Phd) Department of Philosophy/Religion Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo Ebonyi State Nigeria

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Anglican Church As an Agent of Social and Religious Change In Uboma Land

Ifeanyi Okeke (PhD) Department of Philosophy/Religion Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo Ebonyi State Nigeria. [email protected] 08036716310

and

Ewelukwa Roseline Nonye Department of Christian Religious Studies Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe [email protected] (08036517 15)

Abstract

It remains a popular saying that if one does not know where he is coming from; certainly that person will not know where he/she is going. The importance of the history, origin or the beginning of events or institutions in a given society cannot be over emphasized. History and indeed the origin of states, people and events have occupied scholarly time over and over again. To understand the past, is to appreciate the present and forecast or plan for the future. History is the root and foundation of any institution or human society. This work therefore focuses on the coming and influence of the Christian missionaries in Uboma land with particular reference to the Anglican Church and its attendant obstacles, successes, difficulties and challenges. It highlights the encounter of the

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x traditional culture of the Uboma people with Christianity, the struggle for supremacy between the two cultures, what is left of both cultures and reasons behind the survival of the traditional cultural facets and Christian doctrine on both sides and the situation after the struggle. The work relies heavily on interview method of data gathering with a few documented sources. It features a historical survey of the Anglican Church in the Land; the growth and development of the Church and her encounter with the traditional practices including the after effect of the encounter. As it were, it witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly leading to the planting and subsequent spread of the Church in the hinterland. The Church won some grounds, lost some grounds and expectedly compromised some grounds. The contact represents a true picture of a community and culture that witnessed and encountered agents of social and religious change.

Keywords: Anglican, Church, Change, Agent, Uboma

Introduction According to Okafor (2018), Uboma in this context refers to the most southerly portion of old Okigwe Division. Uboma community today is one of the two largest and biggest communities that make up the present day Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State, which was part of the former Etiti Local Government Area after the carving out Obowo Local Government on September 23 rd , 1989 by the Babangida Administration. Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area is located on the Eastern part of Imo State. It is washed on the East by Imo River which separates the Area from Umuahia Local Government Area of Abia State. On the North, it is bound by Okigwe Local Government Area, while on the West it is bound by Ehime Mbano Local Government Area. Southwards, it shares boundaries with Obowo and Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Areas. It occupies a land mass of

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x about 116 square Kilometers with a projected population of 245,976 for 2007, based on a 2.5 per cent annual growth rate on the 2006 census. It is accessible from Owerri through Aguneze Road and lies on Federal Trunk A road from Umuahia to Anara.Ihitte/Uboma Local Government is popularly known as the food basket of Imo State due to the high yield of rice and other farm produce which feed the Umuahia beach at Abia and other parts of the country. Its headquarters Isinweke is about 5 kilometres from Umuahia/Owerri and Umuahia/Mbano rounds junction popularly known as 7 and half and about 4 kilometres from Orieagu market in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area.

There are no known publications on the origin of Uboma. Uzo (2018:2-3) posits that what we know of it today mostly come from oral tradition and socio-archival sources. Here are the two major versions of the origin of Uboma. According to one of the oral traditions, Uboma was founded by a man called Elele. Elele was said to have arrived with his wife to settle in this vast expanse of uninhabited virgin land with rich and lush vegetation. The land was so beautiful and evergreen with numerous streams and rivers crisscrossing the entire landscape. The land was not only fertile but also home to a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, crops and animals. The rivers and streams were also home to numerous aquatic lives. Out of delight and excitement and with gratitude to his “ chi ” for the beauty and the lush of this environment, Elele named his first son, Ugboma. The name Ugboma, as already implied, was purely in appreciation of the beauty and the abundance of nature made manifest in the area. The Igbo word, “ ugbo ”, means beauty. Literarily speaking, therefore, Ugboma means beautiful farmland or rich farmland.

Ugboma was the name at the beginning of time as evidenced in the archives. It is the name that featured prominently in the

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x early European diaries and archival records. It was much later that the name came to be spelt and pronounced in her present form of “Uboma”. This latter or anglicized name, “Uboma”, did not alter the original meaning. Fortunately, both names share the same meaning. Uboma also implies either Uba-oma , which is good wealth or royalty, or an adulterated word for mbaoma, which implies land of beauty. In all, everything about the land meant beauty. This position is known as the theory of migration. However, there is another school of thought though oral tradition too but which posits that Uboma people never migrated from anywhere but that they have lived in their present location since the creation of the world. This is known as the theory of none migration.

Uboma is presently made up of eleven Autonomous communities each having a recognized traditional ruler namely; Abueke with Eze Onyenonachil; Abueke Eluama with Eze A.O Ariawa; Dimneze with Eze Obaji; Ezimba with a vacant stool; Ikpenweafor with Eze Innocent Onuoha; Ikperejere with Eze G. Ogbonna; Okata with late Eze Dr. Allen Okoro; Umuawuchi with Eze Okachie; Umunumo with a vacant stool; Umuoma with Eze Onyemukwuru and Uzunomi with a vacant Eze stool after the death of Eze Nwoku. All the people inhabiting this area called Ubomaare Igbo speaking people. They all understand each other very well as their dialect is called Uboma-Isu.

The origin of Religion and its historical development are easily located in the complexities of theorists like Edward Taylor, Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Max Webber et. al. However, it could be safely posited that the period of religious history begins with the invention of writing about 5,220 years ago (3200 B C) (The origins of writing (Essay) Helbrum Timeline of Art History, the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, www.metmuseum.org). The concept of religion was formed in

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x the 16 th and 17 th centuries (Nongbri, (2013), and Harrison, (1990). According to Morreall et al (2013), ancient sacred texts like the Bible, the Quran, and others did not have a word or even a concept of religion in the original languages and neither did the people or the cultures in which these sacred texts were written.

According to Iherue (2012), the word Anglican arose from an ancient Latin word “ecclesia anglicana” which means the English Church (Church of England). That means a Church which has it form and root in England. Those who belong to this body are identified as Anglicans. The Anglican Church began in the 16 th century (1533/1534), with King Henry V111 of England. Iherue continues that however the name “ecclesia anglicana” had been in use since the 13 th century, and can be traced back to AD.597 when St. Augustine and some monks came from Rome to evangelize England. Bp-Relate (2016), writes that the Anglican Church in Nigeria is the second largest province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptized membership (but not my attendance) after the Church of England. It came into Nigeria in the 15 th century through Augustinian and Capuchin monks from Portugal. The first mission of the Church of England was though, only established in 1842 in Badagry by Henry Townsend.

In 1864 Samuel Ajayi Crowther, an ethnic Yoruba and former slave, was elected Bishop of the Niger and the first black Bishop of the Anglican Communion. Lagos became a diocese of its own in 1919. Later Leshie Gordon Vining became Bishop of Lagos in 1940 and in 1951 the first archbishop of the newly inaugurated province of West Africa. Vining was the last Bishop of Lagos of European decent. Iherue (2012) argues that following the examples of the Yoruba, the Igbo returnee slaves petitioned the local CMS Committee, urging it to send missionaries to evangelize the Niger area (East of the

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Niger). It was not until the year 1857 that a CMS team led by Rev. S.A. Crowther, succeeded in landing at Onitsha precisely on July 27, 1857. That is why every July 27 is often celebrated in the Eastern Dioceses of the Anglican Communion as a special day of thanksgiving to God. From Onitsha, Anglican Church got inland to other parts of Igbo land in Eastern Nigeria as well as Asaba, except for Niger Delta areas.

The Arrival of Anglican Church in Uboma Land

Before the arrival of Christianity in Uboma Land, each Village had its own local gods and or goddesses. According to oral tradition, it readily comes to mind that in Ikperejere for example , “Umuezeala-duru” village had her own 'Ala ' deity ; Umuehie village had god of thunder- “Amadioha”; Umuduru had both 'Ala ' goddess and “Duruonuna” goddess with her shrine located at the stream known by that name – “Duruonuna”.Lemchi Ezuruike (1988) argues that in every society, some youths are born to be home keeping youths, a few others are born adventurists. Examples of the later are found in the persons of one Nwachukwu Nwokenna (later baptized as Joseph Nwachukwu Nwokenna and another adventurous youth called OdughOkeke (later baptized as Daniel Okeke). Both of them travelled out to UmuoparaUmuahia as servants of palm produces buyers namely Eziahuruike and Josiah Obioma respectively. While in Umuopara, Daniel Okeke and Josiah Nwokenna enthusiastically embraced the transforming religious spirit of Christianity. On their return from Umuopara according to Ezurike, the two young and zealous men learnt that the Anglican Church had already been embraced by the Ezeoke Nsu Community in the present day Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State Nigeria with the seat of the Church at Chief Nwachukwu Nwadigo’s house.

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Daniel Okeke having previously lived as a servant in the palace of Chief Nwadigo and Josiah Nwokenna with Enyiamahia.Ezeoke was reported to have embraced the Anglican Christian faith in 1912 and had remained so till date with no other mushroom Churches finding a foot-hold. While the two young men remained in Ezeoke, they both were highly emboldened to accept whole-heartedly all that the (CMS) Anglican was out for - a total re jection of all 'heathen ' practices and worship. This therefore explains why a crusade of gospel preachers and Christian fishermen were led by Josiah and Daniel to fish and defy the goddess of “Duruonuna in Ikperejere – Uboma”. As one can predict, this action considered as rash and sacrilegious by the traditional worshipers, sparked of local resentment and religious fury demanding the execution of both zealous Christian youth. An elder of the Anglican Church in Ikperejere Levi Ezuruike informed the researchers that the two irate local priests of the deities, one Nwuba Amakawu and one Oseke Nwannenna led the entire traditional worshipers of the Community to demand more and severe punishment for the perpetrators of this heinous sacrilege.

Thus , for the families of Daniel and Josiah, other than execution of the two defiant Christian youths, they offered appeasements such as sacrifices, taboo and isolation of their kindred. The two priests of the traditional deities differed in their respective modes of punishment. Nwawuba Amakwu invited one chief Ogoke Nwokeabali of Amakohia (a neighboring Community) who was the then influential warrant chief to carry out his mode of punishment, while chief Nwachukwu Nwokenna appealed to the warrant chief Nwachukwu Nwadigo of Ezeoke who was by then already a Christian to intervene. Eventually chief Ogoke embraced the Christian faith. As could be easily foreseen, one can be sure that the stage was truly and aptly set for the establishment of

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x the Anglican Church in Uboma land through the Church Missionary Society (CMS). Other related factors which assisted in the success of planting the Anglican Church in Uboma land included, the influential chief of Amakohia Community already mentioned before now who utilized the opportunity offered to him by one of the two local/traditional priests to harass the local people with his “Nwosunja” and ndi Odimala by looting and carrying away beautiful young ladies as wives, confiscating some fertile farm lands etc. It will be recalled that in 1915 a group led by Chief Nwokenna and his ndiOdimala was sent to the warrant chief Nwachukwu Nwadigo of Ezeoke for consultation on how to end the harassment and constant menace of Chief Ogeke of Amakohia Community. Chief Nwadigio, advised that the way out was for him and his people in Uboma to embrace the Christian religion. He was also informed that he had to deposit the sum of £15.00 (now about N6, 000) for the posting of a teacher to his home town. This advice was promptly fulfilled.

According to the Building Committee (1988), having fulfilled the preliminary stage for the posting of teacher from Egbu, the CMS Headquarters in Owerri and environs, Rev. Alphasor Chukwuma Onyeabo located a church teacher in 1916. The Obiama Naduru in Ikperejere (Umuduru) was chosen as a place of worship while the church teacher lived in Chief Nwachukwu’s house. It is further remembered that Josiah Nwachukwu Nwokenna was the only son of his father- Chief Nwokonna Nwachukwu. It will be pertinent to add here that when Josiah Nwokenna looked for a wife, he eventually found one at Ezeoke probably owing to his long, familiar, as well as social, and religious contacts with that community. Now with the church functioning in the Naduru’sObiama - a thatched open hall, the local/early worshipers were mainly from Umudobi and Umuduruala (formerly Umuakanazu) kindred as well as Umuduru Okoroafor.Later, as converts increased a

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x piece of land was freely offered to the congregation at Mbara Edomobi Mgbiribo in Ikperejere.

Consequently a bigger thatched church house was erected on that piece of land. As time went on, people like Icheku of Ndiala Ocha Umuoma donated his raffia plantation from where enough raffia mats were obtained for roofing the thatched church house. The first church teacher was Christopher Nwalaeze of Umunya Ogbunike. Sabastine Ekechukwu further posits that by the year 1918, a global incident affected Uboma community. That was the year of influence which afflicted the world after the 1 st world war (1914-1918). The Christians and traditional worshippers alike died in great number as a result of the world-wide disease. Even the 3 rd Teacher of the Church known as Peter Okerengwo of Umuewere in Nguru of the present day Ngor- Okpala and his wife were affected. The poor and unfortunate wife died at Ihitte Afor-Ukwu as she was being conveyed homewards to Umuewere. At this time and stage, many inhabitants of the area understudy and from other villages of Ikperejere joined the worshippers of the new faith at Umuduru.

Fallout of this reason therefore was the urgent need for further expansion. Thus towards the close of 1922, a new site was chosen for all Ikperejere. That site was a thickly forested sacred and fearful land known as the evil forest where dead people who were adjudged to be evil were buried. The land was given to the Anglican Church as her abode by the natives. The land near ‘Orie Ohuru” market square soon the site was cleared in stages and the predominant traditional worshippers watched pitifully as the firmly believed, hoped and expected that the Christian converts would eventually die. However, nothing of such happens, it then resulted in more and more Christian converts joining the Christian faith. Oral tradition

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x has it that such early Christians convert included, James Ochara, Ikoro Ochara, Isaac Nwokenkwo, John Iwunze, Elijah Okeke, Simon Alozie and many more.

When the church site was moved further to a more accommodating place near “Orie Ohuru” market square, a larger thatched building was erected at the spot where one can find the school building that was later modified as a temporary church house. At a later stage, the church building was moved to its present parsonage buildings. All these while the church building was just a mighty mud house with mud seats and thatched roof, still the Constant relocation or movement did not end because of the constant menace of the wind which affect the thatched roof and its building until it reached its location on the hill.

The Anglican Church and Traditional Practices Ejizu (1986) captures it succinctly that the prospect of the traditional religious systems of Africa, in the face of the persistent onslaught of the combined forces of the agents of socio-religious change in the continent of Africa has been a theme in most contemporary writings on the religious history of Africa. It has also been a subject of a number of academic seminar and workshops organized at the various levels in and beyond Africa. The anxiety arose primarily from the rather obvious tremendous toll which the so called “Religions of the Book” (Christianity and Islam) have continued to take on African Traditional Religion. A majority of African have abandoned the traditional gods of their ancestors to embrace either of the two immigrant religions in vogue in the continent. Shrines have been left to crumble and sacred groves destroyed. Many traditional rituals have fallen into disuse and various cult objects and symbols cast away in the wake of conversion. As Mbiti (1967) describes the situation;

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“Africa is caught up in a world revolution which is so dynamic that it has almost got out of human control… The man of Africa must get up and dance, for better or for worse, on the arena of world drama: His image of himself and of the universe is disrupted and must make room for the changing “universal” and not simply “tribal” man”.

The Anglican Church and its birth in Uboma Land shocked the traditional belief system of Uboma people. According to Lemchi Eleazer Ezurike from 1922; the Anglican Church gained a strong footing in Ikperejere town. Many young people had become members of the church or were enrolled in the adult literacy class. The Anglican Church started to look at some of the traditional practices as heathen practices. This was apparent because most of the early teachers were not natives of Ikperejere nor Uboma Land and did not understand the exact practices and involvement of some of these traditional ceremony aware that this Uboma church which started in Ikperejere as a revolution against belief on the worship of ‘Duruonuma” deity and stream, effort were intensified to rid the community of all vestiges of traditional practices. This therefore affected adversely the traditions of the people. At the early stage, it was not easy for the church to differentiate between ornamental traditional practices and what is termed heathen practices.

To drive home this point, it was observed the “Iwa-akwa” ceremony had been one of the ancient and traditional practices of the people. Other ceremonies/festival or cultural practices included village dances. It is to be noted that each village in the community had a traditional dance. Umuduru village had “Ogbom” dance.Umuduru Oghali was known for “Okonko” dance. In Umuehie village, “Abigbo” dance was the order of the day. Umuejere village had “Edere” dance. The people of

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Umuezealaduru had “Okombo” dance while Ikpoto had “Nworughara” dance. Thus every village was known for its traditional dance. This village dance was a rallying point and symbol of unity among the people. It further assisted the elders to organize the younger ones into age-groups/grades. Various age grades/groups were employed in various tasks, such as the annual clearing of streets, carrying and burying of the dead, and also in the selection of representatives for traditional wrestling.

Elder Geoffrey Korie informed the researcherss that the Anglican Church at the time looked at the group of these traditional practices on the Christian converts as usurping the loyalty of the new converts from the church. Many of the new converts were further asked to restrain themselves from attending some of the traditional ceremonies. Many Young men could no longer give attention to the weekly dances. They also started to abstain themselves from the carrying and burying of the dead, especially non-Christians. The new church further instructed the age grade/group of 1932 not to take part in “Iwa-akwa” ceremony. The 1932 age group resisted the instruction because of the social and psychological importance of the Ceremony to the people. It ought to be noted that the Iwa-akwa ceremony identifies a youth as a grown up man/adult. It enables thecelebrate to start getting a share as an adult in the community.

During this ceremony, the young man or celebrant or initiated as it was, is well dressed in traditional cloths and his body is decorated. He attends the market with his age-group. While dancing round the market, the celebrants shoot their guns as a demonstration of maturity. In the olden days, such young men were fit to fight wars.With the resistance of the 1932 age group, the church intensified its pressure in 1935 and by 1938 the age group was suspended from the church for one year.

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The age group of 1941 also resisted the church and was suspended for one year. The age group of 1944 did not perform the ceremony because of the struggle with the church and because they were not ready. In 1945, the ceremony was performed by one of the largest age group in Ikperejere. The Church relented. It did not suspend the age group of 1944 but rather treated them with contempt and neglect.

This social development remained dead-locked until a new Catechist; Nelson Chukwu arrived in the Church. It was this Catechist Nelson Chukwu who found a solution to the problem because of his previous experienced in the Delta region. He therefore suggested that every age group that was performing the “Iwa-akwa’ ceremony should first come to the Church, present itself and offer thanksgiving before the ceremony was performed. In essence, the ceremony was performed in the church given a Christian outlook. This bought joy to both the parents and the celebrants or initiates age groups. From then on, each age group that performs the ceremony every three years presented itself firstly to the church and received the blessing of the church. The “Iwa- akwa” ceremony thus survived, but all the village dances collapsed at the pressure of the church. This collapse of the traditional village dances could be likened to what Ayandele (1973) described thus; The Christianization of the Igbo was nothing short of an epic. Not even in Ijebu Land, similarly physically conquered by the British invaders and where the gospel achieved an amazing success, were the walls of “pagandom” to collapse Jericho-wise as in Igbo Land…This picture of the defeat of the gods in Igbo Land remains substantially authentic, notwithstanding the nostalgic desire of the Mbonu Ojikes for the traditional religion in the forties and the continued prevalence of Jujuism or instincts for the supernatural

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or believe in ancestral spirits portrayed in the work of Igbo novelists like Chinua Achebe and John Munonye.

The suggestion of Bascom and Herskovits (ed. 1959) therefore becomes very apt in this circumstance, where new influences impinge on any society, a student of culture is at once confronted with the problem how much is modified and how much is retained.

Another surviving festival in the land under review is the annual “Iboama” festival. This is usually a day of clearing streets/paths, during which period, people stay at home, women cooked the best of their dishes, men eat and dance and the community is full of joy. It would seem that owing to the nature of this festival, the church did not attack it. The church encouraged the clearing of paths, streams, market places and individual houses. In marriage ceremonies, the new faith allowed her members to participate in all traditional marriage ceremonies, for one reason or the other, this was a means of converting non-Christians and for another it was a means of regeneration and procreation. The leadership of the new faith therefore insisted that converts who wanted to marry should marry from the members of the new faith. The church also insisted that such betrothed women must be sent to a hostel for training before they were wedded in the church. Initially, the hostel for the training of young women was started at Egbu near Owerri the present day capital of Imo State of Nigeria.

It is to be noted further when Nkwerre Parish was created, people from Ezeoke group of churches were sending their engaged wives to Nkwerre (Umudi) for training and counseling. When Ezeoke became a district of its own, the hostel was opened at Ezeoke and young engaged women were sent to the hostel for training in home care and crafts. From

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x the period every of a Christian home was sent to the school, the practice of sending young women to hostel started to decline. Practically, all young women in the church are now Ex-primary pupils, Ex-secondary students or Ex- professional school graduates. The hostels are now completely faced out.

The triumph of the Anglican Church in Uboma over some traditional practices Egbucha (2007) notes that for many historians of African Traditional Religion, it is a surprise to note that Westernization and Arab civilization have become the dominant paradigm by which contemporary observers analyze and evaluate the vast religious changes in Africa. Idowu (1973) identifies the influence of other cultures and religions as one of the agents of religious and social change in Africa. Idowu posits that with this culture contact, African people either forgot their traditional religions or combined their practices with the new religions (probably Christianity and Islam) He points that out that in this condition, the old religions in their conservation mode become a thing of the past. Egbucha argues further that the evangelical revival in Europe in the 19 th Century brought many Christian Missions to Africa. This grew out of two factors; the humanitarian movement to abolish slave trade and the increase in missionary activities in Europe itself which saw the complete evangelization of West Africa as the task which must be done. Falola and Adediran (1983) rightly observes that the result of these two factors launched missionaries to play a leading role in the exploration, exploitation, and the European occupation in West Africa in the 19 th Century. Exploitations were organized into the interior of West Africa not only to preach the Christian doctrine but also to promote the new legitimate trade. Establish model farms and later, to conclude treaties with the interior chiefs.

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Thus, all the Christian dominations mapped out strategies on how to comment the local people to the Christian religion. A look at Father, Shanahan’s report on Igbo Land to the directors of the congregation of the Holy Ghost partners is an indicative of the anxieties of various denominations. As he asserts, the barriers, which prevented Europeans from penetrating the hinterland, has been removed. A new era is opening for the immense Ibo race. The soul of the race is at stake, who will take possession of it? Will it be the godless, or the true envoys of Christ? (Ekechi, 1972). To this, Sundkler (1961) focuses his interest on Bantu Separatist Independent Churches in South Africa. He says that the color-bar in the white churches gave rise to separatism. The implication is that, the nature of the mission churches signifies religious change and this as could be expected, influenced the Uboma people with the coming of the Anglican church in the area. The Anglican Church as one form of social agent had to battle with already existing social orders in Uboma Community.

This new faith played a supposedly laudable role in nursing and preserving twin babies, triplets, outcast in the form of man and woman dedicated to various deities. Osu system was tackled head on and babies born with legs out instead of their heads were nurtured to youthful age. Needless mentioning the rejection of worship of traditional deities, offensive traditional marriages to the church like polygamy. Other practices that had to cave in for the new faith included, the moonlight plays, involving young boys and girls, marriage of osu with Diala, village weekly/annual/seasonal dances. This strict adherence to the dictates of the new faith had its repercussion or backlash on the growth of the younger population of the dynamic Anglican Church congregation. This tended to slow down the influx of new converts as some favoured to remain outside the church fold so as to participate in traditional ceremonies. But what the CMS Church frowned at and

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x rejected out rightly, other denominations connived at and so attracted those rejected to their congregation, for example it is on record that many of the Anglican Christians bolted away as the church disallowed the practice of “Iwa-akwa” ceremony in 1932.

By 1928, the church population had grown and the school population had as well increased. By 1932, the status of the church changed. A catechist Mr. Joel Modebelu of Abagana was posted as the station teacher in charge of both the church and the school.

Development of Uboma Parish of the Anglican Church The Building Committee (1988) posits that the political thoughts of Nigeria between 1950 and 1960 infiltrated into the church. There were strong movement for political autonomy and independence. There were thoughts and talks about the establishment of another parish from the Ezeoke Superintendence. About this time too, the Obowo group of churches had broken away from Umuihi group, following the establishment of Etiti as a county council area made up of Obowo, Ihitte and Uboma. The church in Obowo organized themselves as a group under Ezeoke. Ikperejere took initiative to organize the churches in Uboma into one group. Some churches in Uboma that were nearer to Ezeoke preferred being in Ezeoke to traveling longer distances to join with their kith and kin. Therefore a separate group in Uboma grew up as Lowa comprising Lowa I, Lowa II, Onicha Uboma, Umuawuchi and Uzinomi.

The Ikperejere group of churches comprised of St. Simon 's Church, St. Peters Abueke I, St. Barnabas Abueke II, St. John’s Umuoma and St. Silas Ibi-Abueke bound themselves together and decided to apply for Uboma Parish. In the synod at Onitsha 1947, Mr. M.U Nwaosu the synod delegate and other representatives presented the application. This

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x application as could be expected sparked off series of subterranean movements about Parish creation in Ezeoke district. A combination of other factors made the creation of Uboma parish unrealizable among which is the long distance from one end of the community to another end of the community as well as its rugged topography which made communication then very difficult. It took a very long time and journey until the parish was created and subsequently inaugurated on Saturday 12 th December, 1981 after 34 years of the application and payment of the financial requirement.

Conclusion Fortunately, for the growth and spread of the Gospel, many parishes have been inaugurated in Onicha and Obowo areas. In Uboma land, the Anglican Church can count on newly sons and daughters of outstanding merit in various professions. It does appear that religious imperialism has affected Nigeria and by extension the Anglican Church. The multiplicity of churches is a phenomenon rooted in economic interest, desire for religious independence and the resistance for authority. These became more rampant immediately after the civil war. The church often poses to be searching for salvation but behind her thoughts there were other ulterior motives. The Anglican churches in Uboma are fast losing out membership through deaths of their founding members who had zeal and displayed strong faith in the church. The churches may not be too sure therefore in the present if the younger generation members will follow the footsteps of their progenitors. In the past the Anglican Church was the paramount institution for socialization and instrument for directing the younger ones on the proper path to follow. Today, it does appear that the youths are drifting away and seemed confused while in search of quick money and white collar jobs. Regrettably, some of these jobs are non-existent as the present economy is on daily basis biting very hard. But all hope is not lost.

