeted him.
Danddy smiled back and said to him. Sir, it seems like you forgot my daughter's naming today …..
The priest laughed awkwardly again and said yea …yea…I …think I forgot, not knowing how to reject him out rightly he said, …mine…mine …pardon me my brother let me change into something better and I will be right behind you.
Danddy smiled and said to him …you don't have to worry about me sir, I will just wait here for you so we can go together.
Earlier before Danddy showed up… Rufus and his minions had paid the priest a visit with threats if he honors Danddy's invitation.
So with the threat on his person and his property on one end, and Danddy and maybe the king on the other end, he was in a dilemma on what to do.
But just as Danddy showed up, he is now reconsidering his earlier decision not to honor the invite, and immediately decided on what to do regardless of the consequences.
So as Danddy waits outside, the priest hurriedly dressed and followed him to his compound.
In Danddy's mind he said, if Rufus and the others want to have nameless daughters then that was their business, as for my own daughter…she will have a name…with that he led the priest to his compound so he could complete the naming ceremony of his princess .
The musicians were busy playing and dancing and the few people that came were also dancing and enjoying themselves.
A lot of people that came for the ceremony came either to gain information for tomorrow gossip, or to mock the family for their foolishness…while some others came genuinely to celebrate with the family for the bold step they are taking which they know will bring a lot of trouble if not today then in the future..
Among these set of people people were zubi and Ebube.
So there coming today is a way of showing their support knowing the greater huddle is yet to come.
Finally Danddy returned with the priest in tow. Rufus and his minions who had come to laugh and gloat at Danddy for the absent of the priest, frowned upon seeing the priest there.
The naming officially began with the arrival of the priest who started with greeting everyone in the name of the lord and proceeded to blessing the crowd that came to honor the invite.
Going further He asked that the child be brought to him and so Dabi walked towards her husband and handed the child to him, who then handed the baby to the priest.
The priest lifted the child for everyone to see and then said to all in attendance, who ever that have ill intentions towards this baby should please leave and those who are here to bless her should say words of blessings to the spirit for her …he further stated that it doesn't matter the religion you worship for as long as you are here for the baby you should say words of blessings for her.
After the crowd poured there blessings towards the child the priest then proceeded to pour his own blessings upon the baby and place a shield of protection over her and against those that are out to harm her.
After the blessings ware released, the priest announced that it was time to name her. Then he asked the parent the name they chose for their baby? … because the females are named at home by there mothers while the boys are named by the priest in a grand ceremony as this one.
Danddy told the priest that the name he had chosen will be special for her daughter but that he had invited him to name her as he has done for other countless boys in the kingdom….after he finished speaking there were countless murmuring of disapproval everywhere, the young men present stated their disapproval to what Danddy said, they told him that his daughter will not have the same privilege as them.. as young men they threatened to cause ruckus but Danddy reminded them of whose compound they are in, which quiets them down for the priest to continue.
The priest swallowed hard and cleared his throat before continuing with the ceremony.
Very well my brother as the child is yours, only your wish will be done unto her. So by the authority given to me by the parents of this child to name her according to the leading of the lord .
I hereby call you Zimuzodinma kamsoronaeje Danddy-man.
The whole place suddenly turn quiet…like absolute quietness because no one has ever heard of such a name before…. Although there has never been a public female naming except for the princess, but they all know that these names are different from the usual ones they've heard.
The priest went forward with the ceremony and explained the meaning of the names which is the custom of naming ceremony …
Zimuzodinma means( show me the better way) and kamsoronaeje ( so I can follow) and then her father's name which came last because it is changeable in the future . if it is a male the father's name always come first followed by his own name but because this is a female and by wisdom the priest named her father's name last instead of first.
After explaining the name to everyone to hear the priest then continued with the closing remark.
My brother Danddy-man you gave her to me alive but nameless now am returning her to you alive and named.
Now everyone, I introduce to you all ,Zim or Soro which ever you prefer to call. With that he handed the baby over to the father and excused himself .
The shock was still on everyone's face even as the ceremony came to an end.
And so Zim was named as any other male child in Dawanda kingdom.