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References Ayandele, E.A (1973) “The Collapse of Pagandon” in Igbo Land in Journal of Hist, Soc. of Nigeria Vol. vii, no I.

Babalola, E.O (1976), Christianity in West Africa, Ibadan, Publications International

Bascon, W.E. and Herskovits eds (1959) Continuity and change in Africa, Chicago, University of Chicago Press

Chief SabastineEkechukwu, interview conducted on the 31 st day of December, 2015 at OgbalinaOkoroafor Village Ikperejere

Egbucha, G.C (2007) Religious Change in Birth, Puberty & Marriage Rites in Owerri, Imo State, Aba, Assemblies of God’s Press.

Ejizu, C. (1986) Continuity and Discontinuity in Igbo Traditional Religion in Metuh, E (ed) the gods in Retreat, Enugu, Fourth (1986) Dimension Publishing Coy Ltd

Ekechi, F.K (1972) Missionary Enterprise and Rivalry in Igboland, 1857 – 1914, Vol. 119, Issue 119, Psychology Press.

EleazerLemchiEzurike, interview conducted on the 28th day of December, 1988 at Umuduru Village Ikperejere.

Falola, T and Adediran, B (1983) Islam and Christianity in West Africa, Ile-Ife, University of Ife Press

Harrison, P. (1990): Religion and the Religious in the English Enlightenment, Cambridge University Press.

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Idowu, B (1973) African Traditional Religion; A definition, New York, SCM Press.

Iherue, S. (2012) Understanding Anglicanism at a glance, Lagos, Frans-maggie Limited

Mbiti, J.S. (1969) African Religions and Philosophy, London, Heinemann Publishers

Metuh, E.I (1986) TheGodsin Retreat, Enugu Fourth Dimension Publishing Coy Ltd

Nongbri, (2013) Before Religion: A History of a modern concept. Yale University Press P.152

Sundkler, B.C.M (1961) Bantu Prophets in South Africa, London, Oxford University Press.

The Building Committee ed (1988) The Brief History of St. Simon’s Anglican Church IkperejereUboma, Imo State, no publisher. www.believersportal.com

Levi Ezurike, interview conducted on the 23 rd of December 1988 at Umuduru Village, Uboma

Mr. Geoffrey Korie, interview conducted on the 7 th of April 2016 at Umuejere Village, Ikperejere

Mr. Oliver Igwe, interview conducted on the 22 nd of December 2016 at Umuejere Village Uboma.

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Mkpụrụokwu ndị Nwere Ọtụtụ Nghọta Dịka A Hụrụ Ha N’olu Ndi Ndị Obibiezena

Si N’aka

Anumudu, Maria U. Ngalaba Ọmụmụ Lingwistiks Na Igbo Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri

Ụmịedemede

Ederede nchọcha a bụ maka itule otu mkpụrụokwu ndị mpụtara ha dị ọtụtụ si arụ ọrụ n’olundị Obibiezena dị n’okpuru ọchịchị mgbago ugwu, Owere. Mkpụrụokwu ndị a gụnyere polisemi, homonim na sinọnim. Polisemi na-apụta ihe ebe otu mkpụrụokwu nwere mpụtara abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa n’oyiyi ya. Mkpụrụokwu a bụ polisemi na-ebutekarị mgbagwojuanya nke na mgbe ụfọdụ anaghị ama ihe mkpụrụokwu ahụ na-akọwa ma ọ bụ ihe ọ na-arụtụ aka. Site na nchọcha a, a ga-enweta nghọta mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ nwere mpụtara yiwere onwe ha n’ihi na ọtụtụ mmadụ edebeghị ihe buru ibu banyere polisemi n’olundi ndị Obibiezena dị nso n’Owere. Nke a bụ ihe kpaliri mmụọ edemede a ileba anya n’isiokwu ya. Ebummuuche ụfọdụ edemede a bụ ịmata ma e nwere otu ọtụtụ mpụtara dị na mkpụrụokwu n’olundị ndị Obibiezena si ebute ihe mgbagwojuanya ma ọ bụ nghọtahie ihe mkpụrụokwu pụtara. Nwanchọcha sitere n’aka ụmụafọ obibiezena nweta mkpụrụokwu dị iche iche nke o ji atụtụ nke Wittgenstein tupụtara n’afọ (1933) mere nkọwa mpụtara mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ. A chọpụtara na mkpụrụokwu polisemi pụtara ihe n’olundị ndị Obibiezena nke enweghị mgbagwojuanya ma ọ bụ nghọtahie ọ bụla. Nchọcha a ga- enye aka kwalitekwuo mkpụrụokwu Igbo ma nyekwara ndị ndekọta mkpụrụokwu e ji ede ọkọwaokwu bụ ọbaokwu aka

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x idepụtakwu mkpụrụokwu Igbo izugbe. Ọ gakwa enyere ndị nchọcha ndị ọzọ aka imekwu nchọcha n’ụdị isiokwu a. E ji ihe karịrị mkpụrụokwu iri atọ mere ihe ọmụmaatụ na nchọcha a. Mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara n’olundị ndị Obibiezena kwesịrị ka e were ha tinyekwuo n’ọkọwaokwu bụ ọbaokwu. N’otu aka ahụ, ndị nchọcha ndị ọzọ kwesịkwara ime nchọcha ha n’olundị ndị ọzọ iji mee ka mkpụrụokwu Igbo na-abawanye.

Mkpọlite Dịka O’Grady na Archibald (2009:195) siri kwuo, ọ dịghị mfe ikọwa ihe mpụtara bụ. N’otu aka ahụ, ọ dịghịrị anyị mfe ịkọwa ihe mkpụrụokwu pụtara. Ndimele (1997:155) na (2001:6) sịrị na ọ dịghịrị anyị ikwu ụdị ihe mpụtara bụ. Ya bụ na nkọwa mpụtara adịghị mfe n’echiche ya n’ihi na mmadụ ga-akọwa ya dịka o siri hụta n’ụdị ma ọ bụ n’ọnọdụ ya nke nwere ike mee ka mpụtara ihe ma ọ bụ nke mkpụrụokwu a na- ekwu maka ya bụrụ ihe ọzọ ma ọ bụ pụọ iche. Nke a mere nwanchọcha jiri họrọ atụtụ njikwa okwu dịka Ndimele (1997) na Okeke (2012) ji họpụta ya. Atụtụ a na-egbo mkpa aghọtaghị ihe polisemi na-ebute. Nwanchọcha na-elegide anya sọọsọ na mpụtara mkpụrụokwu ndị e ji mere ihe ọmụmaatụ n’ederede a. ọ bụghị ileba anya na mgbatị mpụtara ha. Ọ dị mkpa ikwupụta ebe a na ndị Obibiezena nwere ọtụtụ mkpụrụokwu nke ụfọdụ n’ime ha bụ nke ha nwetara site na ndị agbataobi ha ndị bi n’okpuru ọchịchị ime obodo ọzọ dịka Imerienwe nke dị na Ngor-Okpala. Iji mee ka ihe ndị nwanchọcha mere ebe a daba adaba ma nwee nghọta zuru oke, a kọwara mkpụrụokwu ndị a; Sinọnim na Homonim. Nke a bụ iji mee ka a hapụ inwe mgbagwojuanya ma ọ bụ nwee mpụtara okwu na mkpụrụokwu a na-ekwu maka ya.

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Atụtụ Nchọcha Atụtụ Nkọwa Mpụtara Mkpụrụokwu Atụtụ nchọcha nwanchọcha ji mee nchọcha a bụ atụtụ nke Wittgenstein (1933) tụpụtara. Ọ bụ ya ka o jiri mere ihe mgbakwasị ụkwụ n’ederede a. Atụtụ a na-achọpụta mpụtara mkpụrụokwu na otu e si kọwapụta mkpụrụokwu ahụ. Ya bụ na nkọwa mkpụrụokwu ọ bụla na-adabere n’ihe mkpụrụokwu ahụ na-egosipụta n’ebe na n’otu e si jikwaa ya n’asụsụ ahụ. Otu mmadụ si kọwapụta onwe ya n’ihe ọ na-ekwu dị oke mkpa n’ihi na ọ na-eme ka a mata ihe mmadụ bu n’obi ma ọ bụ ihe ọ chọrọ ime ma ọ bụ ikwu nke ọ chọrọ ndị ọzọ ka ha soro ya mata. Atụtụ nkọwa mpụtara mkpụrụokwu a na-enye aka ịkọwa ihe mkpụrụokwu polisemi niile pụtara n’olundi ndị Obibiezena. Atụtụ a bụ nke ndinechiche nsinụụbụrụ. Atụtụ a na-akọwa na mpụtara ihe bụ ihe na-agbata mmadụ n’uche mgbe a kpọtụrụ ya bụ ihe aha. Ha kwenyere na echiche ihe nwere ụdịdị izugbe na nke myiri izugbe. Iji maa atụ; a kpọọ mkpụrụokwu a bụ “Mmadụ”, ihe na-abịa n’echiche mmadụ bụ: 1) Onye Chineke kere 2) Onye nwere agwa/omume mmadụ, dgz. Site n’atụtụ a, a gaghị asị na ọ bụ nwoke ma ọ bụ nwaanyị sọọsọ, nke a bụ (echiche myiri) kama dịka mmadụ, njirimara ya gụnyere; nwoke, nwaanyị, nwata, ndị ntorobịa, nwaanyị ọcha, nwoke ogologo, nwata ọma, dgz. Nke a bụ (echiche izugbe ndinechiche) Atụtụ a dabara adaba maka nchọcha a n’ihi na ọ bụ atụtụ nghọta okwu nke na-eme ka a gụnye mkpụrụokwu mpụtara ha dị ọtụtụ dịka o si yitewe n’olundị ndị Obibiezena iji mee ka nghọta okwu were dị mfe. Dịka Wittgenstein si kọwaa n’akwụkwọ ya a kpọrọ n’asụsụ bekee, ‘Philosophical Investigation” dịka Ndimele (1997:26) kwuru, mpụtara mkpụrụokwu ọ bụla e kwuru na- agbado ụkwụ n’ụdị e si kwuo ya. Ngụpụta a gụpụtara atụtụ Wittgenstein bụ maka iji gboo mkpa nke atụtụ ‘nrụtụrụaka’ na atụtụ nke ‘mbuniisi. Iji kwadoo nke a, Anyanwu (2008:188)

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x sịrị na mpụtara ihe e kwuru na-apụtakarị n’ihe site n’ọnọdụ e ji jikwaa ya bụ mkpụrụokwu. Akmajian, Dermers, Farmer na Harnish (2008:236) sịrị, “mpụtara ihe e kwuru bụ otu e si jikwaa ya n’asụsụ”. Chomsky (1957:15) na Mbah (1991:1) n’akwụkwọ Akidi (2014) kwuru na ihe mmadụ ji asụsụ eme bụ ihe ọ ma banyere asụsụ ahụ. Ihe nke a pụtara bụ na mkpụrụokwu ọ bụla dị n’ụwa na-egosi na ọ dị mkpa. N’ihi ya, mkpụrụokwu ọ bụla dị n’ụwa nke a naghị eji ekwu okwu ma ọ bụ eme ihe, bụ ihe abaghị uru. Ya bụ na mkpụrụokwu ahụ ekwesịghị ịdị adị ma ọlị. Ihe ọ bụla mmadụ na-eche banyere mkpụrụokwu na ụzọ ọ bụla ha si chee ya, bụ ihe mkpụrụokwu ahụ pụtarala ndị ahụ. Mkpụrụokwu ọ bụla nwere mpụtara abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa na-egosi otu ndị nwe ya si jikwawa ya, ụdịdị e ji were ya kwuo okwu na ọrụ mkpụrụokwu ahụ na-arụ n’asụsụ ahụ. Ọtụtụ mgbe, a na-eji mkpụrụokwu ndị nọbu anọ enweta mkpụrụokwu ọhụrụ, nke na mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ e mepụtara na-eketa oke nwere myiwere ma ọ bụ nke nwere ndịiche, mana ọdịdị e ji ejikwa mkpụrụokwu ahụ na-egosi mpụtara na otu mkpụrụokwu ahụ kwesịrị ịdị. Mpụtara ihe ọ bụla na-egosi ụzọ e si etinye ihe ahụ n’ọrụ. N’ikwu ya n’ụzọ ọzọ, ọ bụ ihe ndị kpọrọ ihe ha ka ọ na-abụ. Nke a pụtara ihe n’ilu ndị Igbo na-atụ sị na aha ị kpọrọ nwa nkịta gị ka ọ ga-aza. Ndimele (1997) na (2001) kọwara sị, n’asụsụ, mkpụrụokwu anaghị enwe mpụtara ebe enweghị ihe dị ya ma ọ bụ na nkịtị, kama ha na-enwe mpụtara yiwere onwe ha. Ọ bụ nke a mere Ihejirika (2008) jiri si na mkpụrụokwu ọ bụla a na-eji ekwu okwu ụbọchị kwuru ụbọchị nakwa n’odide ihe, a na-ahụ, mkpụrụokwu ahụ ka ihe yiwere onwe ha n’ụdị nhazi mmebe okwu ọhụrụ ya ma ọ bụ na ndepụta ya n’ahịrịokwu. Ihe nke a pụtara bụ na ọ dịghị mkpụrụokwu na-anọ n’efu. Na njikwa okwu, mkpụrụokwu na-agakọta ọnụ iji gosipụta mpụtara, nke na-apụtakarị ihe n’ọrụ ha, njikwa mkpụrụokwu ahụ na nghọtahie ihe mkpụrụokwu ahụ bụ.

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Ajụjụ Nchọcha 1. Otu okwu o nwere ike inwe ọtụtụ mpụtara? 2. Otu ụdị nsupe na otu ụdị mkpọpụta okwu o nwere ike ibute mgbagwoju anya/nghọtahie na mkpụrụokwu ahụ? 3. Kedụ ihe ndị nwere ike inye aka gbochie nsogbu nke nghọtahie mkpụrụokwu?

Ntulegharị ihe e Derela Na ntulegharị ihe ndị e dere banyere isiokwu a, mkpụrụokwu ndị a ga-eleba anya n’ederede a gụnyere homonim na sinọnim. A ga-elebakwa anya n’ọmụmaatụ ha n’ihi na ọtụtụ ndị mmadụ na-aghọtahie ihe sinọnim, homonim na polisemi bụ.

Sinọnim: Nke a bụ ọtụtụ mkpụrụokwu nsupe ha, mkpọpụta ha na ụda ha na-adị iche iche mana mpụtara ha na-abụ otu. E kwugharịa ya n’ụzọ ọzọ, Sinọnim bụ otu mkpụrụokwu nwere mpụtara abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa nke na-adị iche n’ụda, nsupe na mkpọpụta. Sinọnịm na-agbagwoju ụfọdụ mmadụ anya nke na mgbe ụfọdụ, ha na-ewe ya ka polisemi. Nke a ka Emenanjọ, Ume na Ugorji (1990:59) kpọrọ “Myiri” n’asụsụ Igbo. Nke a bụ mkpụrụokwu ndị nwere nsupe, mkpọpụta na ụda dị iche iche n’ebe ibe ha nọ ma nghọta ha bụ otu dịka na; 1. Ǹtàkù ̣na ǹtag̀bù (aggression) 2. Ású ̣na ónụ ́mṃ ̀ ìrì (saliva) Ndimele (1997:56) kọwara na nghọta mkpụrụokwu gbadoro ụkwụ n’ụdị ha jiri yie onwe ha. Ọ gara n’ihu sị na okwu iyiwe onwe ha pụtara na mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ na-arụtụ aka n’otu ihe. A bịa n’asụsụ, e nwere mkpụrụokwu ndị na- eyiketa ibe ha n’uju ebe ụfọdụ anaghị eyiketa ibe ha. Ndị yiketara ibe ha n’uju bụ ndị ahụ nwere otu mpụtara n’agbanyeghị ebe ma ọ bụ ọnọdụ ha. E nwere ike iji ha kwuo okwu ma ọ bụ rụọ ọrụ n’otu ọnọdụ nke na nghọta ha agaghị agbanwe. Ndị nke eyiketaghị ibe ha bụ ndị nke nwere otu ihe

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x e ji amaatụ ma nghọta ha dị iche. Ihe nke a pụtara dịka Ndimele (1997:57) kọwara bụ na n’ụfọdụ mkpụrụokwu, ọnọdụ ha na-abụ otu n’otu ebe, ma n’ebe ọzọ, ha adị iche. Ndị dịka Palmer (1981:88), Okolo na Ezikeojiakụ (1999:182), Ndimele (1997:56) na (2001:162) rụtụrụ aka na sinọnim bụ mkpụrụokwu ndị dị iche n’ụdị ya mana ha yiwere ma ọ bụ yie onwe ha na mpụtara ha. Akidi (2014) na nchọcha o mere n’Osina, kọwara na a bịa n’Osina, e nwere ọtụtụ mkpụrụokwu ndị na-egosi sinọnim (myiri) dịka ha dị n’olundị ndị Igbo ndị ọzọ. Ya bụ na e nwere ọtụtụ mkpụrụokwu ndị nwere otu mpụtara n’ụzọ ọ bụla e si lee ya anya. Ụfọdụ nwere mpụtara yiwere ibe ya ebe ụfọdụ nwetụrụ obere ndịiche. Dịka Ndimele (1997:56) siri kwuo, sinọnim pụtara inwe otu nghọta n’okwu mgbe e ji ya ekwurịta okwu. Ma nke bụ eziokwu bụ na e nwere mkpụrụokwu ndị dị n’asụsụ nwere otu mpụtara n’ebe ma ọ bụ n’ụdị e ji ya kwuo okwu, nwee ebe ọ gaghị enwe otu mpụtara mgbe e ji ya kwuo okwu. O’Grady na Archibald (2009:191) kọwara na sinọnim bụ mkpụrụokwu ma ọ bụ nkọwa nwere otu ụdị mpụtara n’ebe ụfọdụ ma ọ bụ n’ebe niile e ji ya kwuo okwu. Ka anyị lee anya n’ọmụmaatụ ndị a:

Ndị nke nghọta ha yiketara ibe ha 3. Onye ọ bụla (anybody) 4. Onweghị onye ọ bụ (no body) nke ọ bụla (any one) onweghị nke ọ bụ (no one)

5. Ndị niile (every body) 6. Ehihie (noon) onye niile (every one) etiti ụbọchị (midday)

Ndị nke nghọta ha eyiketaghị ibe ha. 7. Ihe isi ike (hard). Dịka akị bekee siri ike ihe ịra ahụ (difficult). Dịka enweghị ego/ihe oriri. 8. Ǹrámáhú ̣(hardly) ǹdı́nụ ̀ụ ̀kọ ́ ̣(scarcely 9. Ìkạ́ áká (ripe) dịka ọka, (ihe ndị a kụrụ n’ubi) ìtózù ókè (mature). Dịka mmadụ ma ọ bụ anụmanụ

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

10. ǹtákırı́ ̣ /oberé ̣ (small). Dịka nwata ahụ dị ntakịrị ìpé m̀ pé (little). Dịka nri ahụ pere mpe Site n’ọmụmaatụ nke ndị mkpụrụokwu ha eyiketaghị ibe ha, anyị hụrụ na n’ọnọdụ ụfọdụ, mkpụrụokwu nwere ike nọchite anya nghọta mkpụrụokwu ọzọ n’ahịrịokwu. Iji maa atụ, anyị nwere ike ịsị “ịka aka” yiwere “itozu etozu”. Dịkwa ka mgbe anyị sị ‘ji’ ahụ kara aka. Nwoke a tozuru etozu ịlụ nwaanyị. ‘Ipe mpe’ yiwere ǹtákı́rı̣ ́/óbérẹ́ dịka anyị nwere ike ịsị: ‘nri ahụ e nyere ya pere mpe’, ‘nwata ahụ dị ntakịrị ịlụ di’. Ahịrịokwu ndị a pụtara otu ihe n’ihi ihe e bu n’obi na ọnọdụ a hụrụ ha. Ọmụmaatụ mkpụrụokwu ụfọdụ ndị ahụ n’Obibiezena gụnyere:

11. náánı ̀ ̣ 12. Ìbìkà Only lies

sòọ ́sọ ̀ ̣ ùghạ̀

13. óólo 14. ǹtìshì

no Short m̀ bà m̀ kpìrìshì mkpùnmkpụ ̀ ̣

15. ntàkù ̣ 16. ǹkújạ́ aggresive Shock/astonish

ntàgbù ǹhújạ́

17. ásù ̣

ónụ ̀ṃ ̀ mírí saliva

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Homonin: Nke a bụ mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ nwere otu ụdị mkpọpụta na nsupe mana mpụtara ha na-adị iche iche. O’Grady na Archibald (2009:192) kọwara na homonim na- apụta ihe ebe otu mkpụrụokwu nwere mpụtara abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa gbara elu. Okolo na Ezikeojiakụ (1991:181) sịrị na ihe dị oke mkpa bụ na a na-akpọpụta mkpụrụokwu homonim otu e si akpọpụta otu ụdị mkpụrụokwu mana mpụtara ha na-adị iche iche. Crystal (1997:185) n’aka nke ya kọwara homonim dịka ụdị mkpụrụokwu nkọwa nghọta mpụtara ha dị iche. Echiche ndị odee a niile na-arụtụ aka n’atụtụ mpụtara na mkpụrụokwu nke mkpọpụta ha bụ otu. Nke a na-egosi na mkpọpụta ha ga-abụrịrị otu mkpọpụta, a gaghị enwe ndịiche na mkpọpụta ha. ọmụmaatụ ụdị homonim ndị a n’asụsụ bekee bụ “allowed” na “aloud”, “bail” na “bale”, ‘buy’ na ‘bye’, ‘loan’ na ‘lone’, ‘meat’ na ‘meet’. Site n’ihe ọmụmaatụ ndị a e nyerela n’asụsụ bekee dịka Palmer (1981:101) kọwara, o doro anya na homonim na polisemi abụghị otu. Homonim, dịka Ndimele (1997:63) siri kọwaa na-ebute mgbagwojuanya ebe otu mkpụrụokwu nwere ike inwe mpụtara abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa. Homonim bụ mkpụrụokwu ndị eyiweghị onwe ha. A na-eji usorookwu ha nke nwere otu ụdị mkpọpụta mana nghọta ha na-adị iche were amata ha. N’asụsụ Igbo, mkpụrụokwu homonym adịchaghị dịka ha dị n’asụsụ bekee ebe e nwere okwu ndị dịka

18. -meet → zute , 19.-buy → zụta ihe, -meat → anụ, -bye → ka ọ dị 20. -bell → mgbịrịmgba 21.-tail → ódụ ́dụ ̀ ̣ -bail → ịna nha 22.-loan→ binye 23. -allowed → ịhapụ -tell → gwá -lone → naanị -aloud → ịdapụta ụda

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Site n’ọmụmaatụ ndị a e nyerela n’asụsụ bekee, anyị ga-ahụ na nghọta mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ dị iche iche n’agbanyeghị na ha nwere otu ụdị mkpọpụta.

Polisemi : Nke a bụ mkpụrụokwu ndị nwere otu nsupe ma ha nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara ma ọ bụ nghọta. Nghọta mkpụrụokwu a bụ polisemi na-adabekarị n’otu ụdị usorookwu. Mkpụrụokwu dịka ọnụ (mouth) nwere nghọta ndị a: 24.ònụ ̀ ̣m̀ madụ → akụkụ ahụ mmadụ si eriba nri n’afọ ònụ ̀ ̣mmìrì → ebe mmiri na-esi abanye n’osimiri 25. ònụ ̀ ̣eyi/oke → oghere ebe anụmanụ si abanye n’ime ala ònụ ̀ ̣ nsi → ebe mmadụ/anụmanụ si anyụpụ ihe ahụ ya achọghị Ìsì (head) nwere ọtụtụ myiwere na nghọta ya dịka anyị ga-ahụ n’ọmụmaatụ ndị a: 26. Onyeisi → onyendu ma ọ bụ okenye nke ezinaụlọ, ụlọọrụ ma ọ bụ ọgbakọ 27. isi mmadụ → akụkụ ahụ kara gbaa elu nke diketara olu. 28. isi ego → ọkpụrụkpụ ego a na-akwụ na mmemme dịka na mmemme alụmdi na nwunye ọdịnaala. N’Obibiezena, e nwere mkpụrụokwu ndị mpụtara ha eyighị otu mana ha nwere otu ụdị nsupe na otu ụdị mkpọpụta dịka na ndị a: Aha ndị mmadụ na-aza 29. Ákıdı̣ ̣ ́ ̀ ụdị nri (name)

Aha obodo (a place) 30 mbà ̀ Nj ụ (refusal) Ngosipụta iwe (scold)

omumeOmume mmadụ (character) 31 àgwà ụdị nri (beans)

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ogwe osisi (stem) 32. ngù

Ihe e ji aghọ mkpụrụ akụkụ (harvester )

Dịka Akidi (2014) na nchọcha o mere banyere mkpụrụokwu nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara (polisemi) n’olundị ndị Osina, kọwara na a bịa n’Osina, e nwere ọtụtụ mkpụrụokwu ndị na-egosi myiri (sinọnim) dịka ha dị n’olundị ndị Igbo ndị ọzọ. Nchọcha ya na-egosi na e nwere ọtụtụ mkpụrụokwu ndị nwere otu mpụtara n’ụzọ ọ bụla e si lee ya anya. Ndị a ka o gosipụtara n’ọmụmaatụ ndị o nyere. N’aka nke ya, Igwe (2002) na nchọcha o mere n’olundị ndị Achị chọpụtara na polisemi bụ ihe bara uru nke na-akwalite asụsụ. Nwanchọcha enweghị ike idepụtacha ihe ndị Igwe chọpụtara n’ihi enweghị ezigbo oge, mana ihe ndị ọ chọpụtara nyeere nwanchọcha aka n’ederede a. Ejele (2003:73) hụrụ polisemi dịka ọtụtụ mpụtara otu mkpụrụokwu nwekọrọ site na nghọta mkpụrụokwu, usorookwu na nsupe ya. Iji maa atụ, mkpụrụokwu a bụ “ihu” pụtara ihe ndị a: 33. ihu mmadụ (human face) 34. ihu akwụkwọ (front page) 35. ihu elekere (face of a clock) 36. ihu ahịa (the gate of a market) N’akwụkwọ O’Grady and Archibald (2009:192), ha kọwara na a na-enwe ọtụtụ mpụtara okwu ebe otu mkpụrụokwu nwere mpụtara abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa bụ ndị yitewere onwe ha. Iji maa atụ:

nke na-enye ihie (light)

37. Ókú ̣ nke ajụghị oyi

nke(hot) na-ere ere (fire )

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Hurford na Heasley (1983:123) sịrị na polisemi bụ mkpụrụokwu yiri otu ebe mkpụrụokwu ahụ nwere okwu yiwetụrụ ya na nghọta. Ndimele (2001:166) hụkwara polisemi dịka mpụtara myiwere ebe otu mkpụrụokwu nwere ọtụtụ myiri ma ọ bụ mpụtara. Ụfọdụ ọmụmaatụ ga- akọwaokwu polisemi

Mmiri (flowing channel) 38. Ó nụ ̣ ̀ Mmad ụ (human mouth)

Nshị (anus)

Eyi/agw ọ (hole or cave ) 39. Ǹtı ̀ ̣ Nt ị mmad ụ (ear)

ọka (class of corn ) 40. Ìshì Ak ụkụ ah ụ (head ) Onye ndu (leader) Ego (main dowry)

41. Áfò ̣ Aha ahịa (market

Mmad ụ (stomach) Qgụgụ oge (year) (eye ) 42. Ányà Alaga /ndụdụ (eye of a

Anyị lee anya n’ọmụmaatụ ndị a niile, anyị ga-ahụta na nkọwa na mpụtara ndị e nyere mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ nwere otu mpụtara yiwere onwe ha. Ya bụ na ihe jikọrọ ha ọnụ sitere n’otu ebe.

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N’otu aka ahụ, Finegan (2011:200) mere ka anyị mata, na mkpụrụokwu abụọ ga-abụ polisemi mgbe mpụtara ha bụ otu ma ọ bụ yiwetụrụ. Tupu mmadụ achọpụta polisemi, ọ ga-achọpụta mpụtara ime nke mkpụrụokwu ahụ. N’ịkwado ihe Finegan kwuru, Palmer (1981:105) sịrị na ụzọ dị iche iche e si akọwapụta ihe polisemi bụ n’ebe homonim nọ bụ ileba anya mata nke bụ mpụtara ime ya. Ejele (1996:121-124) dere na polisemi bụ usoro e ji atụnyere mkpụrụokwu nwere ọtụtụ ndịiche ma ha yiwere na mpụtara ha. Ka o sila dị, myiri dị n’etiti mkpụrụokwu nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara ga-esite n’otu ụdị nghọta okwu pụta. Ya bụ na site n’ihe ndị a tulere n’ederede a, nchọcha a na-arụtụ aka n’oyiyi mkpụrụokwu karịa ka Crystal (2008:373-374) siri kọwaa na polisemi bụ usoro e ji nghọta mkpụrụokwu nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara ebe ọtụtụ mpụtara mkpụrụokwu kwesịrị iyiwe onwe ha. Ọmụmaatụ mkpụrụokwu polisemi ndị ọzọ gụnyere:

Nke na -as ọ as ọ (river/sea/ocean) 43. m̀ mírí Nke na -ezo ezo (rainfall)

Nke a na -a] ụ a] ụ (drinking water )

44 égwú Nke a na -agba agba (dance ) Nke a na-ekwe ekwe (song/music)

Ejije (play/drama) Mmiri 45. ókpò ụzọ (track

MmanyNke e jiịr ịasa (urinary akwa track(soap)) 46. Ńchà Nri (gullet) Nke e ji agw ọ ụgba (sauce )

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47. ánwụrụ Nke a na -akp ọ n’imi (snuff)

Nke na -esite n’ ọkụ (smoke)

48. Ńgwọ Mmanya ngw ọ (palm wine)

Osisi ngw ọ (palm -wine tree

Nke a na-agụ agụ (book) Ákwú kwọ ̀ ̣ Ebe a na -ak ụzi ihe (school)

Nri (vegetable) Ebe ikuku na-aba (nose) Ímí

Nke na-apụta n’ime mmadụ

Akụkụ ahụ anụmanụ (tail) Ọdụ Nke ikpeazụ (last) Ahịa (market stall)

ụgbọala (motor park) Nkw ụ (palm oil) M̀ mánù ̣ Ah ụ (pomade) ụgb ọala (petrol)

Nke e ji ad ụchi akwa (needle ) Ǹdùdụ ̀ ̣

Nke e ji agba qgw ụ (syring )

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Ndịiche Dị N’etiti Sinọnim, Homonim na Polisemi 3. Polisemi bụ otu mkpụrụokwu nwere otu nsụpe ma nghọta ya dị ọtụtụ. (Otu okwu nwere ọtụtụ nghọta). Dịka ‘akwa’. 4. Homonim bụ ọtụtụ mkpụrụokwu nwere otu ụdị mkpọpụta mana nghọta ha dị iche iche (ehihie/etiti ụbọchị). 5. Sinọnim bụ ọtụtụ mkpụrụokwu nsupe ha dị iche iche mana ha nwere otu nghọta/mpụtara.

Nkọwasị Mkpụrụokwu ndị e ji rụọ ọrụ: Nkọwa a na-eme ebe a dabere na myiwere mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara mgbe a na- akpọpụta ha na ụzọ e si egbochi mgbagwojuanya ha. E nwere ike igosipụta nke a site n’ahịrịokwu iji wepụta mpụtara ha ọ kachasị mgbe mkpụrụokwu a na-ekwu maka ya bụ nke enweghị ihe e ji atụnyere ya nke e kwuru na nkịtị. Nchọcha a emetụkwaghị mpụtara usoro mkpụrụokwu, mgbatị okwu, mbụrụ ma ọ bụ akpalaokwu karịa nghọta mkpụrụokwu dịka nghọta mpụtara ya na ọrụ ya siri dị. Ọmụmaatụ: Akụkụ ahụ mmadụ (mouth) Ọnụ Nke ihe na-arị arị (hole)

Mkpụrụokwu ndị a yiwere n’ihi na ha nwere otu mpụtara nke bụ “ọnụ”. “Ọnụ” ka mmadụ ji eri nri na-aba n’ime afọ wee site n’ebe ahụ, a nyụpụ ya ka nshị. N’otu aka ahụ, anụmanụ na-esite n’ọnụ rịbanye n’ime ala gaa biri. Ya bụ na ọ bụrụ ma a kpọọ ‘ọnụ’ na nkịtị, na-ejighị ihe ọ bụla tụnyere ya, onye nụrụ ya agaghị ama ihe a na-ekwu maka ya ma e were ihe dịka ọrụ ọ na-arụ tụnyere ya, onye ahụ agaghị enwe mgbagwoju anya n’ihe a na-ekwu ma ọ bụ na mkpụrụokwu ahụ. Ọmụmaatụ:

Nke na -agba n’abal ị (moon ) Ọnwà Nke dị n’ime otu afọ (month) 34

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O doro anya na ọnwa (moon and month) nwere mpụtara yiwere n’ihi na ha sitere n’otu otu. Nke ọzọ ya bụ, n’ala Igbo, e ji ọnwa agụ ụbọchị dịka mkpụrụ ụbọchị iri abụọ na asatọ (28 days) mebere otu ọnwa.

ólú Nkp ọpụta ụda (voice)

Akụkụ ahụ mmadụ (neck) Mkpọpụta ụda na-esite n’ọgan okwu nke nọkwanụ n’olu. Ya bụ na ha abụọ yiwere otu. Ndịiche ha bụ ebe ha dị na ihe ha na-arụ.

ọdụ Ak ụkụ ah ụ an ụman ụ (tail)

Ebe nkwasa ah ịa/ebe a na -ere ihe (stall/shop) Mkpụrụokwu a bụ ọdụ nwekwara myiri n’okwu mpụtara ha. ọdụ anụmanụ (tail) ka anụmanụ ji anọdụ ala ebe ọdụ ahịa (stall/shop) bụ ebe onye na-ere ihe ahịa na-anọdụ ala ere ngwaahịa ya.

Égwú Nke e ji ụkw ụ agba (dance)

Nke a na -ekwe ka ukwe (song/music) Nkọwa égwú sitere n’otu ụzọ usorookwu n’ihi na mgbe a na- agụ egwu, a na-agbakwa ya agba. Ya bụ na ịgụ egwu na- ebute ịgba egwu. Ha yiwere.

Mmịị/mmanya ngwọ (palm wine) Ńgwò

Oshishi (tree ) Mmịị/mmanya ngwọ (palm-wine) na-esite n’osisi ngwọ (tree) apụta.

Nchà Nke e ji asachas ị ihe (soap )

Nke e ji agw ọ ihe ọgw ụgw ọ (sauce) 35

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Nkọwa okwu abụọ ndị a yiwere n’ihi na ha na-agba ụfụfụ (foaming). Mkpụrụokwu a bụ nchà nwere ike gbagwojuo mmadụ anya, ma ọ bụrụ na e kwughị ọrụ ha na-arụ

Ímí Ak ụkụ ah ụ e ji eku ume (nose ) Ihe na-esi n’imi apụta (mucus)

Ímí (mucus) na-esite n’imi (nose) apụta. Mkpụrụokwu a nwere otu nsupe na otu mkpọpụta n’olundị ndị Obibiezena. Ọ bụkwanụ ọrụ nke ọ bụla ma ọ bụ ọnọdụ ha ga-eme ka a ghọta nke ọma nke e bu n’obi na-ekwu okwu.

ókpò Ebe mmiri si agafe (gutter)

Ebe nri /mam ịrị/qbara si aga (track) Nkọwa ma ọ bụ mpụtara mkpụrụokwu a bụ ókpò gosipụtara myiri n’ihi na ha bụ ụzọ otu ihe ma ọ bụ nke ọzọ si agafe ebe ọzọ.

íhú Nke mmadụ (human face) Nke akwụkwq (front cover of a

Elekere (front face of a clock) Ahịa (front part of the market) Mpụtara anọ ndị a yikọrọ onwe ha n’ihi na ha na-akọwa maka ihe a ga-ebuụzọ ahụ mgbe a na-ele ihe ndị ahụ anya. E nwere ike jiri “ọ nọ n’ihu ya” mere ihe ọmụmaatụ.

Nke na-esite na nkụ na-enwu ọkụ (smoke) ánwụrụ

Nke a na -akp ọnye n’ime imi (snuff) Mpụtara mkpụrụokwu a yiwere onwe ha n’ihi na ha na-eme ka anyammiri pụta mmadụ n’anya. Ọ bụ otu ọnọdụ e ji kwuo ha ga-eme ka a mata nke e bu n’obi

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Nke e ji esi nri (palm oil) Mmánx̀ Nke a na-ete n’ahụ (pomade)

Nke a na-etinye na njini/ụgbọ

Myikọrọ mpụtara mkpụrụokwu a bụ na ha na-eme ka ihe ha nọ na ya hapụ ịkpọkụ akpọkụ ma ọ bụ ịta nchara, kama ihe ahụ na-adị yọrịị ma ọ bụ mụrụmụrụ. Ọ bụ ọrụ ha na ebe e ji mkpụrụokwu a kwuo okwu ga-egosipụta nke bụ nke dịka mgbe mmadụ na-esi nri, mmanụ ọ ga-achọ bụ ‘mmanụ nkwụ. Ọ bụrụ onye sachara ahụ ya, ihe ọ ga-achọ bụ mmanụ ahụ (ude) dgz.

Nke mmadụ na-erite n’qrụ q rụrụ (gain) úrù

Anụahụ nke qkpụkpụ adịghị (flesh) Ihe nkọwa niile a bụ na a na-erite ihe site na mkpụrụokwu a bụ uru, nke sitere na mbọ mmadụ gbara. Nke abụọ bụ site n’anụ mmadụ na-ata.

ízū Ọgụgụ oge nd ị Igbo (week )

ịtụrụ ime (pregnant/conception)

Nkọwa mkpụrụokwu a na-egosi ogo ihe rurula. ọmụmaatụ: ọ bụghị ọnwa ma ọ bụ afọ. Ime a dịkwanụ ebubeghị nnukwu ibu. Ya bụ na ha na-arụtụ aka n’ihe a na-ekwu nke agamibeghị

Ndụdụ Nke e ji ad ụchi uwe (needle )

Nke e ji agbanye mmad ụ ọgw ụ n’ah ụ (syring)

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Nkọwa mpụtara mkpụrụokwu a yiwere n’ihi na e ji ya adụnye ihe dị iche iche mana ihe e ji ha eme bụ ihe butere ndịiche ha. Nsupe na mkpọpụta ya bụ otu.

Nchịkọta Nkọwasị Mkpụrụokwu e ji rụọ ọrụ: Site na nkọwa niile nwanchọcha nyerela ebe a, anyị chọpụtara na n’Obibiezena, mkpụrụokwu ndị nwere myiwere dị ọtụtụ ma bara abara bụ ndị e ji ekwu okwu, mana ha na- apụta ihe n’ọrụ, n’ebe, n’ụtọasụsụ nakwa n’ihe kpatara e ji akpọta ha aha. Ya bụ na onye na-anụ mkpọpụta mkpụrụokwu mpụtara ya dị ọtụtụ ga-aghọta ihe ọ bụ n’enweghị mpụtara ukwu ma ọ bụ mgbagwoju anya.

Nchịkọta Sitere na Nchọcha a Nwanchọcha chọpụtara na ọtụtụ mpụtara nwere ike ịdị na mkpụrụokwu n’enweghị mgbatị, myiri, akpaalaokwu ma ọ bụ mpụtara okwu ma ọ bụ mgbagwojuanya n’olundi ndị Obibiezena. Nke ọzọ bụ na o doro anya na mpụtara mkpụrụokwu ndị yiwere onwe ha gbadoro ụkwụ n’ọrụ ha na- arụ na ọnọdụ e ji kwuo ya bụ okwu. Nke a ka Ndimele (1997:61) kwughere ọnụ sị na mpụtara mkpụrụokwu ọ bụla nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara dabere n’otu ebe. Anyị hụrụ nke a n’ọmụmaatụ ndị e nyerela. Otu ihe ọzọ dị mkpa bụ na mpụtara mkpụrụokwu niile ahụ ga-esirịrị n’otu ebe pulite. Ihe na-egosipụta ndịiche n’ihe onye na-ekwu okwu (okwuu) chọrọ ka a ghọta na mkpụrụokwu ahụ gbadoro ụkwụ ebe na otu e ji were mkpụrụokwu ahụ. Dịka Lyons (1977) na Palmer (1981) siri kọwaa, ebe ‘ọrụ’ na ‘ọnọdụ mpụtara mkpụrụokwu dị ọtụtụ nọ, polisemi anaghị abụ mpụtara okwu ma ọ bụ mgbagwojuanya, ọ naghịkwanụ ara ahụ ịkọwapụta ndịiche ya na homonim. Site na nchọcha a, nwanchọcha chọpụtara na mkpụrụokwu ga- eyirịrị ibe ya n’ime ọtụtụ mpụtara o nwere. Nke a mere Anyanwụ (2008:194) jiri sị na mkpụrụokwu ndị nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara na-abụ nke a na-erite uru site n’asụsụ ahụ karịa

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ịchọwa nkọwa ọhụrụ maka ihe e bu n’uche na ọrụ mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ na-arụ. N’agbanyeghị nke a, ‘ọrụ’ na ‘ọnọdụ’ asụsụ na-egosipụta onwe ya site n’onye na-ekwu okwu ahụ.

Nchịkọta na Mmechi Nchọcha a gosipụtara Mbunuche nwanchọcha nke bụ ịchọpụta mkpụrụokwu ndị nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara site n’ịmata na polisemi anaghị agbagwojuanya site na mpụtara ukwu ma ọ bụkwanụ chọwa mgbatị nkọwa ha n’olundị ndị Obibiezena. Polisemi bụ mkpụrụokwu yiwere ibe ya ma ọ bụ dị iche n’ọnọdụ ya nke nwere ike inwe mpụtara abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa. Polisemi bụ ihe gbasara mkpụrụokwu nke anaghị adapụta na nkịtị. Ebe e nwere mgbagwojuanya n’ihi mpụtara mkpụrụokwu, ihe na-egbo mkpa ahụ bụ iji mkpụrụokwu dị otu ahụ mee ahịrịokwu nke ga-ewepụta mpụtara mkpụrụokwu ahụ. Mkpụrụokwu dị adị kwesịrị iso gbatịkwuo mpụtara mkpụrụokwu ndị ọzọ iji gbanahụ nsogbu na-apụta na mkpụrụokwu ndị ọzọ. Ya bụ na e nyechaa ihe ọ bụla aha n’otu n’otu, ọ ga-ebute ichefu ọtụtụ mkpụrụokwu. Nke a mere Igwe (2002:20) jiri sị na nchọcha o mere n’olundị ndị Achị na polisemi bụ ihe bara uru nke na-akwalite asụsụ”. Ihe karịrị mkpụrụokwu iri atọ e nyere ebe a dịka ihe ọmụmaatụ yitewere onwe ha site n’ọrụ ha, usoro njikwa okwu ha, ebe na ihe ha na-akọwapụta. E kwesịrị iji mkpụrụokwu ndị nwere ọtụtụ mpụtara na-akparịtaụka ma ọ bụ na-ekwurịta okwu n’oge na n’ebe mkpụrụokwu ndị ahụ dabara adaba karịa inwe mkpụrụokwu ndị na-agwụ ike ma ọ bụ nwere ike mebie nghọta ihe a na- ekwu.

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Edensibịa Akidi, F.C. (2014). Polysemy in Osina Variety in Igbo. Igbo Scholars International Journal. Igbo Scholars forum, Nigeria. Akmajian, A., Dermers, R.A., Farmer, A.K., and Harnish, R.M. (2008 ). Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication (5 th ed). New Delhi, Practice Hall of India. Anagbogu, P.N., Mbah, B.M. and Ene, C.A. (2010). Introduction to Linguistics (2 nd ed) . Amaka communications. Awka. Anyanwu, O. (2008). Essentials of Semantics in Mbah B.M. and Mbah, E.E. (ed) History of languages and communications. A festschrift in honour of Prof. P.A. Nwachukwu. Paschal communicationsm Nsukka, P. 194. Chomsky, N. (1957). Syntactic structures. The Hague Mouton. Crystal, D. (2008). A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (4 th and 6 th ed). Black Well Prints, Oụford. Echeruo, J.C. (2001). Igbo-English Dictionary. A comprehensive Dictionary of the Igbo Language with an English/Igbo indeụ. Ibadan: Longman publishers. Ejele, P.E. (1996). An Introduction Course on Language. University of Port Harcourt press, Port Harcourt. ______(2003). Semantics, leụical structural relations. National Institute for Nigerian Languages, Aba. Emenanjọ, E.N., Ume, I.A.O. and Ugorji, J.U. (1990). Igbo Metalanguage (ọkaasụsụ Igbo) Vol I. University press, London. Finegan, E. (2012). Language: It’s structure and use (6th ed). Thomson Wadsworth, Australia. Hurford, J.R. and Heasley, B. (1983). Semantics: A course book. Cambridge University press, Cambridge.

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Igwe, B.A. (2002). A survey of polysemy as leụical Ambiguity in Achi Dialect of Igbo Language. Journal of Arts and Humanities, Unizik Awka p. 20. Ihejirika, R. (2008). Readings in English for Higher Education (ed ). Cel-Bez, Owerri. Ikekeọnwụ, C. and Nwadike, I. (2005). Igbo Language Development The Metalanguage Perspective. C.I.D JAP Press, Enugu. Lyons, J. (1977). Semantics . Cambridge University press, Cambridge. (2009). Language and Linguistics: An Introduction . Cambridge University press, Cambridge. Mbah, B.M. (1999). Studies in Syntaụ: Igbo Phrase structure. Prize, Nsukka. Ndimele, M.O. (1997). Semantics and Frontiers of Communication (2 nd ed). University of Port Harcourt Press, Port Harcourt. (2001). Readings on Language. M. & J. Grand Orbit Communication, Port Harcourt. Nwaozuzu, G.I. (2008). Dialects of Igbo Language . University of Nigeria Press, Nsukka. O’Grady, W. and Archibald, J. (2009). An Introduction to Contemporary Linguistic Analysis (6 th ed) Pearson, Toronto. Okeke, C.O. (2012). Meaning and Thematic Roles in the Igbo Language. Journal of Arts and Humanities, Vol. 13, No. 2, Awka. Okolo, B.A. and Ezikeojiakụ, P.A. (1999). Introduction to Language and Linguistics. Mindeụ Publishing Company, Benin City. Palmers, F.R. (1981). Semantics . Cambridge University press, Cambridge.

Usoro ụdaolu e soro n’ederede a: Usoro e soro tinye akaraụdaolu n’ederede a bụ nke ụdaelu (ˊ) na nke ụdaala (ˋ). Usoro ntinye akaraụdaolu a bụ nke Echeruo (2001) tụpụtara. Ebe akaraụdaolu ndị a na-

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x adịkawa bụ n’elu ụdaume Igbo asatọ ndị e nwere n’asụsụ Igbo. ụdaume ndị a bụ a, e, i, ị, o, ọ, u na ụ. A na-etinye akaraụdaolu na myiriụdaume bụ ‘m’ na ‘n’.

Okwu Ndị Tara Akpụ Sinọnim - okwu myimaziri/myiziri Homonim - okwu myiwere Polisemi - okwu ọtụtụ nghọta/ọtụtụ mpụtara

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Towards An African Socio-Cultural Identity: The Concept of Ikag Andeg Ishig (Initiation into Elderhood) Of the Bakors in Ogoja, Cross River State

Inyamigim, Augustine N. Department of Philosophy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Anambra State Nigeria +234806744969

Introduction The occasion is said to be as old as the origin of the Bakers. In a typical Bakor Clan, age grading is as important as the life of the people. The Age grade system constitutes a vital aspect of the economic and social strength of the people. Consequently, all youngsters between the ages of twelve and above begin to form and organise themselves into age groups. Initially, there is vast membership from three hundred to four hundred members. In the process of growth to adulthood the number strength is reduced gradually, resulting from increase in death rate caused by accidents, natural disasters, wars, etc. as the case may be. It is a fact well established that in a traditional African society, the grown-ups especially men who must have attained elder-hood are entitled to village gatherings. There, vital issues are discussed. For the Bakors, especially the Ishiboris in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State, who is the central focus of this research paper, only the initiates of "Ndeg Ishig" are legible for such gatherings.

Bakor Origin A geographical Affinity It is worth rioting to remark here that a people's culture is the people's history, and the history of a people exposes the origin of that people. Against that background thus, Bakers socio-cultural events for instance, “1kag Andeg

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Ishig” can only be understood when its origin is brought to bear or made explicit. Consequently, then the people who make up Bakor today occupy a contiguous territory that lies within the Northern Cross River State of Nigeria. The area is bounded on the east by the Bokis and Mbubes, on the west by the Ukelles, and Yala, on the north by the Bekwarra and on the south by the Cross River bend. The important physical features include the Aya River which joins the Cross River at Ofun Nta. This river forms the boundary between the Ukelles and Yala on the west bank and the Bakor on the east bank, 1 on the eastern boundary. There is a range of hills within the Boki forest with several rocks and outcrops. The Cross River itself forms the southern boundary 2. Bakor is made up of eight clans: Nkim, Ekajuk Nnam, Abanyum, Nta, Nselle and Nde. The present administrative arrangements divide the people into two. The first three clans listed above are in the Ogoja Local Government Area, while the rest in Ikom Local Government Area. Until very recently little or nothing was known about the Bakor people to the outside world. This development arose from the fact that the area was remote both from the European influence on the coast and Muslim influence in Hausa land and Bornu to the far north 3. Although this development did not imply absolute isolation, the absence of any well known kingdom in the area meant that foreign travellers and visitors were not attracted to the area until the beginning of the British colonization in Nigeria in the 19th century.

Who Are The Bakor? The origin of Bakor is obscure and therefore difficult to explain. This results from the fact that the term "Bakor” used to designate the people is a recent development* However, with the beginning of Colonizationa, number of scholars

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x especially colonial anthropologists and linguists have made interesting speculations on the origin of Bakor. What follows is a review and analysis of these speculations which falls into three broad categories: the first category are those speculations made by earlier colonial administrators/scholars who served in the area, these set especially Sir, H.R. Palmer’s argument is based on the proposition of the Hermitic theory which is an attempt to identify the origins of the disparate groups including the Bakor in this region. He declared their ancestors to come from Egypt or those who came under their influence. P.A. Talbot, an anthropologist supports that the Bakor formed part of "Ekoi tribe of the semi Bantu stock and that they came from the Nile valley” 4. The second group basically the linguistic perspective that had workers in the Bakor area classified Bakor language as "Bantoid" or "Ekoid-Bantu". To be more precise, "Ekoi" came from the Nile valley. They argued that there is a similarity in the pronunciation of the word among the language family spoken in most of sub-Saharan African. "Kongo for instance called a person "Muntu”, while plural is Bantu’ while Swahili similarly calls it "Watu", Duala in Cameroun calls it "Bantu". Due to these similarities, linguists decided to call this group of languages “Bantu" after the term the ancestral language used to designate people. 5" Other groups like Esam, Nta, Alok, Ukpagada, Nkum, etc. claim “Arithochthomous” origins - that is being there from creation. Let us now consider Nkim as a clan within which the people we are concerned in this terra paper are a group namely the Ishibori.

Nkim in Bakor Another category of traditions are those that claim an ancestral homeland outside their present place of abode. This

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x of course is the central focus of this research work. The Nkim clan comprising Ogboja, Adagom, Ndok, Nkemkol and Ishibori, identify Mkimtal as their ancestral home land 6. For instance, from an informant in Ishibori came this tradition. We Nkim were originally at Nkimtal. The Mbube were also there. An Ekajuk man brought salt to the market at Nkimtal for sale, when asked to lead the way to the source of his commodity; he led Shokpad (an Nkim man) and Akan (an Mbube man) to this place. It was these two men who went back and organized the-migration that brought our ancestors 6. Although some Bakor groups can no longer recall how they came to answer their present names, the few examples narrated above indicate that the name of any given group constitutes part of that group's historical experience. If such names are carefully analyzed, they could serve as useful evidence for the reconstruction of the people's past. For instance, the Ishiboris of Nkim who constitute our case study in this work, have traditions especially the "Ndeg Ishig” which mentions" Ntegela Araghante, still existing inWestern Gamenoun on the place their ancestors moved Nkimtal" 7.

Organisation Age-Grade/Set Organisation Basically Bakor is a segmentary society. It has been observed in most segmentary societies that the most highlydeveloped institution is the lineage, and that "the individual has no legal or political status except as a member of lineage 8. Bakor society exhibited a different characteristic in that it was the age set rather than the lineage, which determined an individual's legal and political status. The age set especially in Ishibori served nearly the same functions as the kingship institutions in centralized societies - where political functions were distributed among the male population according to age.

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For the purpose of this work and also for precision, we would for now focus on how the workings of the system when closely examined could provide some kind of framework for the major event that took place in the past, for instance the "Ndeg Ishig" - gunshot/age grade explosion of canons. An age set is defined as "a formally organised, usually named groups of persons within a given age span. 9" Each set may pass through series of stages known as age- grades. As. Bakor society was war-oriented; an important distinction was therefore made between three sets fighting age and those above fighting age (that is those two old to fight). Political power was in the hands of that age and set that had retired from warrior status. These retired warriors are then initiated into elderhood or council of elders. In Ishibori then, this act is what we call "Ikag Andeg Ishig" (Initiation into elderhood). It is the members of such an age set that constituted the village council of elders which directed all the affairs of the community until the surviving members were too old and weak to perform and were replaced by the next set. Every age set was given a name, the members were initiated into warrior or adult status, and that name was retained until it became extinct. But every age set is still remembered in the traditional setting in connection; with its achievements or the major events that took place when they sat on village council (that is while that set was in office). This is because the period when that set sat on the council and took major decisions affecting that community it was regarded as that age set's tenure of office,any achievement or failure of that period was attributedto it. Another important characteristic of age set organization among the Bakor especially Ishibori in pre- colonial time was that a man's first surviving son belonged to the second set below his own. To illustrate this point, we

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x suppose that a man called "Ikon" was a member of "Akibanqon" age set, his first surviving son would be a member of Acolina which was the second set below Akibangon ; Similarly, his first surviving grandson would belong to Aroba age set which was the second below Acolina . This continued along the line to the youngest set. This line of age set had elephant tusk as its emblem and the items making up the insignia of that line of sets passed down the line. In another vein, the women age set is worthy of note*, this group support the men in any festivity. Their arrangements differ from clan to clan among the Bakors. For instance in Ishibori the organization is different. The female ageset is not within the same age bracket with the men set* Reason being that women are endowed with the natural capacity to be caring, thus are motherly. In the event of war, they stay back, preparing and taking food and other needs to their male set who as aforementioned are younger in age. Furthermore like we shall later see, in the case of “Ikag Andeg Ishig”, the female set do all the cooking preparations including serving visitors in the course of the occasion or ceremony* Although chronologically, all male set could be lifted in a single line, there were infact two sets of age set in Bakor within the same bracket - the male set and the female set. The names of individual set (that is of (Males and females) varied from one Bakor group to another but the emblems were the same, For instance if a (man moved from one Bakor clan or village to another, he only needs to mention his set's emblem and everybody knows where he belongs. What is important for the purpose of establishing a relative chronology for Bakor origin, age set organization and the festivities therein is that the average length of time during which each age set served on the village council was approximately half the average generation length* This meant that, using the thirty year generation length, each age set

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x served in the village council for an average of fifteen years. When it vacates office another set next to it in the order of seniority which had to be from another line* had to complete its own tenure on the council before its son's age set took over in about thirty years’ time. With such a background both of Bakor origin that the Bakors are and the age set organization which forms the crux for a better understanding of this research, one is better placed to discuss the main issue at stake - namely the initiation proper.

Atu-Ikag Andeg Ishig (Pre-Initiation Arrangement / Organisation) This festival is often celebrated by every age grade in Bakor at the dawn of eighty years if members are not blessed to stay long on earth or at the age of eighty-five for those who are blessed with life and are also strong. In the wake of the age limit, members within that age set, deliberate duly and a signal is sent to the council of ruling elders a month to the festival for approval. The elders after several consultations, deliberations and assessments, having found them worthy, endorse and approve a date for the celebration and initiation. In return* members are expected to accept the approval symbolically. This is done through the presentation of a dwarf white cow by a delegation chosen amongst them. This they present alive to the ruling council of elders who are now at the verge of retirement. Then a day is fixed for the killing of the cow. In the morning of the fixed date, the elders gather in the village square- known in Bakor as "Itegela Ureng. They get themselves sited under the biggest tree known as "Ugug” in the custom and tradition of the people. Then a man entitled for the slaughtering of such a significant dwarf cow emerged somewhere from within, with a well sharpened knife. At his arrival, all the elders of the people rise to prayers. The leader

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x of this group of elders leads in a short prayer of incantation to the gods of the land with seven pieces of colanuts and a calabash of water. At the close of this prayerful incantation, the calabash and its contents are thrown on the ground to seek the approval of the gods. The covering of the close end of the calabash signifies the acceptance of the gods, while the opposite denotes the disapproval of the gods, which means that another date have, to be fixed* At the approval or acceptance of that symbolic gesture of the people by the gods, both the age grade (age set) and the elders come to a consensus, then a date is fixed for the festival proper. This is usually seven days interval before the festival proper . Each member now retires home to start negotiating for the purchase of the necessary items to be used for the festival. On individual basis, money is given to one's wife for the purchase and preparation of food for the private entertainment of guests whereas on the general note, a certain amount is donated by each member for a collective entertainment done in the village square, on the initiation day. This section of the entertainment is taken care of by the females of that particular age group. The items to be used include goats, fowls, dry fish and perhaps dry beef. Money is also given for the purchase of a reasonable quantity of melon which is used in baking melon cake and moi-moi, then soup condiments. As a major aspect of the preparation, gun powder is bought in large quantities and those whose guns are not in good form either put them in form or get new ones as this signifies warriorship. The village square and its environs are kept clean by the age sets below those to be initiated. While back home, the surroundings are kept clean and neat by the children, friends and well wishers of the initiates. The women do the fetching of firewood and water to sustain them throughout the festival. Cassava is fermented and yams are harvested in reasonable quantities. Three days to the ceremony, the women organise

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x themselves, carry all their fermented cassava to the river for washing. Thereafter everybody retires home for rest till the next day which is eve of the occasion. At the dawn of the day on the eve- all men, beginning from the least age set to the ageset before that of the initiates, set out into the bush to arrange palm fronts and Indian bamboos that are used for the construction of shades where all the invitees ere sheltered and hosted the next day. The women at home carry out their domestic preparation. Moimoi is made from ground melon and kept over the fire till the next day, akpu and yams ore pounded for foofoo. Their husbands do the killing of goats and fowls. The important parts are dried for preservation and presentation to the elders the next day. In the evening, brave men of war and valour keep an all night vigil with dances, explosions of canons and shooting of Dane guns with gun powder.

The Festival Proper On the day of the festival, which is always a day after the market, day (Ayantor), males (both relatives and friends of the initiates) from 20 years and above dress in their ceremonial attires with guns in hand gathered under a very big tree known as “Ugug” by the side of the road leading to the playground. At this juncture, the best drummers in the village, beat a significant sound and all the initiates still in their different homes on hearing, reply with two blast from their guns, indicative and suggestive of acceptance to come out to the square. On assembling, both the initiates and their male relatives and friends take a dancing March to the playground accompanied with songs and shooting of guns into the air. Before their arrival in the village square, the elders of the people are sited under the significant tree called "Ibaen" regarded as a stage tree of strength and wisdom for the elders.

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

It is here that the initiation ceremony takes place, Spectetors also gathers in their numbers under sheds round the arena. There is a continuation of the dance which led the initiatives and their well wishers into the playground brief in a circle round the elders* at the end of this dance, the initiation takes off. At this point, well wishers of the initiates retire to their positions leaving the initiates standing before the council of elders. The chief from amongst the elders makes a prayer of incantation to the gods, with a calabash of water. Thereafter, a service chief known as the “Mgbantol" if present, breaks the colanuts as a sign of peace and long life to the initiates. At the end of this opening prayer, a song is in tuned and the initiates display their very last bravery before the elders and the people. They explode canons’ shoot as many rounds of guns as possible into the air to avoid shooting on people, and demonstrate with acrobatic displays in the case of best dancers who are still strong to do so. After all this, there is a brief silence and the initiates now kneel before the elders who relinquish their authority and mantle of power to the potential new elders, by placing their hands on the heads of each of the participants. At this, a red traditional cap symbol of elderhood and what is called "Idig- Ankom”an insignia of control, majesty and dignity are handed over to each of them. They stand up thereafter in a single file and dance for the very last. Money and blessings are given to them by well wishers. To this end, each new elder now enunciates a proverb to show his eldership and display his wisdom. At the close of this part, food and drinks are served by their female age set first to the new elders, to the retired elders and then to the guests who are usually from the neighbouring clans. After which a closing prayer is done by the new elders in common. As a second part of this ceremony, the new elders proceed in glamour and dance with their full regalia to

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x member’s house that is considered as the leader or patron of that age set. Here special food like pounded yam and akpụ foo-foo, meat, dry melon cake and of course moimoi and palm wine among others are served to the new elders, and then to their invited guest. At the close of the meal, an exchange of hand shake and embrace is done followed by the closing prayers. The next day, there is a visitation exercise conducted to all the houses of their departed age mates, signifying togetherness. This is done with dances, in the process of which money and palm wine is offered by the diseased family. This is typical of African belief in the spirit of the dead as still operating among the living.

Philosophical Significance The significance of this initiation cannot be overemphasized. Firstly, it has a legal standing. Going back to history before the advent of colonialism, Africans had native courts which were quite different in structure and organisation from the present day courts.In that regards the Council of Elders so initiated significantly formed customary court whose member settled dispute among warring person or groups* They served as the wisdom well of the people since counsel and pieces of advice were sought from them. Thus they take decision on crucial matters concerning the village. It is pertinent to note here that an initiate could be denied participation in the face of his incapability or the lack of wisdom to do so. It further served as an insurance scheme which we have today. This is because part of money realised from the sales of the village land and properties are shared among such elders. They also get share of meat realised from games or hunting. They acted like the police and the military of today. Since they had attained the warrior state, they defended the

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x territorial boundaries of the community from threat of external aggressions. They maintained peace and order in the village. Socially, the festival and its celebrations created an atmosphere for relaxation and pleasure for the enjoyment of the villagers. Educationally, this festival helped to redirect and shape the world view of many youths in the community, though, it was an informal education. These youths who were given to dubious acts and had no future ambitions received inspiration and encouragements from the initiation ceremonies. This education is sourced from the words of encouragement and pieces of advice given to the initiates and their responses made to that effect.

Philosophical Justification The ultimate aim of philosophy is to arrive at wisdom which gives us truth about the world around us, Embeded in the Celebration of "”IKAG ANDEG ISHIG" is moral and political philosophies as we find them in the history of western philosophy. The first philosophers had focused their attention upon nature: the Sophists and Socrates shifted the concerns of philosophy to the study of man. Hence Stumph, S. E. says "instead of asking the large cosmic questions about the ultimate principle of things, philosophy became preoccupied with questions relating more directly to10 man's behaviour" 10 . The philosophy of the Bakors cannot be separated from their morality, and political philosophy. The festival was meant to mould the moral status of the people of Bakor. Justice was to be upheld by the initiates who acted as advocates, Justice for Socrates, is a true virtue that will bring happiness to a man hence, his dictum “man know thyself," was the foundation for the moral search of man whose ultimate purpose is to achieve happiness. For the Bakors again, the festival provided men who were custodians of law and who as such made customary laws

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x for the maintenance of peace and happiness in the community. This has a bearing with Ross moral theory and Aristotle's theory of morality which says "Every action and every inquiry should be aimed at some good" 11 . Certain laws were made by the initiates to maintain peace and order. This also had justification in the traditional political philosophers’ position like Plato, Aristotle, Hoboes, Rousseau, and Marchiavereli etc. In them, we find different theories propounded as motivated by the distress of their different millieu all to achieve some good for the well being of the states and her citizens. So also, the elders in council of Bakor proposed theories which eventually were made rules and laws in the course of time for the growth of the bakor community. For them, whatever man does; should be for the interest of the entire community. This finds a place in Hume's political theory which holds that "man's freedom to be happy, must stop fromwhere the community'sinterest begins. 12 ”

Critical Evaluation and Conclusion: Africans have been indeed richly endowed with significant celebrations or festivities, and the Ishiboris of Bakor Clan are not left out in this rich gift of tradition and culture by nature. The initiation into elderhood (Ikag Andeg Ishig) is one of such rich cultural heritages that cannot be overlooked for its enormous contribution in the making of Bakor history and philosophy in its significance. For as the saying goes, the words of our elders are the words of wisdom. This saying is forestalled by the "Ikag Andeg Ishig" of Ishibori in Bakor. However important this significant festival has been to the improvement and development of the life view of the Bakors, it has not been without some flaws. Some questions that come to mind at this point are: has the celebration really fulfilled its utilitarian and heuristic functions? Have the initiates who could somehow

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x be compared to Plato philosopher kings maintained their titles and status quo? Does the festival fulfill its social significance, hence shaping the world views of the Bakors? These and similar other questions border our minds as critical scholars after looking at the festival in question. Looking at the festival itself that is in its essence as a social celebration it has actually served it purpose. Peaceful co-existence with the neighbouring clans and village has been forestalled. The elders so initiated are proper to their age not quasi ones. As to the question whether the elders or now rulers of the Bakors have really fulfilled titles, one would not say a yes or no abruptly. This is because there have been abuses and usurpation of powers by the greedy ones. For instance in adjudication of justice between warring parties, we find elements of partiality influenced by bribery and perhaps prejudices or sentiments. For instance, in the year 1991, late Elder Aju who was the ward head of Ikaptang Ward in Ishibori village was almost linched by the youths due to his incessant display of injustice and partialities in cases that were so glaring. Some age set indulge in draining the community's treasury, selling lands illegally and mismanaging such funds: Such illegal practices dater the development of the community, the construction of social amenities is thwarted as such monies would have been used for such projects. It is worthwhile to conclude here that philosophy began from man's search for wisdom or truth about the environment surrounding him. Therefore, philosophy cannot be done in a vacuum; it must be influenced by one social, cultural, political or economic background. C. Ijiomah certifies this in his lectures explaining Hacker and Backer's position in "construction" that "philosophizing must be done by an individual within his

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x geographical birth place. That is why Pitcher says, once philosophy is not accustomed by nature, it is not right" 13 . The Bakors are not far removed from this fact by the Ikag Andog Ishig festival. The festival has moulded the wisdom and world views of the Bakor indigenes to think and reason as Africans do, within their context. One would suggest here that to correct the inadequacies of the leaders, the eldest man be introduced into their council to check and enroll them whenever they deflect from the proper way, because he is older and more experienced.

Glossary of Words Ikag Anoeg Ishig -Gun shot/initiation festival Itegela Ureng -The play ground or village square Ibaen -A mangrove tree ISHIG: -Age grade Itegelaaraghante-The Square made up of mangrove tree Ikori: - Love Akibangon: -Bullet Ugug: -Iroko tree Ayantor: -Market day Mbga-Ntol: -Deputy Chief solely in charge of service of any kind in the village during important gatherings. Idig Ankom: A short stick with a loose end of hairs from a goat skin References 1. A few Bakor groups, however occupy the west Bank of the river including Ntare-aya, Mfom and Ishibori. 2. Erim, E.O. “The upper Cross River Region” in M.B. Abasi-attai (ed): A history and culture of the Upper Cross River, Enugu, Harris Publishers. 1990, pp 10- 11. 3. Elle, M.S. (1995) Bakor Nationality: A study in the evolution of an ethnicidentity in the upper Cross

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River Region of Nigeria (1700-1963) Ph.D. Thesis. University of Calabar, P.15 4. Palmer, H.R. Tribes of Nigeria. File No. 15911 vol. 1 (Kaduna Archieves) summarized in A.E. Afigbo Ropes of sand: Studies in Igbo History and Culture as qoted in Elle M.S. Bakor Nationality, pp 15. 5. Taibot, S.A. (1992) In the Shadon of the Dush, analyzed views in S.O. Onor, Ejegham nationality in the Cross River Region of Nigeria: A study of its origin and development to 1900 (Ph.D) unpublished thesis, University of Calabar, pp. 111. 6. Gabbs, D.W. (1965) Ekoid-Bantu languages of Ogoja in Ello M.S. Bakor Nationality, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, pp23. 7. Chief D.I. Iwong. (82) Oral interview. (1992) 8. Chief D.I. Iwong (82) 1992 An oral interview 9. Amadi, the relevance of oral tradition, pp. 67 10. Onwejesgwu, M.A. (1975) The social anthropology of African: An Introduction. London, Heinemann, 2087. 11. Ijiomah, C.O. (2000) Unpublished lecture notes in “Africa Philosophy” titled “Gon truction and Deconstruction in African Philosophy’. University of Calabar, Calabar, February, 2000. 12. Stumph, S.E. (1971) Philosophy: History and problems. New York, MCGraw hill Book Co., p. 20. 13. Nidditch, P.H. (ed) (1979) David Hume: A Treatise of Human Nature. Oxford, Clarendon. Pp. 18.

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Nkwenye N’Ịlọ ụwa: ka O Si Pụta Ihe N’okpuje Nsụka si n’aka Akaeze, Chiọma M. Dept of Linguistics, Igbo and other Nigerian Languages University of Nigeria, Nsukka (08035531080) [email protected] na Ezesinachi, Juliet N. Dept of Linguistics, Igbo and other Nigerian Languages University of Nigeria, Nsukka (08033223859) [email protected] na Ugwuoke Pris cilla E. Dept of Linguistics, Igbo and other Nigerian Languages University of Nigeria, Nsukka (08037786613) [email protected]

Ụmịedemede Nchọcha a lebara anya na nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa dị ka ọ si pụta ihe n’ala Okpuje nke dị n’okpuru ọchịchị Nsụka. Mbunuche nchọcha a bụ ịchọpụta ka e si ahụta ịlọ ụwa n’ala Okpuje, ndị e nwere ike ịlọrọ ụwa na ka mmemme akwamozu si emetụta nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa n’Okpuje Nsụka. Atụtụ a gbakwasịrị ụkwụ wee mee nchọcha a bụ atụtụ Bayọsentrisim/anwụanwụ na atụtụ Alọmụwa nke Roger Ebert. Atụtụ ndị a na-eme ka a hụta na ndụ anaghi akwụsị ma ọnwụ gachaa kama na ọ na-anọ mgbe ebighi ebi. Mpụtara echiche ndị a bụ na ọnwụ abụghị “e jechaa ọ gwụ” kama na e nwere olileanya ma ọnwụ gachaa. Ngwa anyị ji mee nchọcha a sitere n’ajụjụ ọnụ a gbara ndị okenye iri ndị mara ihe ekwe na-akụ gbasara omenaala Okpuje. Ọzọ bụ site n’ihe ndị a

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x gụtara n’ọba akwụkwọ na ọwa ozi bụ ihe ndị metụtara isiokwu anyị. N’ọhịa nchọcha, anyị chọpụtara na ndị Okpuje kwenyesiri ike n’ịlọ ụwa. Ọzọ kwa, ihe nchọcha anyị ziputakwara na nwoke nwere ike ịlọrọ nwaanyị ụwa, nwaanyị nwekwara ike ịlọrọ nwoke ụwa, mmadụ nwere ike ịlọrọ onye dị ndụ ụwa, mmadụ nwere ike ịlọ ụwa ọma ma ọ bụ ụwa ọjọọ dịka ụdị ndụ onye ahụ biri siri dị. Uru a chọpụtara na nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa n’Okpuje bụ na ọ na-ebute ndị mmadụ ịgba mbọ bie ezigbo ndụ n’ụwa ka ha nwee ike ịlọ ụwa ọma n’ụwa ha ọzọ. Arọ anyị tunyere bụ na ihe ọmụmụ gbasara omenaala na nkwenye ndị Igbo dị oke mkpa idị na-agawanye n’ihu maka ọtụtọ ala Igbo na aha ya. Okwu ndị dị ọkpụrụkpụ: Ọnwụ, ndụ, omenaala, nkwenye, ịlọ ụwa.

Ndubanye Omenaala bụ ihe e ji mara ndị. Ọ bụ usoro obibi ndụ e ji mara mba. Ọ bụ osinaka nna, baa n’aka ụmụaka. Anọzie (2003) kọwara na omenaala bụ ụzọ dị iche iche ndị mmadụ si ebi ndụ na etu ha si eme omume. N’ihi nke a, anyị nwere ike ịsị na omenaala bụ ihe ndị na-eme ma burukwa ihe e ji mara ha. Nke gụnyere obibi ndụ, echichi, erimeri, nkwenye, alụmalu, nakwa ọtụtụ ihe ndị ọzọ.

Nkwenye bụ okwukwe siri ike na ọnọdụ iwere na ihe bụ eziokwu. Ọ bụ ihe a nabatara na ọ bụ eziokwu ma na- emekwa ya n’ụwa. N’ala Igbo, e nwere ọtụtụ nkwenye dị iche iche dị ka nkwenye na chi ukwu, obere chi, ọkara mmadụ ọkara mmụọ, ihi anụ, arụsị, ogbanje, ịha mmiri, amosu, ịgba afa, ịlọ ụwa na ndị ọzọ. Nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa bụ otu nkwenye zuru Igbo ọnụ. N’ịkwado nke a, Onwubiko (1991) kwuru na ndị Igbo kwenyere na mgbe mmadụ dị ndụ ma mechaa nwụọ,

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x e lie ya, na ọ bụghị na ndụ ya akwụsila, kama na ọ ga-amalite biwekwa ndụ ahụ n’ụwa ọzọ.

Ndị Igbo kwenyere na ọ bụrụ na mmadụ ebie ndụ n’elu ụwa, ọ bụrụ na o biri ndụ ya ahụ nke ọma, ọ ga- alọghachi azụ n’ụwa biekwa ndụ ọzọ. Nke a ka a na-akpọ ịlọ ụwa. Ọtụtụ mgbe, ọ bụrụ na ihe na-esiri mmadụ ike n’ụwa, a na-anụba ka onye ahụ na-asị na ya ga-alọ ụwa ọzọ ka ya wee bụrụ ọgaranya. Mgbe ụfọdụ onye bụ nwoke ga-achọzi ka ya bụrụ nwaanyị n’ụwa ya ọzọ. Ihe ndị a na-ezipụta nkwenye ndị Igbo n’ịlọ ụwa. Mgbe ụfọdụ, Igbo na-ekwenye na mmadụ na- alọrọ enyị ya ma ọ bụ ndị ọgọ ya ụwa. Ayọgụ (2010) kọwara na ịlọ ụwa na-egosi ezi mmekọrịta dị n’etiti mmadụ na ibe ya. N’ ịkwado ihe Ayọgụ kwuru, Nze (2018) kọwara na mmadụ na-alọrọ mmadụ ụwa iji wetara ya ihu ọma ma ọ bụ iji mee ka ihe gaara onye ahụ nke ọma. Ihe nke a na-egosi bụ na mmadụ anaghị anwụ anwụ kama mgbanwe ka mmadụ na-eme.

Onwụbiko, (1991) na nkọwa ya n’ịlọ ụwa, kwuru na mmadụ nwere ike ịlọ ugboro abụọ, atọ ma ọ bụ karịa. Ọ sị na ndị biri ajọ ndụ n’ụwa anaghị alọ ụwa kama ha na-awa n’afa oge ụfọdụ, ya bụ na ha na-abịa emesi ndị dị ndụ ike ma ha nwụchaa. Ha lọba ụwa, ọbụrụ nke ọjọọ.

N’ ala Igbo, ịlọ ụwa so n’ otu n’ ime nkwenye ndị anwụbeghị anwụ. Ọtụtụ omenaala Igbo ndị ọzọ na-anwụ n’ike n’ike. Ọnwụ omenaala ndị a sitekarịrị na nsogbu okpukperechi ọhụrụ na-enye ya. Out o sila dị, a ka nwere ndị na-aga ụka ma kwenyesie ike n’ịlọ ụwa. Nke a kpalitere mmụọ anyị ime nchọcha a. Ka nke a siri kwụrụ n’ala Okpuje Asadu, ọtụtụ ihe ndị Igbo kwenyeburu na ha na-anwụ anwụ n’ike n’ike. Ihe ọzọ bụ na ka ọ sila dị, a hụtara ya dị ka ihe dị mkpa ịdị na-arụtụ ọtụtụ omenaala na nkwenye ndị a aka kwa mgbe kwa mgbe. Ọ bụrụgodi na omenaala ndị ahụ anwụọla, a mara na o nwere mgbe ha dị, mara ihe mere na ha adịghịzị, mara mgbe ha ji zute ọghọm butere ọnwu ha. N’aka nke ọzọ,

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x ihe ọmụmụ a bụ iji sonye na ndị na-agba mbọ ịhụ na omenaala, nkwenye, ewumewu, aha na ihe ndị ọzọ gbasara Igbo ekpochapụghị n’ ihu ụwa. Ọzọ kwa, bụ iji donye aja n’ ukwu ndị nwere mmụọ ịme nchọcha na ngalabụ omenaala na ụdị ihe ndị nwekwara ike ime ka ndị mmadụ tụgharịa uche ma lezigharịa anya n’ihe ndị a tụfurula atụfu. Ihe ndị a bụ ihe kpalitere mmụọ ndị na-eme nchọcha a.

Ngwa ọrụ e jiri mee nchọcha a gụnyere ajụjụ ọnụ ndị nchọcha gbara ndị ha họputara iji wee nweta data ha ji rụọ ọrụ. Ndị nchọcha họputara ndị okenye mmadụ iri sitere n’akụkụ ala Okpuje dị iche iche, ndị omenaala doro anya. Ndị ọzọ bụ ihe ndị ọkammụta ụfọdụ derela nakwa nke ụmụ akwụkwọ nyochara maka omenaala ndị dị iche iche. Ndị nchọcha nwetakwara ọtụtụ ihe n’ọwa ozi nke a kpọrọ “internet” na bekee

Mbunuche nchọcha a gụnyere ndị a: i.) itule ịlọ ụwa na mgbe gboo na etu e si achọpụta onye lọọrọ mmadụ ụwa, ii) itule ndị e nwere ike ịlọrọ ụwa, ii) inyocha na itule ọnwụ na akwamaozu ndị Okpuje dịka o si metuta ịlọ ụwa, iv) uru na ọghọm dị n’ịlọ ụwa, na, v) ịtụle ọnọdụ nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa n’oge ugbu a. Ihe ọmụmụ a na-arụtụkwa aka na nkwenye ndị Igbo ọzọ nke na-ekwu na ndị dị ndụ na ndị nwụrụ anwụ na- enwe mmekọrịta. Nchọcha a ga-abụkwa ngwa ọrụ nchọcha n’ọdịnihu.

Nchọcha a dị mkpa n’ihi na ọ ga-enye aka itunye ọnụ n’ihe e megoro maka nkwenye gbasara ịlọ ụwa n’ala Igbo nakwa n’Okpuje ebe a hụtaghị ndị mere nchọcha dị otu a. Ọzọ, ọ ga-enye aka kpọghachi obi ndị mmadụ na nkwenye ndị dị ọkpụrụkpụ n’ala Igbo ma bụrụkwa nke a na-ahụta na mba ụwa ndị ọzọ.

Nchọcha a gbadoro ụkwụ kpọm kwem n’inyocha nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa na ka o si pụta ihe n’Okpuje dị na Nsụka.

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E nwere ihe ndị ọzọ e nwere ike ịmụ maka ha na omenaala na asụsụ ndị Okpuje, dị ka; itughe ụkwụ, irite mma, ise mmiri, ikuchi nwaanyị, inwụ ma, ịgọ ma, ịgba afa, ịkpọ ma, ịkpụ isi di na ndị ọzọ, mana ihe ọmụmụ a gbadoro ụkwụ n’omenaala ịlọ ụwa n’Okpuje naanị. Ọ bụkwa eziokwu na e nwere omenaala ịlọ ụwa n’ala Igbo na n’obodo ndị ọzọ. Ọ dịghị mfe imecha ha niile n’ọrụ nke a. Ya mere ihe ọmụmụ a ji agbado ụkwụ na nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa n’Okpuje naanị.

Ntuleghari Agụmagụ

Ọtụtụ ndị nchọcha emeela ọtụtụ nchọcha gbasara omenaala na nkwenye ọ kachasị n’isiokwu nchọcha a bụ ịlọ ụwa. Ndị nchọcha a ga-atule nchọcha ndị ọzọ e merela metụtara isiokwu a na omenaala ndị Igbo ndị ọzọ. N’ebe a, a ga-akọwa isiokwu ndị dị mkpa n’ọrụ a, atụtụ metụtara isiokwu a na ihe ndị emerela gbasara isiokwu a.

Nkọwa isiokwu

Ilogu (1977) kwuru na ịlọ ụwa bụ ngafe nke mmụọ site n’otụ ahụ banye n’ọzọ nke na-abụkarị n’otu agbụrụ ahụ. Ihe ọ na-akọwa bụ na mmadụ anaghị alọ ụwa n’ebe na-abụghị agbụrụ o si pụta kama ọ bụ n’agbụrụ ya nke bụkwa ebe a ma ya ama ka ọ ga-alọ ụwa. Osayi (1989) kọwara ịlọ ụwa dịka “imụgharị onye nwụrụ anwụ ọzọ n’ezinaụlọ ya ma ọ bụ n’ ezinaulọ ndị ikwu na ibe ya”. Nkowa a yitere ihe Iloga kwuru n’elu ebe a. Ya bụ na mmadụ na-anọ alọrọ ndị ya ụwa. Nke a bụ iji mee ka mgbe ọ bụla ọ ga-alọ ụwa, ndị ezinaụlọ ya nakwa ikwu na ibe ya ga-amata onye lọọrọ ha ụwa.

Ọgbalu (1973) kọwara na ịlọ ụwa bụ mgbe a mụrụ mmadụ ọzọ n’ezinaụlọ a mụrụ ya na mbụ ma ọ bụ n’agbụrụ ahụ a mụrụ ya na mbụ. Ihe Ọgbalu (1973) kwuru na echiche Ilogu, B. (1977) yitere. Ha na-akọwa na mmadụ na-alọ ụwa n’ebe a ma ya ama. Ọnwụ (2002) kwuru na ọnwụ abụghị

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x njedebe ụwa, kama na e nwere ndụ ọzọ mgbe mmadụ nwụchara. Isiokwu nkọwa ndị a niile bụ nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa.

Atụtụ e ji arụ orụ

E nwere atụtụ dị iche iche metụtara ịlọ ụwa mana nke anyị ga-eleba anya na ha n’ọrụ a bụ atụtụ Alọmụwa na nke Bayọsentrizim (biocentrism).

Atụtụ Bayọsentrisim/anwụanwụ

Lanza kọwara atụtụ a n’afọ (2007). Ọ na-akọwa na ndụ anaghi akwusị ma onwu gachaa kama na ọ na-ano mgbe ebighi ebi. Atụtụ a na-akọwa na ọnwụ adịghi kama ọ bụ na mmụọ anyị ka anyị ji eche na ọnwụ dị. Ọ na-akọwakwa na otu onye nwere ike na-ebi ndụ mmadụ abụọ. Ya bụ, nwatakịrị nwere ike na-akpa agwa dịka nwatakịrị dị ndụ, nọrọkwa n’ime ya na-akpa agwa okenye nwụrula anwụ. Ihe ọ na-akọwa bụ na mmadụ dị ndu na-ebi ndụ nke ya ma nọrọkwa n’ime ya na-ebi ndụ onye ọ lọọrọ ụwa; ya bụ onye nwụrụ anwụ. Ọ bụrụ na anyị lee anya nke ọma n’ihe Lanza kwuru, mmadụ anaghị anwụ anwụ kama ndụ na-aga n’ihu ọ bụladi mgbe ọnwụ gasịrị. Ya bụ, mgbe otu mmadụ nọ na-ebi ndụ mmadụ abụọ, o gosiri n’ezie na onye ahụ dị ndụ na-ebi nke ya, na-ebikwa ndụ nke onye nwụrụ anwụ. Ọ bụ ya kpatara atụtụ a ji ekwu na ndụ anaghị akwụsị ma ọnwụ gachaa n’ihi na onye ahụ e cheburu nwụrụ anwụ anwụghi kama ọ dị ndụ n’ahụ ọzọ ebe akparamagwa ya niile na-apụta ihe.

Atụtụ Alọmụwa

Atụtụ Alọmụwa anyị na-agbakwasị ụkwụ na ya bụ nke Roger Ebert (2009) tụpụtara. N’echiche nwa amadị a na ndị ọzọ na- eche echiche ka ya, mmadụ anaghị anwụ ọnwụ nwụchaa kpam kpam. Echiche ndị atụtụ a bụ na ọnwụ zutechaa anụ ahụ mmadụ, mmụọ onye ahụ apụọ gaa n’anụ ahụ onye ọzọ gaa

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x malitekwa ndụ ọhụụ. Mpụtara nke a bụ na mmụọ mmadụ anaghị anwụ anwụ. Atụtụ a na-emekwa ka a mata na ọbụghị naanị na mmadụ ọzọ ka mmụọ onye nwụrụ anwụ na-abanye. Mmụọ onye nwụrụ anwụ nwekwara ike ịbanye n’ime ihe abụghị mmadụ dika osisi, anụmaọ dgz. Echiche a na-egosi na ọ bụ ka onye si bie ndụ ya mmgbe ọ dị ndụ na-ekpebite ebe na otụ ọ ga-esi lọọ ụwa.

Otụtụ ndị mmadụ emeela ihe ọmụmụ gbasara nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa n’ụzọ dịgasị iche iche. Onye dịka Desmond (1987) n’ihe ọmumụ ya gbasara ịlọ ụwa, nke ọ kpọrọ, Reincarnation for every man, n’olu asụsị Bekee, kwupụtara na ịlọ ụwa bụ otu ihe dị mkpa na echiche nke kwenyere n’anwụghị anwụ nke mmadụ. Ọ gakwara n’ihu kwuo na ọ bughị naanị na mba Ijiptu ka a na-eme omenaala ihe gbasara ịlọ ụwa kama na a na-emekwa ya na mba Indịa. Ọ chọpụtara na ndị Indịa anaghị eji ihe gbasara ịlọ ụwa egwu egwu n’ihi na onye wepụ ihe gbasara ịlọ ụwa na ndụ ndị Indịa, onye ahụ emebiela nkwenye na echiche ọma ha niile. Na nchọpụta ya, Desmond mekwara ka a mata na ihe gbasara ịlọ ụwa bụ ihe mere okpukperechi Buddhizim ihe ọ bụ taa.

Chukwude (2005) mere nchọcha ya banyere ịlọ ụwa dịka otu n’ime nkwenye ndị Igbo. Na nchọcha ya, ọ chọpụtara na ndị Afrịka dobere ịlọ ụwa n’ebe dị elu karịa ndị ọcha. Ha kwenyere, na ọ bụ omenaala ha. O sịkwara na ndị ọcha dịka Plato, Pythagoras, Socrates, Robert Lanza dgz, kwenyere n’ọnwụ, kwenyekwa na ndụ ma ọnwụ gachaa. Chukwude chọpụtakwara na ndị ọcha kwenyere na ndụ nke anụ ahụ gachaa, ndụ nke mmụọ ebido. Ọ sị na ndị ọcha hụrụ mmụọ dịka ikikere nke mmadụ, na-adịghị anwụ anwụ, a naghị emetu ya aka, a naghị ahụ ya anya, a naghị ejide ya aka, na nke a naghịkwa emetọ. Ọ hụtara na ndị ọcha nwere nkwenye nke ọdịnaala ha dịka nke ndị Afrịka, n’agbanyeghị na nkwenye ndị a agaghị abụcha otu ihe ahụ. Ebe ndị ọcha na ndị Afrika

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x bụ mmadụ nke nwere myiri, e nwere ike ha ekwenye n’otu ụwa ndị mmụọ. Nchọcha Chukwude na nke a a na-eme yiri onwe ha n’ihi na ha abụọ na-ekwu maka ịlọ ụwa ebe ha sị dị iche bụ na Chukwude lebara anya n’ịlọ ụwa n’ala Igbo ebe nchọcha nke a na-eleba anya n’ịlọ ụwa dị ka o si pụta ihe n’Okpuje. Site n’ihe ndị anyị depụtara na ntulegharị ọtụtụ ọrụ a gbasara ịlọ ụwa, o nwebeghi onye lebara anya na ka ịlọụwa si puta ihe n’Okpuje.

Ụwa (2010) mere nchọcha gbasara ịlọ ụwa, Na nchọcha ya, o kwuru na ịlọ ụwa bụ otu atụtụ ndị mba Afrika nwere bụ ihe dị adị. Nke a mere e ji enye ndị nwụrụ anwụ olili dị ọma. A na-elezikwa ozu ha anya nke ọma iji mee ka ọkpụkpụ ha ọ bụla hapụ igbaji nke ọ ga-abụ mgbe ha ga-alọ ụwa, ha abịa n’ahụ dị mma na-enweghị ihe nkarụ ọ bụla. ọ chọpụtara na ọ bụrụ onye nwere ihe mberede wee nwụọ, a na- ewe ya na onye ahụ nwụrụ ọnwụ erughị eru. N’ihi nke a, mmụọ ndị nna nna anyị ha ga-elekọta onye ahụ. Ọ chọpụtakwara na a na-etinyere ndị nwụrụ anwụ mma, aziza, nakwa anyụ n’ime igbe ha. Nke a bụ ịsị ha je gbuo ndị/onye gburu ha. Ya bụkwa na nke a na-egosipụta nkwenye ụfọdụ ndị mmadụ na mmadụ nwere ike ịgbanyere mmadụ ibe ya ihe mberede nwere ike ibute ọnwụ. N’ime nke a, ha ga-enwe ohere ilọ ụwa n’enweghị ndị ga-egbu ha ọzọ. Ọrụ ụwa (2010) gbadoro ụkwụ na nkọwa ịlọ ụwa ebe ọrụ nke a na-elebe anya na nkwenye ịlọ ụwa dịka o si puta ihe n’Okpuje. Ọrụ abụọ a yiri onwe ha n’ihi na ha abụọ na-eleba anya n’ịlọ ụwa.

Nchikọta Ntụlegharị Agụmagụ

Site na ntụlegharị agụmagụ a, anyị chọpụtara na ịlọ ụwa bụ ozuru mba ọnụ. Ma ndị ọcha ma ndị ojii kwenyere n’ịlọ ụwa. Nke a mere ndị ọcha ji nwee aha gbasara ịlọ ụwa. Ọ bụkwa ndị ọcha wepụtara ọtụtụ atụtụ anyị hụrụ gbasara ịlọ ụwa site n’atụtụ Biosentrisizim ruo n’atụtụ Alọmụwa dgz. Ndị ọkammụta niile anyị nyochara nchọcha dịka ha na-ekwu otu

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x ihe, nke bụ na ịlọ ụwa bụ mmụọ ịlọghachi n’ahụ ọhụrụ ma ọnwụ gatachaa. Na nkọwa ha niile nyere, isiokwu ha gbadoro ụkwụ na ịlọ ụwa dị ire. Ha ahụghị ọnwu dịka njedebe ụwa kama ha kwenyere na ọnwụ gachaa, mmụọ alakwuru nna nna anyị ha ọzọ bụkwa ebe ọ ga-esi lọghachi azụ n’ime mmadụ dịka anụ ahụ ọhụrụ. Ha kwenyere na ndụ ebighị n’ụwa a kama e nwere ụwa ọzọ bụ ụwa ndị mmụọ bụkwa ebe nna nna anyị ha bi.

Ntụcha Data

Na ntụcha data anyị nwetara, anyị ga-eleba anya n’ihe ndị a: Ịlọ ụwa n’oge gboo n’Okpuje, ndị e nwere ike ịlọrọ ụwa, ọnwụ na akwamaozu ndị Okpuje dịka o si metuta ilo ụwa, uru na oghọm dị n’ịlọ ụwa, na ịlọ ụwa dị ka o si dị n’Okpuje n’oge ugbu a.

Ịlọ ụwa n’Okpuje n’oge gboo

Na mgbe gboo dị ka bido n’afọ iri abụọ gara aga laghachi azụ, ndị Okpuje anaghị eji ihe gbasara ịlọ ụwa egwuri egwu. Dịka Oyima Ayọgụ (2018) si kọwaa n’ajụjụ ọnụ anyị gbara ya, o kwuru na a mụọ nwa ọhụrụ na mgbe ochie, ọ nọọ mkpụrụ ụbọchị asaa, ihe a ga-eme bụ igbara ya afa ọnyụ ụwa. Nke a bụ iji chọpụta onye ọ lọọrọ ụwa. Ịlọ ụwa na-adị ndị Okpuje oke mkpa n’oge gboo nke bụ na ọ bụrụ na a chọpụtaghị onye nwatakịrị ahụ lọọrọ ụwa, nwatakịrị ahụ na- arịagide ọrịa tupu a chọpụta onye lọọrọ ụwa. Ngwa ngwa a chọpụtara ya kpọọ ya aha n’ihu nwatakịrị ahụ, ọrịa ahụ na- arịa ya na-akwụsị ozugbo. Mgbe nke a mechara, a na-eweta obere efere dịka efere e ji esu ofe, tinyejuo ya kirikiri ihe dịka ntakịrị akwa, nzụ, odo, abụba ọkụkọ were okwuchi ya kwuchie ya. Ihe a na-akpọ efere ahụ n’olu Okpuje bụ arịa ikpakachị. Mgbe ọ bụla a chọrọ ịgọrọ nwatakịrị ahụ mma (ya bụ mmụọ), a na-ebupute efere ahụ, gọnyebe mmụọ ahụ na ya.

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Ndị Okpuje kwenyere na ọ bụ ihe onye nwatakịrị ahụ lọọrọ ụwa bunyere ya, nke na-azọ ya ndụ.

N’ịga n’ihu, ọ kọwakwara na e nwekwara ụzọ dị iche iche e si achọpụta onye mmadụ lọọrọ ụwa na-abụghi site n’igba afa. Ụzọ ndị a bụ site n’omume onye ahụ, ụdịdị ahụ onye ahụ na ka onye ahụ si ekwu okwu. Ọ bụrụ na ihe ndị a yitere nke onye a mụrụ ọhụrụ, a sị na ọ bụ onye ahụ akparamagwa ya na nke ya yitere ka onye ahụ lọọrọ ụwa. Ọ kọwakwara na a bịa n’Okpuje, na onye mmadụ lọọrọ ụwa na- abụ obere chi onye ahụ. Nke a mere na mgbe gboo, oge a na- eme mmemme “ịgọ chi ma ọ bụ ọgụgụ chi” ọ bụkwa onye mmadụ lọọrọ ụwa ka ọ na-agọ dị ka chi ya. O mere ka a mata na ndị Okpuje na-agọ chi na mmemme Onunu Okpuje n’afọ ọ bụla. Ụbochị a na-agọ chi bụ ụbọchị ‘Afọ ọgụgọ chi.’

Ndị e nwere ike ịlọrọ ụwa

N’osịsa ajụjụ ọnụ anyị jụrụ Ugwoke Oke, o mere ka anyị mata na mmadụ nwere ike ịlọrọ nwa ya, nwa nne ya na enyi ya ụwa. Maazị Ugwoke (2018) kọwara na mmadụ na- alọrọ onye ọ hụrụ n’anya ụwa. O kwukwara na mmadụ nwere ike ịlọrọ mmadụ ụwa ọma ma ọ bụ ụwa ọjọọ, site ka onye ahụ siri kpaa agwa mgbe ọ di ndụ. Nke a butere onye ọ bụla na- agba mbọ ka onye nke ya kpawa ezigbo agwa n’ihi na a maghị onye o nwere ike ịlọrọ ụwa mgbe oge ruru.

Ọnwụ na akwamozu ndị Okpuje ka o si metuta ịlọ ụwa

Opera (2005) kọwara na e kere ọnwụ ụzọ abụọ; ọnwụ ọma na ọnwụ ọjọọ. Nke a metụtara nkwenye ndị Okpuje dịka Atama Ugwu (2018) siri kọwaa na mmadụ na-anwụrụ ọnwụ anwụrụ. Ihe nke a pụtara bụ na mmadụ nwụrụ ajọọ ọnwụ. Ọ bụrụ na nwoke lụrụ nwaanyị, mụta ụmụ, zụọ ha, kaa nka arịaghị ajọ ọrịa wee nwụọ, a na-ewe ya dịka ọnwụ ọma, ọnwụ ọgaranya. Atama gakwara n’ihu kọwaa na ọnwụ ọjọọ

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x n’Okpuje bụ mgbe mmadụ nwụrụ site n’iyi ọ ṅụrụ, site n’ọrịa ojọọ ndị dị ka ekpenta, ụkwụ na afọ ọzịza, mmadụ ịnwụ n’ọhịa, nwaanyị ịnwụ mgbe ọ na-akwa dị ya, na ihe ndị ọzọ. Ọ kọwara na mgbe gboo, na ndị nwụrụ ụdị ọnwụ dị etu a, na a naghị eli ha eli kama na a na-atụfu ha n’ajọ ọhịa ka ha ghara ịloghachị ụwa n’obodo ha ọzọ. O mekwara ka a mata na mgbe a na-eli ndị mmadụ gburu, na e nwere ihe a na-etinyere ha n’akpati ozu ha dịka mma na egbe, nke a bụ ma ọ bụrụ onye ha chere na e gburu egbu. Ya bụ, ya were mma na egbe ahụ chọba ma gbuo onye gburu ya. Nke a bụ maka na ha kwenyere na mmadụ na-adị ike na mmụọ. Ọ kọwakwara na o nweghị ihe a na-etinye n’akpatị ozu onye ha chere na ọ nwụrụ ezigbo ọnwụ.

Uru na ọghọm dị na nkwenye ịlọ ụwa

N’elu ụwa, ihe ọ bụla nwere uru nwere ọghọm. Ịlọ ụwa nwere ọtụtụ uru na ọtụtụ ọghọm. Anyị ga-ebido n’uru.

Ezi ndụ

Nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa na-ebute mmadụ ịkpachapụ anya na ndụ ọ na-ebi. N’Okpuje, ha kwenyere na ọ bụ ụdịrị ndụ mmadu biri n’ụwa na-egosi ụdị ụwa onye ahụ ga-alọ. Nkwenye a na-enye aka mmadụ ịgba mbọ bie ezigbo ndụ, maka ụwa ọzọ onye ahụ.

Nsọpụrụ

Ọzọ kwa, nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa na-eweta nsopụrụ. A chọpụta na mgbe mmadụ lọrọ ụwa ezigbo nna nna ya nwụrụ anwụ, a na-asopụrụ onye ahụ ma na-asokwa ya anya. Mgbe ụfọdụ, e nwere esemokwu n’ezinaụlọ, a na-akpọ ụmụ ntakịrị ndị a lọrọ ụwa ezigbo mmadụ ka ha bịa kpeziere ndị mmadụ ikpe dị n’ezinaụlọ.

Ịhụnanya 69

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Dịka anyị si hụta ya n’ala Okpuje, nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa na-ebutekwa ịhụnanya n’ebe ọ pụrụ iche. Ọtụtụ oge, mgbe ndị mmadụ hụtara nwa ha mụrụ dịka nne ma ọ bụ nna ha lọọrọ ha ụwa, ha na-ejikarị ịhụnanya pụrụ iche eso ya bụ nwa. Ọtụtụ mmadụ na-achọ ka nne na nna ha nwụrụ anwụ lọrọ ha ụwa.

Ọghọm dị na nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa bụ ndị a;

Ntaramaahụ/nsogbu

N’ ajụjụ ọnụ anyị gbara Joel Okeh, ọ kọwara na ọ bụrụ na onye merụrụ ala n’ụwa mbụ ya, a lọrọ mmadụ ụwa, onye ahụ ọ lọọrọ ụwa na-atgagbu onwe ya n’ahụhụ. Ọzọ kwa, ọ na- ebutakwa ọdachị dị iche iche dịka ọ bụrụ na onye ihe ọdachị dakwasịrị wee nwụọ alọrọ mmadụ ụwa, ihe ọ pụtara bụ na ihe ọdachị ga na-abịakwute onye ahụ mgbe ọ bụla. Nchọpụta nke a dabara n’ihe Iwuagwụ (1974) kwuru. Ọ sị na nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa na-ebute nsogbu n’ezinaụlọ, na-ebutekwa ndị kwe ndị ekweghi.

Ụjọ

Nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa na-ebutere ndị mmadụ nọ n’obodo ụjọ mgbe ụfọdụ. Ụjọ a na-apụta ihe n’ebe e nwere ọtụtụ ụmụntakịrị na-anwụ ma a mụcha ha. Uche ndị mmadụ na-abụ na ụmụntakịrị ahụ bụ ndị ọgbanje lọrọ ụwa. Nke a na- ebutekarị ufọdụ ụmụ nwaanyị ụmụ ha na-anwụ ịchịrị uche n’aka maka nlọghachi ụwa ụmụ ogbanje.

Ọnọdụ ịlọ ụwa n’Okpuje n’oge ugbu a

Isiihe, (2018) kọwara na ọnọdụ ịlọ ụwa na nkwenye ya n’Okpuje abughizi ihe e ji ọnụ akọ. Ọ kọwara na ihe niile gbasara omenaala na nkwenye abụrụla ihe a na-akọ n’akụkọ. Isiihe kwuru na ndị ụka ọgbara ọhụrụ a anaghịzi etinye anya na nkwenye e nwere n’ala Igbo ọ kachasị n’Okpuje.

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N’okwu ya oge ndị nchọcha na-agba ya ajụjụ ọnụ, o kwuru na ịlọ ụwa adighizi ire n’Okpuje n’oge ugbu a, nke mere na ihe nhiahụ dị iche iche na-adapụta. Ọ sị na a mụọ nwa, ndị mụrụ nwa anaghị etinyezi uche n’ịchọpụta onye nwatakịrị ahụ lọọrọ ụwa. Nke a mere na ọtụtụ ụmụntakịrị dị etu a na-arịa ọrịa dị iche iche nke a maghị isi ya na ọdụ ya. Mgbe ụfụdụ ha nwụọ, ma a sịghị na ọ bụ mmadụ gburu ha, ndị oyibo ebo ya otu aha ọrịa dị ha mma.

N’Iga n’ihu, Joel Oke (2018) kọwara sị:

Ọnọdụ ịlọ ụwa n’Okpuje n’oge ugbu a bụzi ihe enweghị isi na ọdụ. Joel kwuru na ọtụtụ ndị nne na nna anaghị ekweta na ihe gbasara omenaala dị mkpa n’obodo nke bụ na a na-asị ha lererue anya ala chọpụta ihe na-eme na ndụ ha, ha ewere ya na ọ bụ ikpere arụsị. Joel (2018) mere ka anyị mata na ọtụtụ nsogbu ndị nne na nna ọgbara ọhụrụ na-enwe n’ezinaụlọ bụ ekwetaghị na e nwere omenaala. O kwuru na ndị Okpuje anaghị ewezi nkwenye ịlọ ụwa dị ka ihe nwere isi, nke mere na ụmụaka nọzi n’ụwa ugbu a anaghị amazị na ha nwere ndị ha lọọrọ ụwa ha. Onọdụ a mere ndụ ọjọọ dị iche iche jiri juputa ebe niile, n’ihi na ọ dịghịzi onye maara onye bụ onye.

Nchịkọta na Mmechi

Na nchọcha ihe ọmụmụ anyị banyere nkwenye n’ịlọ, anyị chọpụtara na ịlọ ụwa bụ nkwenye siri ike n’ala Igbo nke Okpuje so n’ime ya. Ndị Okpuje kwenyere na mmadụ anaghị enwetacha ebumnuche ya naanị n’ụwa mbụ ya, kama a ga- enwe ụwa ọzọ bụkwa ebe ọ ga-emezucha ebumnuuche ya niile. Ya mere na onye Okpuje na-ekwukarị sị na n’ụwa ya ọzọ na ya ga-eme ihe dị otu a ma ọ bụ nke ọzọ ma o nwee ka ihe siri mee. O nwere ọtụtụ ihe e depụtara n’ọrụ nchọcha a iji mepee ndị mmadụ anya n’ịlọ ụwa dị ire tụmadị ndị na-

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x ahụtaghi ịlọ ụwa dị ka ihe dị ire. Ọzọ kwa, ịlọ ụwa bụkwa ihe a ga-asọpụrụ dịka otu omenaala na nkwenye ndị Igbo pụtara ihe. Aro ndị nchọcha na-atunye bụ na ndị mmadụ ga-agba mbọ na-emekwu ihe ọmụmụ na omenaala dị otu a na mba dị iche iche ka nkwenye n’ịlọ ụwa bụrụ ihe agaghị anwụ anwụ.

Edensibịa

Anozie, C.J. (2003). African philosophy and though. Enugu: Satellite Press Ltd.

Chukwude, O.I. (2005). Reincarnation in Igbo Philosophy, B.A Project of philosophy. University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Desmond, S. (1887). Reincarnation for every man. London: Press Rider & Co.

Ilogu, B. (1977). Christianity and Igbo culture. London: Press Rider & Co.

Iwuagwu, J.C. (1974). African belief in reincarnation, B.A Project of Religion, A.B.U Zaria.

Nze, A.I (2010). Nchikọta Akwụkwọ maka ule sinịọ secondịrị, (WASSCE 2011-2015). Nnewi: Mis-Fav Publishers.

Ogbalụ, F.C. (1973). Ndụ ndị Igbo. Onitsha: University Press.

Onwubiko, O.O. (1991). African thought, religion and culture. Enugu: Sapp Press.

Osayi, R.E. (1989). After death what neụt? Enugu: Sapp Press.

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Opera, N.A.E. (2005). Comparative study of the Igbo Christian views of life after death, B.A. Project. Department of philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Robert Lanza, (2007), Biocentrism: How life and consciousness are the keys to understanding the true nature of the universe. Amazon Com. USA.

Roger, E. (2009). The ọuantum of reincarnation available in www.rogerebert.com Retrieved 06/6/21.

Uwa, A.E. (2010). Reincarnation and personal identity among the Igbo people of Nigeria: An appraisal. B.A. Project, Department of Philosophy. University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Ndị A Gbara Ajụjụ Ọnụ

Aha Afọ Ebe Ihe ọ na- ubọchi olee obi arụ Ugwoke 65 Okpuje ọrụ ugbo 18-8-18 Ezema Attma Ugwu 73 Okpuje Eze 20-9-18 mmụọ n’ Oyima 84 Okpuje Eze lọọlọ 25-11- Ayogu 19 Isihe Nwaoke 87 Okpuje ọrụ ugbo 29-11- 19 Joel Oke 90 Okpuje Onyezum 21-1-20 iike nka Ogbodo 70 Nsukka Azụmahi 01-1-21 Ogbonna a Enete 68 Nsukka Azụmahi 05 – 1- Nnedinso a 21

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Influence of Christianity on Igbo Cultures: From the Historical Perspectives (1857-2020)

Peter U. Iwunna Department of Educational Foundations University of Nigeria, Nsukka. +2348133523173 [email protected]

Bridget O. Dioka Centre for Igbo Studies University of Nigeria, Nsukka +2349033217027 [email protected]

Abstract

This paper presents a discussion on the impact of the Christian religion on the numerous cultures of the Igbo, located in the southeast area of Nigeria. It argues strongly that the indigenous value systems and local traditions of the people never remained the same after their historic encounter with Christianity, with the consequence that the religion categorized several of the locally accepted practices of the people as idolatrous and pagan-oriented. The implication of this historic clash of values was the automatic transformation of those age-old indigenous traditional and cultural values of the Igbo to fit into the norms dictated and accepted by the expatriate missionaries who propagated the seeds of the new faith among Igbo communities. Even at that, some of the indigenous values which were considered inimical to the doctrines of the new faith were totally abrogated. Dangerously intimidated by the Christian faith, several of those core

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x traditional and cultural values which defined the Igbo became Christianized. However, considering the historiographical nature of this discussion, the qualitative method of data analysis shall be adopted. The result is that the hegemonies encounter between the earlier indigenous cultural systems of the Igbo and their Western counterparts, as replicated by the Christian faith witnessed huge Christianization and Westernization of those traditional values which earlier defined the Igboness of the Igbo.

Keywords: Christianity, Cultures, Historical, Igbo, Influence, Perspectives.

Introduction

The Igbo people occupying the whole of southeast area of Nigeria, northern zone of Delta State, three local government area of Benue State, parts of Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers State and greater part of Rivers State, is the largest Language group in Nigeria. As one of the major ethnic nations which formed the country, the people are predominantly Christians who, according to sources account for more than 90% of the population. Among the Christian denominations however, the Catholic Mission is the most dominant, on the basis of which Igbo land is usually addressed as ‘the Ireland of Nigeria.’ However, there are few persons who still adhere to the African Traditional Religion (ATR), plus a number of migrants from the northern parts of the country who reside among the Igbo and practice the Islamic faith as they conduct their various business activities in different parts of the Igbo area (Arinze, 1986; Ejiogu, 2001; Echeruo, 2002).

The language of the Igbo is Igbo, and the part of Nigeria where they inhabit is known as Igbo land. Based on this fact,

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x authors have come to the conclusion that, in reference to the Igbo, the term – Igbo, speaks of three different backgrounds, namely, the people, the language they speak, and the part of the nation they occupy. It is these three fundamental attributes that really define who the people are, where they live, and the language they speak in the conglomeration of the numerous languages spoken in Nigeria, which has been estimated at about 490 distinct ethno-linguistic nations. In view of her ranking as Nigeria’s largest ethnic nation therefore, it occupies a geographical area of 15,800 square miles, and located between latitude 5 – 7 degrees north, and longitude 6 – 8 degrees on the east (Uchendu, 1965).

Educationally, the Igbo count among the most educated part of Nigeria. Their love for educational acquisition is so large that families, parents, and communities derive great satisfaction in keeping their children and wards in school, not minding the hard economic situations they could be facing at the time. Most Igbo parents prefer to go hungry and keep their children and wards in school. Among the people, educational exploits of family members and relatives attract high accolades among one’s kits and kin. It is to such an extent that successes in examinations by one’s family members attract elaborate celebrations. Among Igbo communities too, members enjoy great pride in investing their collective resources in the establishment of schools, refurbishment of damaged ones, replacement of out-dated teaching and learning facilities, and renovation of classrooms. In recent times, instead of waiting endlessly for government assistance, communities erect water boreholes for steady water supply in schools, modern toilet facilities, and ultra-modern recreational facilities such as football pitches, modern sporting facilities, as well as the erection of functional library facilities (Omenka, 1989; Omolewa, 2001; Iwunna, 2011).

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Professionally, the Igbo are farmers, traders, artisans of sorts, and civil servants. As farmers, they produce rice, beans, yams, cassava, maize, vegetables, palm oil, palm kernel, cocoa, and livestock in commercial quantities. These products are marketed in local markets and across her geographical borders too. As traders, it is a known fact that Igbo people are avid travellers, majority of who trade in assorted items, which include foodstuff, wears, domestic products, furniture, motor vehicles and their accessories, as well as building materials and other construction hard wares. Even as artisans, the Igbo are known for their ability to repair, service, and construct several items needed in homes, offices, and workplaces. They are able and capable of fabricating almost all products needed for the normal functioning of machines, motor vehicles, and other technological devices required at home, and in offices. As civil servants too, the Igbo count among the most educated part of Nigeria, with the effect that there are huge figures of university dons, medical doctors, engineers, scientists, artists, and entrepreneurs who are engaged in different sectors of Nigeria’s economy. The implication is that all Igbo cultures shun indolence and discourage laziness of all sorts, but rather support hard work and genuine entrepreneurship among themselves (Uchendu, 1965; Nkokelonye, 2005; Iwunna, 2011)

The Igbo are a culture-based people. Their attachment to their numerous cultures and indigenous traditions are so much unique and quintessential. The social, religious, economic, and political lives of the Igbo can never be consummated without giving the local value systems their due place of relevance. To that end, it can be confirmed categorically that no average Igbo person, family, or community, can live in isolation of the numerous indigenous values which dictate and determine the overall conducts and activities of her members. Among the Igbo therefore, there are cultures, for instance,

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x which guide the consummation of marriage, burial of community members, naming of a new born baby, initiation into the age grade cult, celebration of the new yam festival, greeting patterns, use of proverbs, and female circumcision, etc. Virtually, there are specific cultures that are associated with every indigenous traditions and value systems celebrated by the Igbo. They are so much unique that none can be completed without undertaking the relevant traditional and cultural process approved by the society (Uchendu, 1965; Onyeagwu, 1989; Chuta, 2008).

The question now is: What is culture? The opinions of a few authors would guide the better understanding of this concept. Among the Igbo, cultures and traditions are simply known as ‘Omenaala Igbo,’ which Mbachu (1998) literally translates as those ‘undocumented constitution that powerfully sways the thoughts and actions of this very dynamic segment of the black world.’ The author goes further to dissect this concept into three core segments as follows: ‘Ome’ – as it is done; ‘Na’ – in or at; and ‘Ala’ – Land surface, or community. Putting this analysis into perspective then, ‘Omenaala Igbo’ could be literally translated to mean – ‘as it is done in or among a given community of people.’ Based on this understanding then, this source concedes cultures and traditions as ‘a mode of action or though adopted by a people from generation to generation.’

At that, Iwunna (2011) concludes that a people’s cultures and traditions are obviously timeless, ageless, and trans- generational. By implication, accepted community value systems are passed on from one generation to the next. On the basis of those indigenous value systems then, behavioural conducts and activities of families and community members are guided.

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Having made these clarifications, it has now become relevant to consider the historical narratives which this paper plans to take into account. Lessons from historical underpin the obvious fact that Christianity entered Igbo land in the historic year of July 1857 through the missionary activities of a team of Christian Missionary Society (C.M.S) missionaries led by Bishop Ajayi Crowther, a former slave of the Yoruba descent. Their arrival at Onitsha on that historic date hallmarked the beginning of Christian missionary evangelization activities in Igbo land. Following their successful entry into the Igbo landscape, a number of key missionary projects were kick-started, which include the erection of schools, enrolment of school children, training of teachers, recruitment of local evangelizers and interpreters, recruitment and training of mission catechists, and the impartation of lessons to school attendees. From Onitsha then, the mission continued to spread into other Igbo communities which included Asaba, Alonso, Abo, Obosi, and Awka areas of Igbo land (Ekechi, 1972; Nwosu, 1982; Ekechi, 1996).

However the good news was that the earlier arrival of the CMS mission created the relevant favourable platforms which facilitated the entry of the Catholic missionaries, as well as other Christian missions that arrived afterwards. The indication is that the earlier presence of the CMS missionaries already in active service led to the smooth take off of the Catholic missionary projects in Igbo land. Specifically, the Catholic missionaries that arrived Onitsha in December, 1885 recruited their earliest team of catechists, interpreters, and teachers from those already trained by the CMS mission. Added to this development is the fact that their vast knowledge of the area and its neighbouring towns and villages enhanced the easy penetration of the Catholic missionaries into the hinterlands. Under the guidance of the local personnel earlier trained by the CMS, the Catholic missionaries were

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x able to spread their evangelization tentacles farther and wider the entire Igbo nation, with the effect that within a short space of time, the mission’s activities had already got into key towns such as Atani, Aguleri, Ikem, Igbariam, Ntedje, Obosi, Awka, Nnewi, Owerri, Mbaise, Nkwere, Aba, Bende, Arochukwu, Nsugbe, Ogidi, Ogbunike, etc (Kalu, 1971; Ekechi, 1996).

As a matter of fact, the Christian conquest of the entire Igbo nation was never abandoned into the hands of these two major missions alone. Other missions, which included the Presbyterian Mission, led by Rev. Hope Masterton Waddell, which had earlier arrived Calabar in 1846 also joined the evangelization project in Igbo land. From its headquarters in Calabar, the mission spread its tentacles to Igbo towns which included Afikpo, Ngwa, Aba, and Arochukwu areas where it established its presence and erected missionary outposts. According to sources, this mission was better known for the educational and technical training opportunities it provided to its students, as was exemplified with the establishment of the popular Hope Waddell Institute, Calabar, in the present Cross River State, which produced the top technicians during the colonial era in Nigeria (Macrae, 1956; Iwunna, 2011).

Remarkably, other Christian missions that engaged in the Igbo land project included the Primitive Methodist Church (1910), which later changed its name to be the Wesley Methodist Church in 1932. According to history, from Uzuakoli her foremost point of entry, the mission spread to areas such as Ngwa, Arochukwu, Umuahia, Abiriba, Owerri, Bende, Ohafia, etc. where it established schools and missionary outposts. Other missions which participated in evangelizing the Igbo included the Qua Iboe Mission (1887), the Adventist Mission, and the Apostolic Church of Christ. Considering the geographical size of Igbo land therefore, it would have been

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x impossible to evangelize the entire nation, as well as provide education to different towns and villages if the project had been abandoned in the hands of the Catholic Church and CMS mission alone. Following the collective participation of several Christian missions, it became possible to cover the massive geographical estate known as Igbo land, with the effect that schools were erected, converts were won, local cultures and traditional values were transformed, even as indigenous personnel were recruited into the project of educating their fellow country men and women, as well as participating in the activities of abolishing and refining those indigenous practices which were inhuman and detrimental to the doctrines of Christianity (Macrae, 1956; Kalu, 1986; Ekechi, 1996).

It is against this background that this paper seeks to discuss some of those key areas of the Igbo culture which have been influenced as a consequence of contact with the Christian faith. A scientific insight into this encounter becomes imperative in view of the need to underline how well the Igbo have shifted from their ancient traditional practices which defined their ancient cultures and traditions. It accepts the fact that cultures are typically human attributes, which distinguish humanity from the rest of creation, and place him higher and above the creatures of God. This is an indication that cultures define who we really are, the values we cherish, the norms we accept or reject, as well as the regulations which guide all human conducts within the society. Through the auspices of cultures therefore, community members are guided to restrict their behavioural patterns within the confines of those values that are approved and accepted by the society where they live or reside.

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Key Areas of Influence

Contact between the Christian religion and the diverse cultures of the Igbo, no doubt made enormous impact on those indigenous values of the Igbo. It is a popular adage that when two giants fight, the grasses suffer. This is an indication that the clash of the expatriate values pirated by the various Christian missions with their indigenous counterparts earlier owned and celebrated by the pre-missionary era Igbo led to a number of innovations and renovations, as shall be discussed under the subheadings that follow:

Cultures of kola nut (Emume Iwa Ọjị)

The culture of kola nuts (Ọjị Igbo) presentation and breaking is very central in the cultural and traditional life of the Igbo. Among the Igbo, the offer of kola nuts is the number one item of hospitality to one’s guests, visitors, and friends at any formal and even informal gathering of two or more persons. In their traditional milieus, the offer of a kola nut is symbolical of the utmost expression of goodwill, love, and undiluted friendship to one’s guests and visitors. As such, this sacred traditional nut is highly celebrated and respected by the Igbo as a unique symbol of open-mindedness and unbiased act of hospitality (Iwunna, 2011).

Among the Igbo then, at an occasion, a gathering, meeting, festival, funeral, traditional marriage, or reconciliations, etc. cannot be said to be complete if Ọjị is not presented. For the Igbo therefore, any event which does not warrant the presentation of “Ọjị Igbo” is inconsequential, unnecessary, irrelevant, and of no importance. Thus, the presentation of kola nuts among the Igbo is the Igbo man’s ultimate language of sincere welcome to his guests into his home, social event, festival, or ceremony. This leads Ugbala (2010) to claim that ‘“Ọjị” is served before an important function could begin, be

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x it marriage ceremony, funerals, anniversaries, social events, settlement of family disputes or entering into any type of agreement.”

Thus, the arrival of the Igbo kola nut on any occasions evokes the invocation of prayers and supplications to God and the ancestors in their local language, asking for blessings, protection, gift of children, favour, and prosperity. Quite unlike any other fruits, the arrival of Ọjị Igbo at any occasion calls for prayers and invocation of God and the unseen ancestors of the land (Ogbalu, 1974; Iwunna, 2010; & Ugbala, 2010).

However, the arrival of Christianity could not displace the Ọjị Igbo from its revered status in the traditional life of the Igbo. Attempts by the Christian missions to undermine the respected position of this traditional nut among the Igbo failed. Be that as it may however, contact with the expatriate religion brought some innovation. The great impact was that during the kola nut breaking rituals by the eldest male in the gathering, instead of directing the prayers and invocations to the ancestors, the prayers are now channelled to the altar of God in heaven.Through this religious encounter, the Igbo are taught to direct the kola nut breaking prayers to the Supreme God, instead of the unseen ancestors of the land (Achebe, 1958).

Encounter with the Christian religion also introduced the people to the cultures of substituting kola nut with some other edible items that are within the reach of an Igbo on the gathering of two or more persons, occasions, festivals, ceremonies, etc. Such items include garden egg, biscuits, groundnuts, bitter kola, pepper soup, cooked meat, hot drinks, beer, wine, palm wine, etc. However, the presentation of any of these items usually comes with sincere apologies from the host(s).

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Igbo Traditional Marriage (Ọlụlụ Nwaanyị)

The institution of marriage is not peculiar to the Igbo alone. Marriage, a formal establishment of a conjugal relationship between a man and a woman is celebrated all over the world. The origin of this relationship is as ancient as the existence of man on earth. The celebration of marriage among the Igbo is regarded very highly and revered as a sacred institution by the Igbo. It is respected by all kits and kin, while the man and woman involved are accorded all the rights and privileges provided for married couples within the confines of their community’s unwritten traditional constitutions known as ‘Omenaala’ from then onwards (Ogbalu, 1974).

In the Igbo cultural systems therefore, when a man has attained the accepted age of maturity and expresses his intentions to marry, first and foremost to his parents (if they are still alive), he asks for their consent to allow him marry. In the earlier days, it was the parents and kinsmen who embarked on a search for a suitable marriage partner for their son. But these modern days, it is usually the young man who finds a suitable partner for himself, and introduces her to his family. After necessary rigorous investigations, lasting some long weeks and months are made on the identity and character of the girl in question, the processes of marriage negotiations then begin in earnest, if the results of the enquiries made yield positive reports (Ogbalu, 1974).

In most parts of Igbo land, the entire marriage negotiations do commence with the traditional wine-carrying ceremony. During this time, the bridegroom and his family members make their foremost official visit to the home of their newly found bride, carrying with them some jars of local palm wine, cartons of beer, quantity of tobacco heads, some quantity of Igbo traditional kola nuts, and bottles of hot drinks. However,

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x these depend on individual communities, as there are no uniformities on these rites all over Igbo land.

However, it is necessary to observe that marriage negotiations anywhere in Igbo land during the earlier days were never a one day activity. It involved a number of visits by the family members and relations of the bridegroom to the home of their new in-laws. Usually, each of the visits called for lavish entertainments of assorted foods and drinks from the new in- laws. The intension was to forge a closer bond between both families, as well as water the necessary platforms that consolidate the bonds of unity between the families and communities by extension, involved. Most importantly, the visits enabled the family of the bridegroom know their new wife better (Njoku, 1980).

Whatever be the case, marriage negotiations in Igbo land involves the presentation of the following items, in their various numbers: jars of palm wine, cartons of beer, heads of tobacco, quantity of traditional kola nuts, bottles of snuff, tubers of yam, various sums of money, lengths of rapper cloths, etc. These are usually presented in stages, based on the requirements of individual communities. Usually, Igbo traditional marriages are considered a community affair, and never an individual matter. The entire Ụmụnna are involved, and attend in their numbers. It is never an affair between the bride and bridegroom alone. It is the families and community members of both bride and groom that undertake the entire negotiation process, while the couple is warned to desist from any occasions that could bring trouble, or cause divorce in their relationship (Ogbalu, 1974).

However, encounter with Christianity injected some new innovations into the earlier traditional marriage system practiced by the Igbo. Ever since then, marriages are consummated and celebrated in the Christian way through

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x church or court weddings. The intention is to accord marriage the sanctity, religious blessing, and legal legitimacy it truly deserves, as was informed by the need to reduce all undue cases of divorce among married couples. By that, marriages are no longer consummated at the shrines of local deities, conducted by traditional prime ministers of local communities, or concluded with a mere wave of the hand by the in-laws concerned. Following these developments, relevant information about all married couples is carefully documented at the court or church registry for future references, even as wedded couples and their sponsors necessarily sign the required dotted lines approved by the laws of Nigeria (Arinze, 1982; Dibia, 1989).

Greeting Patterns (Ekele)

The culture of greeting, known as ‘Ekele’, is very paramount in the life of the Igbo. Among the Igbo, greetings are conceived as a reflection of one’s state of the mind. For them, the language and manner used in sending out greetings are conceived as indicators of one’s wishes and thoughts about the other.

In the traditional life of the Igbo, verbal greetings are conveyed for a good number of reasons. Greetings are sent as words of appreciation for another’s good gestures. For instance, most Igbo dialects say – ‘ndaalụ’ or ‘daalụ’, i meela, or ekelee m gị’ as expressions of gratitude in appreciation of some acts of gratitude received from the other person. In the Ehime – Mbano, Ezeoke, Umuahia, and Owerri areas (dialects), greetings such as ‘anwụchula’, or ‘anwụla’, are also said as words of appreciation (Ogbalu, 1974).

Greetings are also made to welcome guests to one’s home. Words used in some Igbo dialects include the following: ‘ị bịala’, ‘ị lọla’, ‘ndeewo’, ‘ekelee m gị,’ and ‘nnọọ’. The Igbo

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x also send greetings in expression of their condolences to some bereaved friend, family member, or colleague. Words used at such occasions include the following: ‘ndo’, ‘jisie obi ike,’ ‘kasie obi’, ‘jide obi aka’, ‘Chukwu gbaa gị ume’, ọ ga-adi mma’, ‘nwee nkasịobi’, or ‘chekwube Chukwu’.

There are verbal greetings also said in expression of the different periods of the day. Thus, early morning greetings among the Igbo include the following: ‘ụbọchị maara gị mma’, ‘ị bọọla chi’, ‘ana m ekele’, or ‘i tetakwara ọfụma?’. In the noon, greetings such as ‘ya gazie’, ‘nnọọ’, are said. Even in the evening or night period, greetings such as ‘ka chi bọọ, ka chi foo ’, ‘abalị chewe anyị, abalị maara anyị mma and ‘abalị chewe anyị’ remain the usual words of greetings in most parts of Igbo land (Ogbalu, 1974).

At the same time, there are Igbo greetings when one is at work, on the road, on a journey, resting, undergoing forms of difficult moments, hosting some celebrations, during reconciliations, and even during burial ceremonies, etc. Igbo cultures of greeting at different occasions are so rich and versatile that no single aspect of their value systems is left untouched. It is to such an extent that even when women are in labour, greetings such as ‘jisie ike’, ‘nwaanyị ọma’ ‘odogwu nwaanyị’, agụ nwaanyị’, or ‘ijele nwaanyị’ are said.

However, the arrival of Christianity and its Western education cousin brought with its some added dimensions. Greetings are no longer strictly verbal. Written greeting formats came into use. Depending on individual choices, the Igbo could now send their greetings in writing forms, pictorials, hand gestures, and facial expressions. In this digital era too, greeting patterns have changed a lot. Persons now device several ways of sending greetings via the phone, e-mails, whatsapp messages, and other technological devices accessible with the birth of the technology-driven digital era of the 21 st century world has

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x come into being. Even at that, some persons also send out greetings in the form of gifts, thereby cutting off all forms of verbal and non-verbal mediums of expressing their hearts. They allow their gifts to convey their heart-felt messages. It is without doubt that Christianity and Western education diversified the cultures of expressing greetings among the Igbo, and the rest of the world, and created wider options for the expression of their hearts. That is the beauty in varieties of communication patterns (Iwunna, 2011; Danbatta, 2017).

Burial Ceremonies (Akwam Ozu)

Death is a universal phenomenon which cuts across all human races, communities, and religions. Among the Igbo, death is conceded as a transition from earthly life to another life in the ancestral world. Igbo communities see it as a rite of passage from mortality to a life of immortality in the land of the ancestors. In the opinion of authors, it is a journey to the land of the ancestors, a journey to the spiritual world which does not offer the traveller the opportunities of making a return trip in the same mortal flesh. Among them, it is the new world where every one’s good deeds are rewarded handsomely, while the evil and wicked are punished appropriately (Achebe, 1958; Ogbuene, 1999; Iroegbu, 2000).

On the event of death in Igbo land, relevant rigorous traditional protocols commence in earnest. Negotiations and arrangements which are intended to accord the dead a befitting burial begin immediately. The entire Ụmụnna (kinsmen and women) and the general neighbourhood are duly notified. Arrangements for the performance of the necessary burial rites are put in place. These are however determined by the social status and traditional ranks of the deceased within the community and among his kits and kin. The indication is that the burial of a traditional title holder anywhere in Igbo land is much more tasking, much more

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x expensive, and quite cumbersome. Such a burial usually requires huge financial and material costs. By implication, elaborate arrangements are involved. Series of negotiations and discussions with the Ụmụnna or kinsmen are held. At every stage of the rites of passage unto eternity, elaborate eating and drinking activities, dictated by the particular unit of the Ụmụnna are involved.

During the pre-missionary years, burial ceremonies in Igbo land were conducted with numerous fetish rites, which included the sacrifice of human heads, consultation of oracles, performance of rites of exorcism, offering of sacrifices at local community shrines, performance of divination activities by powerful medicine men, exclusion of the bereaved widow (in case of death of the male partner) from partaking actively in the burial of her partner, and the subjection of the widow to some inhuman activities, which include the shaving of the head with some blunt razor, forced expulsion to the evil forest, denial of all rights to property, forced ejection from her late husband’s house, and subjection to one year mourning period. Following the arrival of Christianity however, several of these negative practices changed. Spilling the blood of the living in order to bury the dead ended. Numerous fetish practices associated with burial ceremonies were abandoned. Widows are no longer subjected to terrible inhuman conditions in several Igbo communities. Local practices which run contrary to the doctrines of Christianity and the sanctity of life are no longer observed. Rather, church doctrines now dictate the conduct of burials in Igbo communities (Ogbalu, 1974).

Child Naming Ceremonies (Ịgụ Nwa Aha)

The birth of a new baby in Igbo land is celebrated with elaborate feasting activities. Friends, relations, and community members join hands in welcoming the new baby.

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

In doing these, elaborate eating and drinking are involved, while assorted gifts of cash and materials are donated to the parents of the new baby. After seven Igbo weeks (Izu asaa) and that are twenty-eight days however, the child is named. Names given by parents and families convey a lot of meanings, which are usually reflective of specific family circumstances, family situations on the birth of the baby, family challenges, prayers, heart desires, and supplications. Names given to new babies also confirm the wishes and prayers of parents on the lives of their babies. The names also convey parents’ special blessings on the lives of their new born babies.

Thus, among the Igbo, names such as Nwachukwu (son of God), Nneka (Mother is supreme), Chukwuebuka (God is great), Ọgadịmma (It will be fine), Sọrọnnadi (Beware of the kinsmen), Maraizu (Be wise), Chukwudịmma (God is good), Ọlụebubechukwu (Miracle of God), Nwanneamaka (Bond of brotherhood is great), Ọnwụka (Death is powerful), Enyiọma, (My good friend), Echiebuka (Tomorrow is unpredictable), Soronna (Follow the footsteps of your father), Ngozichukwu (Blessings of God), Tabụgboo (The day is still young), Chimeremeze (God made me king), Ahamefule (My name shall never get lost), Chinaemeze (It is God who crowns one for kingship), and Madụnaeme (Human beings can be dangerous), etc. From the above names, it is quite obvious that the pre-missionary Igbo gave meaningful names to their children. They gave names based on their exact family situations, fears, aspirations, and good wishes. This was an era when only Igbo names were given and adopted as personal names, which are also known as, birth names. At that time, no English, Christian, or Latin names were given or adopted (Arinze, 1982; Nwagbo, 2018).

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x

Following the arrival of Christian missionaries onto the shores of the Igbo nation, the cultures of names-giving changed dramatically. Children and families began to bear English names. Families began to give their children Christian names, which were either English or Latin. Parents were made to believe that giving their children Igbo names amounted to absolute fetishism and idolatry. New born children were now baptized in the church, as against the earlier times when there were no formal forms of baptism. Rather, children were simply named at home without any invocations of the powers of the God Almighty. Through the church and their numerous doctrines therefore, parents and families were discouraged from giving their children Igbo names, with the effect that in these modern times, parents give their children names that lack plausible meaning and totally disconnected to the immediate circumstances surrounding their families.

Ancestral Feast (Alọmmụọ)/New Yam Festival (Iri Ji Ọhụrụ)

Another major culture celebrated by the Igbo is the Ancestral feast, Alọmmụọ otherwise known as New Yam Festival (N.Y.F). It is a festival which is held before the commencement of the harvest season of each year. Different Igbo communities host it on different market days and dates. There is no Igbo wide date fixed for this festival. The choice of particular dates for the hosting of the festival is usually at the discretion of individual communities. However, the Mbaise area, this festival holds annually on every 15 th August of each year. It is hosted with pomp and pageantry, slaughtering of fowls, cooking of new yams, cooking of delicious meals, and visitations of friends and well-wishers from far and near. Among the Igbo, this festival has great traditional significance as it is the time of reverence to ancestors through whose benevolence the yams did well. It is

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x an event which marks the end of the planting season, a moment to appreciate the benevolence of the Ancestors, a time to thank Ancestors for life, and a festival to have a taste of the first fruits of one’s labour after an exhaustive farming period. It is specifically the time to give to the Ancestors the first products of their yam farming without which, no other god or deity could be served with the new yam. If the ancestors haven’t tasted the new yam, no deity or got will taste it no matter how important such sacrifice may be. Such diety or god may rather be served with old yam. Moreover, it is an occasion to appreciate the labour and inputs of friends and relations who assisted in the farm work during the planting season (Achebe, 1958; Ogbalu, 1974).

During the pre-missionary years, the festival was held with the offer of various sacrifices to the ancestral gods. Various incantations were made by the traditional prime minister of different communities in thanksgiving to the ancestors of the land for their benevolence and preservation of lives of community members. Prayers sessions were also conducted at the vicinity of local shrines where fowls and goats were slaughtered, with their blood poured on the wooden carvings which represent Njoku, the god of the earth. Depending on the choices of individual communities, several other fetishes were conducted by heads of different families, praying for continued safety and protection of their family members into the new farming year (Achebe, 1958).

With the advent of Christianity however, positive transformations were made. The celebration of the Ancestral feast, alommụọ became typically Christianized and modernized hence, the name, New yam festival. With the Christian faith as the beacon of spiritual light, celebration of the festival began to be held in the Christian way, where various church activities and prayer sessions were conducted

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x in thanksgiving to God Almighty for his protection, guidance and bountiful harvest. In the Mbaise area, the festival usually holds on the Feast of Assumption in the Catholic calendar. That is the feast celebrated in the Catholic Church as the day when the physical body and soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken to heaven (Ezeuko, 1986). On the occasion therefore, assorted traditional dance groups grace the occasion, while families host their friends and relations with elaborate eating and drinking. Varieties of food are prepared and served to guests, while tubers of new yams were also cooked to mark the festival. Roasted ones are also served with hot pepper soup, and oil bean salad. Families also serve the roasted yam tubers with red palm oil, mixed with red hot pepper and onions.

The Age Grade System (Ebiri/Ọgbọ)

This is another major culture common among most Igbo communities. Among the Igbo, an Age Group is a traditional union of male persons born in a particular community within a specific age bracket. However, when their female counterparts get married, they are made to join the male ones as the women wing. In some communities, the age bracket is limited to three years. That is, for example, males and females born between 1961 – 1963. The fact is that most Igbo communities classify and identify their sons and daughters by the Age Groups they belong to. In the cultures of the Igbo, every person is identified by his or her age. Considering the fact that every human person has an age attached to his person underpins the fact that such a person has an Age Group to which he naturally belongs. As a matter of fact then, each Age Group is autonomous, unique, and counted among the pillars on which the development, security, and unity of her community rests. In which case, Age Groups in Igbo communities play pivotal roles in all matters of community development, security of life

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x and property of citizens, as well as the peace and unity of the town (Onyeagwu, 1989).

However, for reasons of space constraints, one can only add here that different communities assign specific functions to each of the Age Groups recognized and registered by her. At that, their activities are defined by their owner-communities. Most importantly, they serve as agents of societal cohesion and partners in community development projects. Age Groups also operate as peace makers, and position themselves as pillars of conflicts resolutions in communites. In fact, they are communities’ law enforcement agents. Following the arrival of Christianity in Igbo land however, Age Groups became better positioned to participate in peaceful settlement of conflicts within communities. They became enforcers of accepted moral values among community members. They issue fines to law breakers, and unleash appropriate penalties and other sanctions on offenders. Thus, the post-missionary era Age Group System in Igbo land plays positive roles in community matters, which distance them from the pre- missionary years when they operated as cult groups, agents of fetishism, dangerous medicine men, and agents of community destabilization. With the arrival of the new faith, Age Group system in Igbo land became sanitized, Christianized, and distanced from all fetish activities which were contrary to the Christian faith (Uchendu, 1965).

Female Circumcision (Ibi ugwu)

As well, the Virginal Female Circumcision, also known by some authors as the Virginal Female Mutilation (VFM) constitute one major Igbo cultural practice which the advent of Christianity and Western education has almost succeeded in eradicating from majority communities of Igbo land. As an ancient cultural practice, this crude practice tampers with the delicate organs of the female body in the most unprofessional

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x way, and forcefully cuts off vital reproductive organs from the unfortunate victim. However, with the advent of Christianity and the spread of Western education, families and communities became sensitized on the dangers of this ancient practice. Through the mouthpieces of churches, women groups, human rights groups, community development unions, and religious groups, Igbo communities were sensitized on the dangers caused on the female body as a consequence of this practice. The positive report is that, with the support of the WHO (World Health Organization), greater awareness have been created about the need to abrogate this trend, while families and communities were strengthen to join in the fight against the practice of the VFM in Igbo communities and beyond (Uchendu, 1965; UNICEF, 2001).

The way forward

In all, human cultures are great emblems of identity, symbols of moral impartation, and iconic instruments of societal cohesion. It is therefore crucial that communities find pride in maintaining and upholding those aspects of their cultures which support life, encourage skills acquisition and creativity, discourage indolence and moral decay, impart strong attitudes of honesty, ensure comprehensive commitment to the general good of all members, and admonish attitudes which are inimical and detrimental to growth and development. Cultures in communities should encourage and elicit the attitudes of self-reliance, self-realization, and self-fulfilment. Cultures should support citizens to position themselves appropriately to contribute to national growth, as well as encourage them to become nation builders and not destroyers. It is therefore the responsibility of all to ensure that cultures are never applied as instruments of humiliation, dehumanization, and denial of legitimate rights. Rather, they should be applied as

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x instruments of peace and respect for humanity, irrespective of any gender differences.

Conclusion

This list of Igbo cultures is quite extensive and elaborate. They can never be exhaustively exhausted within the space allowed in this paper. What has been achieved in this brief work is remarkable however. One thing is clear. The Igbo are a culture-based people. They cherish their cultures, celebrate them with all enthusiasm, uphold them with all amounts of zeal, respect them with all humility, and transfer them to the generations unborn with open hands and minds. As part and parcel of human communities therefore, cultures should be positioned and appropriately channelled to play positive roles in the growth and development of communities and their citizens. The era of applying them against specific genders in the society, converting them into destructive patriarchal instruments of subjugation and humiliation of vulnerable members of the community should be eradicated with all impunity.

It therefore becomes a wakeup call on all Igbo communities to stamp out all aspects of their cultures which are found to be dehumanizing, and injurious to citizens’ legitimate rights and freedom to operate without undue restrictions within their communities, most especially those aspects which deal with issues of gender disparity. Thus, all those aspects of the Igbo cultures which deliberately displace widows on the deaths of their beloved spouses, deny them full rights to property ownership, subject them to terrible conditions of life on the death of their husbands, force them to undergo some inhuman rites, and seek to reduce their dignity because of their considered-vulnerable dispositions in the patriarchal society should be completely eradicated from the traditional milieus

Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x of the Igbo. Several of them could not be discussed yet due to obvious constraints.

References

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Arinze, F. A. (1982). The impact of Christian education at present . Onitsha: Archdiocesan Secretariat.

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Echeruo, M. J. C. (2002). Religion, imperialism, and the question of world order. In T.I. Okere (Ed.). Religion in a world of change: African Ancestral Religion, Islam and Christianity, 14-25.

Ejiogu, A. M. (2001). Landmark in educational development in Nigeria. Lagos: Joja Press Limited.

Ekechi, F. K. (1972). Missionary enterprise and rivalry in Igbo land, 1857-1914. London: Frank Cass.

Ekechi, F. K. (1996). Missionary enterprise and rivalry in Igbo land, 1857-1991 . Lagos: Minaj Publishers.

Ezeuko, L. M. (Compiler) (1986). Novena to the Rosa Mystica .Andra, Austria: Mediatrix – Verlag.

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Iroegbu, P. (2000). Kpim of personality: Treatise of the human person. Owerri: Eustel Publication (Nig.).

Iwunna, P. (2011). The impact of Catholics primary school education in Igbo land: The impact of the Catholic education . Saarbrucken: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing GmbH & Co.

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Macrae, N. C. (1956). The book of the first sixty years, 1895 – 1955: Hope Waddell Training Institution. Calabar: Hope Waddell Press.

Mbachu, R. (1998). African tales in Igbo proverbs. Illinois: Omenaala Africa Network.

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Nwagbo, O.G. (2018). Nicknames among the Igbo: An ethnolinguistic approach. In G. I. Nwaozuzu, P.U. Okpoko, B. M. Mbah, & N. O. Ahamefula (Eds.). Igbo Institutions and Leadership , 123-137.

Nwosu, V. A. (1982). The growth of the Catholic Church in Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province.In A. O. Makozi,& G. J. A. Ojo (Eds.). The history of the Catholic Church in Nigeria. Enugu: Fred-Ogah Publishers, 28-34.

Ogbalu, F. C. (1974). Omenaala Igbo (The book of Igbo custom). Onitsha: Varsity Press.

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Ogbuene, C. G. (1999). The concept of man in Igbo myths. Frankfurth: Peter Lang GmbH.

Omenka, N. I. (1989). The school in the service of evangelization: The Catholic educational impact in eastern Nigeria, 1886 – 1950. Leiden: E. J. Brill.

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Aha Osisi: Mmetụta Sayensị Asụsụ na Ntụcha n’Asụsụ Igbo

Onyinye Constance Amamgbo Ngalaba Amụmamụ Igbo, Afrịka na Eshia Mahadum Nnamdị Azikiwe, ọka +2348033086688 [email protected]

Ụmịedemede

Nchọcha a bụ maka aha osisi metụtara sayensị asụsụ na ntụcha n’asụsụ Igbo. Aha bụ ihe e ji mara mmadụ kpọm kwem nke na o nweghị onye ya na ya ga-azọ ya azọ ebe osisi bụ otu n’ime ihe Chineke kere nye mmadụ iji mee ka ndụ tọọ ụtọ ma na-aga nke ọma. Osisi ụfọdụ e nwere n’ala Igbo nwegasịrị ndị e nwere ike ịtụcha site na sayensị asụsụ n’ụzọ dị iche iche. Ihe kpalitere mmụọ nwanchọcha bụ ime ka ndị mmadụ mata na ụfọdụ n’ime osisi e nwere n’ala Igbo bụ ndị e nwere ike ịtụcha site na sayensị asụsụ. Ọzọ, ụfọdụ osisi ndị ahụ e nwere ike ịtụcha site na sayensị asụsụ bụ otu mọfịm nnọrọonwe, ụfọdụ bụ aha nsinangwaa, ụfọdụ bụ nkebiokwu keaha, ụfọdụ bụ aha nsinahịrịokwu, ụfọdụ bụ aha nkọwa mebere ha, ụfọdụ bụ aha nkọwa, ụfọdụ bụ aha uche ụda ma ọ bụ nsinụda mebere ha, dg. Nwanchọcha a hụbeghị onye merela nchọcha iji chọpụta aha osisi ndị atụchara site na sayensị asụsụ tụmadị n’asụsụ Igbo. Ihe nwanchọcha bu n’obi bụ ịchọpụtagasị aha osisi atụchara site na sayensị asụsụ. Ebumnoobi nwanchọcha ọzọ bụ ime ka anya ụmụafọ Igbo meghee site n’ịmata na e nwere ike iji sayensị asụsụ tụchaa aha osisi ụfọdụ. Nwanchọcha chọpụtara na e nwere ike ịtụcha ya ma ọ bụ nyochaa ya site na sayensị asụsụ. Ọ chọpụtara na aha osisi ụfọdụ n’ala Igbo gbasoro usoro sayensị asụsụ na mmebeokwu. Ọzọ, ụfọdụ n’ime osisi ndị ahụ nwetara aha ha site n’ọrụ ha n’arụ, ụfọdụ site n’ụdịdị aha osisi ndị ahụ nke gbasoro usoro mkpọpụta fọnọlọgi na mọfọlọgi. Nwanchọcha

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x chọpụtakwara na ụfọdụ aha osisi gbasokwara usoro ndokọ okwu na usoro nghọta okwu wee na-arụ ọrụ ya. E jikwa atụtụ mmebe mkpụrụokwu nke Kiparsky na Mohanan (1982) tụpụtara rụọ ọrụ ebe ọ dị ukwu maka na ọtụtụ aha osisi bụ site na mkpụrụasụsụ mebere mkpụrụokwu ka e si mebagasịa aha ha. Ebe nwanchọcha siri weta ngwa nchọcha ya bụ n’akwụkwọ ọgụgụ dị iche iche, ajụjụ ọnụ ọ gbara ndị gụrụ asụsụ Igbo nke ọma. N’ikpeazụ, nwanchọcha mejupụtara ebumnoobi ya site n’ime ka ụmụafọ Igbo mata na osisi ụfọdụ e nwere n’ala Igbo nwere ndị gbasoro usoro sayensị asụsụ mgbe a na-emebe ha.

Ọkpụkpụrụ okwu: Aha, Osisi, Mmetụta, Sayensị, Asụsụ, Ntụcha.

Mpkọlite

Aha bụ ihe e jiri mara mmadụ, anụmanụ, osisi ma ọ bụ ihe ndị ọzọ nke na o nweghị onye ya na ibe ya ga-azọ ya azọ. ọ bụ aka mkpa ihe ọ bụla kpọm kwem. Ebe osisi bụ ihe Chineke kere nye mmadụ iji mee ka ndụ too ogologo, dị ụtọ ma gaa nke ọma. Osisi nwere ndị a na-aracha aracha, ndị a na- ata ata, dg. Ụfọdụ n’ime ha na-abụ ọgwụ nye mmadụ nke e nwere ike ịṅụ aṅụ, ikpu ekpu, ite ete, dg. Osisi ụfọdụ ndị ahụ nwere ike ịgbaso usoro sayensị asụsụ mgbe a na-atụcha ha, ebe ụfọdụ nwere ike ịgbaso usoro mọfịm nnọrọonwe, ahasinangwaa, nkebiokwu keaha, aha nkọwa, aha mmeju, aha nsinaụda ma ọ bụ aha ucheụda, dg. Aha osisi ndị a na- apụtakarị ihe site na mkpọpụta ha. A bịa na sayensị asụsụ, e si n’usoro mkpụrụasụsụ, usoro ndokọ okwu na usoro nghọta okwu wee lebaa anya n’aha osisi ụfọdụ ndị a ma chọpụta etu sayensị asụsụ ji nye aka na ịtụcha aha osisi ndị a n’asụsụ Igbo.

Aha Okwu a bụ aha pụtara aha dị iche iche ihe dị iche iche na-aza. Ọ bụ ihe e ji mara ha nke na mgbe ọ bụla a kpọrọ aha

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x ahụ, onye ọ bụla nụrụ ya amarala ihe a na-ekwu maka ya n’echeghị ya eche ma ọ bụkwanụ jụwa ajụjụ ka a kọwaara ya. Ihe a bụ aha ihe na-azagasị nwere ka o si malite. A bịa n’akwụkwọ nsọ ndị otu Kraịstị, ya bụ Baịbụlụ, ọ kọwara na Eke kere ụwa bụ Chineke kechara ihe niile wee kezie mmadụ n’ikpeazụ (Gen. 1:27). Onye mbụ o kere bụ nwoke aha ya bụ Adam. Ya bụ Baịbụlụ kọwakwara na Chineke kechara Adam nye ya ikike ka ọ gụọ ihe dum O kere aha. O kwukwara na Adam gụrụ ha aha n’otu n’otu. Aha ahụ Adam gụrụ ihe dum ahụ ka ha na-aza n’ụwa were ruo taa, (Gen. 2:19). Ọ bụ otu a ka aha siri malite e wee nwee aha ihe dum na-aza nke osisi bụ isi a hụrụ kwawa okpu na nchọcha a bụ otu n’ime ha. N’otu aka a hụkwa, n’ime akwụkwọ nsọ Baịbụlụ, a chọpụtara na o nwere mgbe ụmụ mmadụ malitere rụwa Anyazuru Babel. Ha ji otu obi rụrụ ya na-agbago n’igwe, Chineke lere anya hụ na o nweghị ihe ga-eme ka ha kwụsị ịrụ ya. Akwụkwọ nsọ kwuru na ụwa dum n’oge ahụ na-asụ otu asụsụ, Chineke mere ka asụsụ ha ghara ịbụkwa otu ọzọ. Onye a sịrị ya weta mma, o kute mmiri, onye a sịrị ya kute mmiri, o bute bụlọọkụ (Gen. 11: 1-8). Otu a ka asụsụ dum juru ụwa taa siri bido. N’ime asụsụ dum ahụ, ihe dị iche iche na-azagasị aha dị iche iche. N’asụsụ Igbo, ‘osisi’ na-aza osisi, n’asụsụ Bekee, ọ na-aza ‘tree’, n’asụsụ Ibibio, ọ na-aza ‘etoh’, n’asụsụ Frenchi, ọ na-aza ‘unbre’, n’asụsụ Yoroba, ọ na-aza ‘igi’, ebe asụsụ Awụsa na-akpọ ya ‘itachi’, n’asụsụ Idoma, ọ na-aza ‘ochi’ n’asụsụ Ịgala, ọ na-aza ‘oli’, n’asụsụ Ikayi, ọ na-aza ‘igo’, n’asụsụ Tiv, ọ na-aza ‘kọn’, n’asụsụ Ogori, ọ na-aza ‘oti’, n’asụsụ Efik, ọ na-aza ‘eto’ dg. Geertz (2006) kwuru na aha na-egosi onwe ma ọ bụ onye ma ọ bụ ihe mmadụ bụ dịka o si metụta ndị nwe onye ahụ, ọ kachasị ezinaụlọ nne na nna onye ahụ n’ihi na a na-ewe aha ahụ dịka nkwanye ugwu n’ebe onye wetara aha nọ. Dị ka Simon na Schueter (1975) siri kwuo, aha pụtara mkpụrụokwu ma ọ bụ okwu ole na ole e ji mara mmadụ, ebe, ihe, ọkwa ma

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ọ bụ onye ọ bụla dịka njirimara ya. Nke a gosịrị na ọ bụ site n’aha ka e ji amata ihe dị iche iche Chineke kere nakwa ọnọdụ, ogogo na ọkwa ha nọgasị na ya.William (2005) hụrụ aha dịka okwu ma ọ bụ mkpokọta okwu dị iche iche e ji amata mmadụ. Aha ahụ na-egosipụta njirimara onye ahụ a na-ekwu maka ya kpọm kwem. Ọzọ, aha abụghị naanị ndịiche mmadụ nwere n’ebe ndị ọzọ nọ ka ọ na-egosi kama na ọ na- akọwapụta ụdịdị onye na-aza aha ahụ. Ọzọ, Ọbaji (1982) kwuru na aha nwere ihe ọ na-egosi, a bịazie n’ebe ndị Igbo nọ, na ọ na-egosi ihe ahụ ndị mmadụ na-aghọta mgbe onye na-aza aha ahụ kpọrọ ya ma ọ bụ mgbe ndị ọzọ kpọrọ ya aha ahụ. Aha na-enye akụkọ ntọala ndụ onye na-aza ya. McGraw (1993) nyere nkọwa nke ya na aha bụ otu mkpụrụokwu ma ọ bụ mkpụrụokwu dị iche iche na-akọwa maka mmadụ, anụmanụ, ebe, ihe ma ọ bụ ogogo ihe dị iche iche. N’otu aka ahụ, Ekwealọ (1996) kwuru na aha ọ bụla e nyere mmadụ nwere ihe ọ na-egosipụta. Ọ kwadoro ihe Mbiti (1977) kwuru na aha ndị mba Afrịka dum nwere mpụtara dị n’ime ha. O kwukwara na ụfọdụ aha na-akọwa ụdị mmadụ onye ahụ bụ ma ọ bụ akparamagwa ya ma ọ bụ ụfọdụ ihe nrịbaama megasịrị na ndụ onye ahụ. N’ịkwado nke a, ọtụtụ aha na-egosi ihe mere na ndụ mmadụ dịka Ahamefula, aha na- egosi na a mụnyere ya bụ nwa nwoke n’etiti ụmụ nwaanyị nke ga-eme ka ama nna ya ghara ichi kama ka a zara aha ha na- aga n’ihu. Onye ọzọ nyere nkọwa maka aha bụ Ụbahukwe (1981). O kwuru na aha Afrịka ọ bụla na-akọwa onye na-aza ya, na ọ na-akọwakarị maka nne na nna ma ọ bụ ezinaụlọ onye na-aza ya bụ aha. Ọzọ kwa, na ọ na-arụga aka na nkwenye obodo a mụnyere onye ahụ. Okodo (1988) kwadoro nkọwa Ụbahụkwe site n’ikwu na otu aha na-akọwakarịa maka nne na nna onye bụ‘Ogechukwukamma’. O kwukwara na ọ bụ nwa mbụ nne na nna ya chọrọ nwa ọtụtụ afọ ka a na-agụ aha a. Ihe ọzọ Okodo kọwara banyere nke a bụ na o nwere ike

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x bụrụ nwa nwoke nne na nna ya mụtarala ọtụtụ ụmụ nwaanyị tutu a mụọ ya ka a na-agụ ya bụ aha Ogechukwukamma. Ọzo kwa, Amamgbo (2011) n’akwụkwọ iduuazị ya ọ kpọrọ Ogechukwukamma kwadoro ihe Ụbahụekwe na Okodo kwuru. Nkọwa Mbiti (1979) na nkọwa Ekwealọ (1996) tinyere Shakespeare (2007) na-akọwa otu ihe. Shakespeare na-akọwa na aha ihe na-apụta ihe site n’ihe ihe ahụ na- ezipụta. Ekwealọ kwuru na aha ọ bụla e nyere mmadụ nwere ihe ọ na-egosipụta ebe Mbiti sị na aha ndị mba Afrịka dum nwere mpụtara dị n’ime ha. Ọ bụrụ na a tụlee nkọwa atọ ndị ọkammụta a nyegasịrị, ha dum gbadoro ụkwụ n’otu ebe. Bubu na Offiong (2014) kọwara na aha bụ otu ihe gbara ọkpụrụkpụ e ji ahụba mmadụ ama. Ọ bụkwa aha ka e ji gosipụta ndịiche dị n’etiti mmadụ na agbụrụ dị iche iche. Ha gara n’ihu kwuo na ịba mmadụ aha ma ọ bụ aha e nyere mmadụ bụ otu n’ime ihe e nwere ike iji nabata mmadụ n’otu okpukperechi ma ọ bụ nke ọzọ. Russell (1952) nyere nkọwa n’ihe ọ ghọtara banyere aha mgbe o kwuru na aha ihe na-aza na ihe kọwara ya bụ aha na-abụ otu. Nke a na-akọwa na aha dị iche iche ihe na-aza na- enwe ihe a na-ahụ anya ma ọ bụ ihe a rụgaara aka na-akọwa ya bụ aha. Nke a dabara nke ọma n’ihe atụtụ nrụgara aka na- ekwu maka ya. Atụtụ a na-akọwa na aha na-enwe ihe a hụrụ anya ma ọ bụ ihe a ga-arụ aka na ọ na-ekwu maka ya. Frege (1952) nyere nkọwa nke ya banyere aha ma kwue na e nwere ike nwee aha mana a gaghị enwe ihe nhụrụnanya aha ahụ a na-ekwu maka ya na-arụ aka. N’uche edemede a, ihe Frege na-ekwu maka ya bụ maka aha ndị ahụ bụ nhụrụnche mana ha enweghị ihe nhụrụnanya. E nwegasịrị aha ndị enweghị ihe a na-ahụ anya a ga-asị na ọ bụ ihe ndị ahụ ka a na-ekwu maka ya dịka ihụnanya, aṅụrị, asịrị, aghụghọ, iwe, dg. A bịa na nkọwa Russell na nkọwa Frege, e nwere ezigbo ndịiche n’etiti ha abụọ, Russell na-ekwu na aha nwere

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x nhụrụnanya ebe Frege na-ekwu na aha enweghị nhụrụnanya, mana e nwere ọtụtụ aha nwere nhụrụnanya a na-arụgara aka mgbe a na-ekwu maka ha. Ọ bụ ya mere Stephen Law jiri gbaghaa nkọwa Frege site n’ikwu na ọ bụrụ na a gbasoo nkọwa Frege, na o nweghị ka a ga-esi nye nkọwa aha nwere ihe nhụrụnanya a na-arụgara aka mgbe a na-ekwu maka aha ahụ. Na nchịkọta, ọrụ a kwuru na nkọwa dum a dabara adaba. N’ihi ya, o wee kwuo na aha bụ ihe e jiri mara ihe ma ọ bụ mmadụ.

Osisi Ọtụtụ ndị mmadụ nyere nkọwa n’ụzọ dị iche iche gbasara osisi. Nkọwa ndị a ha nyere magasịrị mma nke ukwuu. Mmadụ dị ka Hogan (2012) kwuru na osisi bụ otu n’ime ihe na-eku ume dị n’ọmụmụ gbasara ndụ nke nwere ike iji aka ya mebe ma ọ bụ mịpụta nri aka ya. Osisi gụnyere ahịhịa, akwụkwọ nri, mgbọrọgwụ, dgz. Ọ gara n’ihu kwuo na osisi na-eto na gburugburu ebe e nwere ihe ndị gbara ya okirikiri nọgasị. Nke a gụnyere anwụ na-acha ebe ahụ, ikuku na-eku ebe ahụ na ala ebe mmiri dị ebe ahụ. Ọ bụ ihe ndị a na- enyere osisi ndị ahụ aka ime nke ọma mgbe ọ na-etopụta na gburugburu ebe ahụ ọ dị. Onye ọzọ nyere nkọwa maka osisi bụ Ilonzo (2008). O kwuru na ahịhịa bụ osisi e ji esi nri ma ọ bụ mmanya na- enwe isi ọma e ji echekwaba ọgwụ ọṅụṅụ ụfọdụ n’agwọ ọrịa. Ọgwụ ndị a na-eme ọtụtụ ihe dị ka nchekwaba ahụ ike, ime ka ahụ gbasie mmadụ ike n’ụzọ pụrụ iche. Okigbo (1983) kwuru na osisi na-eto n’ọnọdụ dị iche iche. Osisi ụfọdụ na-etopụta dị ka onye ọrụ ugbo siri mee ya. N’aka nke ọzọ, ụfọdụ nri na-edozi ahụ anyị na-eri sicha n’osisi pụta. O kwukwara ihe ndị ọzọ gbara ọkpụrụkpụ mmadụ ji enyere ndụ aka dị ka ebe obibi, akwa, bụcha n’osisi ka e si enweta ha. Ndị ọzọ gbakwara mbọ na nkọwa banyere osisi bụ Black na Edelman (1970). Ha kọwara na osisi

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x pụtagasịrị ihe n’ụzọ dị iche iche dị ka etopụta a nwụọ ma bụrụ ihe gbagwojuru anya n’ụzọ pụrụ iche. Mgbọrọgwụ, alaka na mkpara akwụkwọ tozuo otu o kwesịrị ọ kpọnwụọ. Ebe okooko, mkpụrụosisi na-amịpụta nri nke ọma nye mmadụ, ihe ndị a niile gosịrị na osisi abụrụla ihe zuru oke na ndụ. Onye ọzọ kọwakwara maka osisi bụ Huụley (1983). Ọ kọwara na osisi bụ nnukwu ihe n’ụzọ pụrụ iche ma bụrụ ihe a na-elegara anya na oke ala ọ bụla. Osisi ọ bụla nwere ihe mmebe pụrụ iche o nwere n’ebe ọ bụla ọ dị ma nke dị n’ime ọhịa ma nke dị n’ụlọ mmadụ. N’aka nke ọzọ, Rodale (2012) kọwakwara osisi site na ikwupụta, iwepụta na idepụta uru osisi bagasịrị na ndụ mmadụ. O kwuru na uru osisi bara bụ ihe a maghị ebe a ga-esi tụlee ya. Osisi metụtara ọnọdụ ọ bụla n’ụzọ dị iche iche dị ka:- (i) Osisi na-enye aka n’ụzọ pụrụ iche site na ndo na nchekwaba ọ na-enye mmadụ na anụmanụ ma n’oge ọkọchị ma n’udummiri. (ii) Osisi na-enyekwa aka n’ebe ndụ mmadụ dị site n’iwere ume mmadụ kupụrụ ekupụ nyeghachi mmadụ ikuku ọma e ji adị ndụ. (iii) Osisi na-eme ka oke anwụ ghara ịchagbu mmadụ, ma na-emekwa ka oke mmiri ozuzo ghara ịmagbu ụmụ anụmanụ. (iv) Osisi na-enyekwara ihe a kụnyere n’ubi aka ime nke ọma. (v) A na-esitekwa n’osisi enweta mmanya nkwụ na ngwọ na-etokarị n’akụkụ mmiri nke na-enye ndị Igbo akatamkpo ego n’obodo anyị bụ Naijirịa, dgz. Ka o sila dị, nkọwa niile a ha nyere mara mma nke ukwuu mana edemede a kọwara osisi dị ka otu n’ime ihe kachasị mkpa Chineke kere wee nye mmadụ n’efu iji mee ka ọ bụrụ ihe mgbochi agụụ nke mmadụ tupu ọ

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malite chọwa nri ọ ga-eri. Nke a gosiri na osisi na nri bụ onye aghala nwanne ya dị na ndụ mmadụ. Ntụlegharị Agụmagụ

N’ebe a, nwanchọcha ga-eleba anya na nchọcha dị iche iche ndị mmadụ merela banyere isiokwu nchọcha ya.

Site na nchọcha Sutherland (1991) mere, ọ kọwara na ndị Gana na-agụ aha site n’ụbọchị dị n’izuụka a mụrụ onye ahụ. Onye a mụrụ ụbụchị mbụ n’izuụka bụ ụbụchị ụka, a na- agụ ya ‘Kwesis’ ma ọ bụrụ nwa nwoke ebe nwa nwaanyị a mụrụ n’ụbọchị ụka na-aza ‘Esis’. Onye a mụrụ n’ụbọchị anọ n’ime izuụka dị ka nwa nwoke na-azakwa ‘Kwekus’ ebe nwa nwaanyị a mụrụ n’ụbọchị anọ na-aza ‘Ekuwas’. Ọ bụ etu a ka ọ dị n’ime ụbọchị ndị ọzọ dịgasị n’izuụka dị iche iche.

N’aka nke ọzọ, Agyekum (2006) na nchọcha ya banyere aha ndị Akan na-aza. Nke ebumnoobi ya bụ ịchọpụta ka aha ndị a na-aza si ezipụta omenaala ndị Akan. Ọ chọpụtara na ahaaka e jiri mara ndị Akan bụ ihe kwesịrị ka a tụlegharịa iji mata ka mmebe ya si egosipụta akụkọ mere eme na nke ka ga-eme n’ọdịnihu tinyere ka aha ndị ahụ si ezipụta nsịrịhụwa ha na echemeche ha. Ọ gara n’ihu kwuo na aha ndị Akan na-aza, na-arụtụ aka n’ihe omimi banyere omenaala ha nke pụtara ihe nọrọkwa ka ọdịmara aha ndị ahụ o buuru pụta ụwa nke hiwekarịrị isi n’okpukpere chi ha na nkwenye. Ihe Agyekum na-akọwapụta n’ebe a bụ na aha ndị Akan na- ezipụtakarị akụkọ mere mgbe gara aga na nke ga-eme n’ọdịnihu, ma na-ezipụtakakwa ka ha siri hụ ụwa na ihe na- eme n’ime ya nakwa nkwenye ha nke hiwere isi n’okpukperechi. Ọ chọpụtakwara na ụmụ nwaanyị ndị Akan na-agbanwekarị aha ha mgbe ọ bụla ha lụrụ di nke ga-eme ka ha hapụ aha nne na nna ha nyere ha zawa aha di na-alụ ha. Agyekum chọpụtakwara na aha ndị Akan na-aza nọ ka ọdịmara nke na-apụta na o nwere ọnọdụ ọ na-anọchi mere o ji

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x dị omimi na nghọta ma wetakwa adịmiche n’etiti onye na-aza aha ahụ na aha ihe ndị ọzọ.

N’otu aka ahụ, Onumajuru (2007), mere nchọcha banyere etu ndị Igbo si emebe aha ha na-aza na mpụtara ha. Ebumnobi nchọcha ya bụ ịchọpụta usoro dị iche iche ndị Igbo si emebe aha ha na-aza. N’otu aka ahụ, ọ chọpụtara na ndị Igbo nwere ụzọ dị iche iche ha si emebe aha ha na-aza n’agbanyeghị na ha niile na-ezipụta ahaaka e ji ahụba mmadụ ama. N’ikwu ihe o kwuru kpọm kwem, Onumajuru (310) kọwara na aha ọ bụla ndị Igbo na-aza nwere ụzọ dị iche iche ha si emebe ya. E nwere nke e jiri mara ụmụ nwoke na nke e ji mara ụmụ nwaanyị. Ha niile gbakwasara ụkwụ n’usoro mmebe aha. Aha ọ bụla na-agbaso iwu na usoro mmebe nke ha. E nwekwara nke adịghị egosi kpọm kwem na ọ bụ nwoke ma ọ bụ nwaanyị na-aza ya kama nwoke na nwaanyị na- azakọta ya ọnụ. Aha ọ bụla na-agbaso usoro mmebe ya. Ha na-emebe aha site n’ijikọ mkpụrụokwu na mkpụrụokwu (mkpọaha na mkpọaha, mkpọaha na ngwaa), nkebiokwu, ahịrịokwu, njụajụjụ na mmeju.

Ilogu (1975) nyochara aha ndị Igbo na-aza dị ka o si metụta ‘ala’ n’Igbo. Ebumnoobi ya bụ ịmata ihe omimi dị n’ala kpataara ndị Igbo ji hụta ya dịka otu ụzọ ha si eji ya emebe aha ha na-aza. Ọ chọpụtara na, ala bụ otu n’ime chi ndị Igbo kwenyere na ya kacha ha mkpa ma baara ha uru karịa ndị ọzọ n’ebe o metụtara ebimụndụ ha na nkwenye ha. Chi a bụ ya na-echekwa ha, na-edu ha ma na-a hụkwa maka ọdịmma ha. A kọwara ala dị ka nwaanyị n’ihi ọrụ ọma dị iche iche a na-ahụta n’aka ya. N’ihi na ndị Igbo kwenyere na ọ bụ n’ime aka ndị nna nna anyị ha nwụrụ anwụ bi, ha kwenyekwara na mmụọ nna nna anyị ha na ụmụ mmụọ ndị ọzọ na-abịa anọnyere ha, bụ ndị dị ndụ ma na-enye ha ntụziaka ihe ha ga- eme iji hụ na obodo na-aga n’ihu ma hụkwa na o nweghị onye merụrụ ala. Ndị Igbo kwenyekwara na ọ bụ n’ala ka ezigbo

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x ihe si apụta; ihe oriri niile na-enyere ndụ aka, ma bụrụkwa ebe mmadụ zọdọrọ ụkwụ. Ọ gara n’ihu kwuo na ndị Igbo na-eji ala agụ nwa aha iji sọpụrụ ma ọ bụ kwanyere ala ugwu dị ka chi na-echekwa ha, na-edu ha, na-alụchitere ha ọgụ ma ọ bụ na-agbara ha ọgụ ma bụrụkwa ebe ihe niile na-enyere ndụ aka si apụta. Ha hụtakwara ala dị ka ebe obibi ndị nna nna anyị ha nwụrụ anwụ bụ ndị na-enyere ha aka mgbe ọ bụla ọ gbajuuru dọrọ.

N’ịga n’ihu, Nwigwe (2001) mere nyochara ma nyochapụta etu ndị Igbo si enweta aha ha na-aza n’ebe o metụtara ahịa anọ ndị Igbo nwere ma na-azụ bụ (Eke, Orie, Afọ, Nkwọ). Na nchọcha Nwigwe mere, ọ chọpụtara na ndị Igbo na-agụ nwa aha ahịa anọ ndị Igbo iji hụba ụbọchị a mụrụ nwa ahụ ama. N’okwu ya, aha ahịa anọ ndị Igbo nwere mmụọ nwe nke ọ bụla n’ime ha. Mmụọ ndị ahụ na-ejere ụbọchị ahịa anọ ndị a ozi nke a na-ewere gụọ nwata a mụrụ ọhụrụ ka ọ bụrụ aha e jiri mara ya. Aha ndị ọzọ a gụrụ mmadụ nwere ọnọdụ na mpụtara ọ na-ezipụta n’ezinaụlọ ya nakwa n’ebe ndị ikwu na ibe ya nọ. A na-akpacha anya ahọrọ aha ndị ahụ ka e were ya na-echeta ihe mere mgbe a mụrụ onye ahụ, ebe aha ahịa a ga-enye ya bụ iji cheta ụbọchị a mụrụ ya.Otu ọkpụrụkpụ okwu pụtara ihe na nchọcha Nwigwe mere bụ na ndị Igbo ji aha ahịa ha agụ aha iji hụba ụbọchị a mụrụ onye ahụ ama. Nke a pụtara na o zuru ala Igbo niile ọnụ, ebe ụfọdụ na-aza ya dị ka ahaakamkpa e jiri mara ha.

N’ikpeazụ, dị ka nwanchọcha siri chọpụta ma hụta ihe gbasara aha bụ na ọ bụ njirimara e ji mara mmadụ kpọm kwem nke na o nweghị onye ya naya ga-azọ ya azọ. Ọ bụ ihe ka mkpa. Nke gosiri na mmadụ nwere ihe e ji mara ya, anụmanụ nwere nke e ji mara ya, na ihe ndị ọzọ gasị nwekwara njirimara nke mmadụ anaghị agbata n’ọsọ.

Nnyocha atụtụ

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Nwanchọcha tụrele atụtụ echiche ndị ọ họọrọ ga-abụ atụtụ nchọcha a. Atụtụ ndị a bụ atụtụ mmebeokwu.

Atụtụ Mmebeokwu

Ndị wubere atụtụ a bụ Mohanan na Kiparsky n’afọ 1982. Ha kwuru na ọdịdị mkpụrụokwu nwere etu dị iche iche e si ewube ya. Nke a bụ site n’ọdịdị mkpụrụụda dị iche iche. Mbah na Mbah (2014) dere na n’Igbo, ọ bụrụ na e were atụtụ a rụọọrụ, na e nwere ike iwepụta ọkpụrụkpụ okwu ndị a: (a) Mgbe a gbakwunyere nganiihu n’isingwaa kwụbuuru onwe ya, a na-enweta mkpọaha. N’ikwado ihe Mbah na Mbah kwuru ka nwanchọcha ji nye ọmụmaatụ a, ‘tụ’ bụ isingwaa, ‘ụ’ bụ nganiihu, e were ‘ụ’ gbakwunyere ‘tụ’ e nweta ‘ụtụ’ bụ mkpọaha. Ugbu a, na mkpọaha a bụ ‘ụtụ’ ka e si mebeta aha osisi bụ ‘ụtu’. (b) Mgbe a gbakwụnyere isingwaa n’isingwaa kwụụrụ onwe ya, a na-enweta ogwe ngwaa ma ọ bụ ngwaa kwụụrụ onwe ya. Atụtụ mmebeokwu na-akọwa na ụmụ irighiri okwu ma ọ bụ mkpụrụasụsụ dị iche iche ndị e nweghị ike ikewa ekewa ọzọ, ka e ji emebe mkpụrụokwu dị iche iche. Usoro atụtụ a ji eme nkọwa bụ usoro mọfọlọji. Ndị kwenyere n’atụtụ a bụ Mohanan na Kiparsky tinyere Mbah na Mbah. Ha kwenyere na ya site n’ịkọwa na ọ bụ mkpụrụasụsụ ma ọ bụ mọfịm ka e ji emebe mkpụrụokwu dị iche iche. Atụtụ a bara uru pụtara ihe ma doo anya nke ọma maka na o mere ka a mata etu e ji esi n’ụmụ irighiri okwu, nkebiokwu, nkebiahịrị ma ọ bụ ahịrịokwu emebe mkpụrụokwu. Ọ na-egosipụta ọrụ mgbakwụnye nganiihu na-arụga n’asụsụ Igbo, na ọ bụ site na mgbakwụnye e tinyere n’isingwaa ka e si enweta aha, nkọwa ma ọ bụ ngwaa a gbatịrị agbatị.

Iji Sayensị Asụsụ Tụchaa Aha Osisi Ụfọdụ n’Asụsụ Igbo. Ụdara

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Ụdara bụ aha osisi a maara nke ọma n’ala Igbo. Ọ bụrụ na e kewaa aha osisi a bụ ụdara na nkejiokwu ụ/da/ra. Ihe ọ dị bụ atọ. Ya bụ ‘ụ’, ‘da’ na ‘ra’. Nke a gosịrị na ụdara bụ mọfịm atọ mebere ya, isingwaa abụọ na otu mgbakwụnye nganiihu, ‘ụ’ ‘da’ bụ isingwaa ebe ‘ra’ bụkwa isingwaa.

Olugbu: Nke a so n’osisi dị n’ala Igbo. Okwu a bụ olugbu nwere nkejiokwu atọ,.o/lu/gbu, ya bụ ‘o’, ‘lu’ na ‘gbu’, ọzọ, olugbu nwere mọfịm atọ mebere ya, abụọ bụ isingwaa, ebe otu bụ mgbakwụnye nganiihu. ‘O’ bụ nganiihu, ‘lu’ bụ isingwaa ebe ‘gbu’ bụkwa isingwaa.

Nkwụ : Aha osisi a bụ nkwụ nwere nkejiokwu abụọ ya bụ ‘n’ na ‘kwụ’. ‘N’ bụ nganiihu ebe ‘Kwụ’ bụ isingwaa.

Ọgbọlọ : Okwu a bụ ọgbọlọ nwere nkejiokwu atọ ọ/gbọ/lọ, ya bụ ‘ọ’, ‘gbọ’ na ‘lọ’. Ọgbọlọ nwere mọfịm atọ, abụọ bụ isingwaa ebe otu bụ mgbakwụnye nganiihu. ‘Ọ’ bụ nganihu, ‘gbọ’ bụ isingwaa ebe ‘lọ’ bụkwa isingwaa.

Akị Bekee : Aha osisi a bụ mkpụrụokwu abụọ mebere ya, ‘akị’ na ‘Bekee’. ‘Akị bụ mọfịm nnọrọonwe nke enweghị ike ikewa ekewa. O nwere nghọta zuru oke mana ọ bụrụ na e kewaa ya, ọ gaghị enwezi nghọta. Akị bụ aha e si n’ụda nweta, ya bụ ihe ịda ‘kịm’. Okwu a bụ Bekee bụ ihe a na-akpọ ndị mba ofesi isi ọcha. Aha onyeisi anyarị mbụ bịara ala Igbo. Ndị Igbo sizie n’aha ya na-akpọ onye ọcha nwa Bekee. Bekee pụtazịrị ndị mba ofesi. Ọ bụ ya mere e ji kpọwa akị a si obodo ndị ọcha bịa ala Igbo ‘akị Bekee’. Bekee bụ aha nkọwa ebe akị Bekee bụ nkebiokwu keaha.

Akịilu : Mkpụrụokwu abụọ e jikọtara ọnụ wee mebe aha osisi a, bụ ‘akị na ‘ilu’. Nke a kọwara na akịilu bụ nkebiokwu keaha. Akị bụ aha, ebe ilu bụ ahankọwa. A bịa n’okwu a bụ

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‘ilu’, o nwere nkejiokwu abụọ i + lu = ilu ebe ‘i’ bụ nganihu na mkpụrụokwu a. Akị nwere mọfịm atọ ‘akị, ị na lu’.

Ụkpaka : Ụkpaka nwere nkejiokwu atọ ụ/kpa/ka. ‘Ụ’ bụ nganihu, ‘kpa’ bụ isingwaa ebe ‘ka’ bụkwa isingwaa.

Ògíriìsì: Aha osisi a nwere nkejiokwu ise o/gi/ri/i/si, na otu mọfịm.

Ụkwa : Aha osisi a nwere nkejiokwu abụọ ụ/kwa ma nwee naanị otu nghọta na otu mofim.

Nchụanwụ : A bịa n’usoro okwu, ọ bụ okwu abụọ mebere ya bụ nchụanwụ. Ọ bụrụ na e kewaa ya ọzọ, ọ gaghị enwezi nghọta zuru oke. A bịa n’usoro nkejiokwu, okwu a bụ nchụanwụ nwere nkejiokwu anọ n/chụ/a/nwụ. N’aka nke ọzọ, nchụanwụ bụ nkebiokwu kenkọwaaha ebe o nwere mọfịm atọ ‘n’ bụ nganiihu, ‘chụ’ bụ isingwaa, ebe ‘anwụ’ bụ aha.

Ọjị: A bịa na mọfịm, o nwere otu nkewa ‘ọ/jị’, ‘ọ’ bụ nganihu ebe ‘ji’ bụ isingwaa.

Ngwu : Ngwu nwere nkejiokwu abụọ n/gwu. Ọ bụ mọfim abụọ mebere ya ‘n’ bụ nganihu ebe ‘gwu’ bụ isingwaa.

Ahụekere : N’usoro nke mọfim, ọ bụ mofim abụọ mebere ya ma nwee nkewa abụọ ahụ/ekere. Ha nwechara nghọta zuru oke. O nwere nkejiokwu a/hụ/e/ke/re.

Anwụrịnwụ : Anwụrịnwu nwere nkejiokwu anọ a/nwụ/rị/nwụ ma nwee otu mofim nakwa ahaucheụda.

Ọha : Okwu a bụ ọha nwere nkejiokwu abụọ ọ/ha ma nwee nannị otu mofịm.

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Ezeọgwụ : Aha a bụ ezeọgwụ nwere nkewa abụọ n’usoro nke mọfim. Nkewa abụọ ahụ bụ ‘eze’ na ‘ọgwụ’, ha abụọ nwechara nghọta zuru oke iji gosi na ha bụcha mọfim nnọọrọonwe N’ebe a, ọgwụ bụ ahankọwa na-akọwa ụdị Eze osisi a bụ. Okwu a nwekwara abụọ ma nwee nkebiokwu anọ E/ze/ọ/gwụ.

Ube : Ube nwere nkejiokwu abụọ u/be. Ube bụ mkpụrụokwu nwere naanị otu mọfịm nnọrọonwe.

Ube Bekee: Ụdị ube a bụ nke si ala Bekee bịa, ya mere e ji were ya mebe aha ya. Ọ bụ mkpụrụokwu abụọ ma bụrụkwa nkebiokwu keaha. Ube Bekee nwere mọfịm abụọ na okwu abụọ nwekwara mọfịm nnọrọonwe abụọ.

Ube mkpụrụ akị: Mkpụrụokwu atọ dị na ube mkpụrụ akị. Ha bụ ‘ube’, ‘mkpụrụ’ na ‘akị’. Mkpụrụ na akị bụ ahankọwa na- akọwa ụdị ube a na-ekwu maka ya. Ube mkpụrụ akị bụ nkebiokwu keaha. O nwere mọfịm nnọrọonwe atọ. Ube - mọfịm nnọrọonwe, mkpụrụ -mọfịm nnọrọonwe, akị-mọfịm nnọrọonwe.

Anụnụebe : Anụnụebe nwere mọfịm abụọ, nke nnọrọonwe ‘anụnụ’ na ‘ebe’. Nghọta dị na ya bụ ‘anụnụ’ na ‘ebe’ nke bụ nnụnụ ebeghị.

Ijikara: Ijikara bụ mkpụrụokwu nwere naanị otu mofim.

Azụawọ: Ọ bụ mkpụrụokwu abụọ dị n’ime ya n’usoro nke mọfim, ha bụ ‘azụ’ na ‘awọ’. Ha abụọ bụ mọfịm nnọọrọonwe maka na nke ọ bụla n’ime ha nwere nghọta zuru oke. ‘Azụ’ bụ azụ mmadụ, anụmanụ ma ọ bụ ‘azụ’ ihe ebe ‘awọ’ bụ anụ ahụ na-adị ka mbara na-ama pọm pọm. Mkpụrụokwu abụọ a ‘azu’ na’awọ’ ka e dokọrọ ọnụ wee mebe aha osisi a bụ ‘azụ awọ’.

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Mbembe: Ọ bụ otu okwu ‘mbe’ a gbara nje mebere aha osisi a ‘mbe’ + ‘mbe’ = mbembe. Mbembe nwere otu mọfịm nnọrọonwe. Ebenebe: Ebenebe nwere mọfịm nnọrọonwe abụọ na otu nnọnetiti bụ mofịm ndabe. Ya bụ ‘ebe’ mofịm, ‘n’ nnonetiti ebe ‘ebe’ bụkwa mofịm. Ebe nghọta dị n’ime ya bụ osisi ebe ụmụnnụnụ na-ebegasị.

Ụkwa Bekee: Ụkwa Bekee ma ọ bụ ụkwa oyibo bụ mkpụrụ osisi si mba ofesi wee bịa mana e lee ya anya, o dị ka ụkwa. Okwu abụọ mebere aha ya, ‘ụkwa’ na ‘Bekee’. ụkwa Bekee bụ nkebiokwu keaha. O nwere mọfịm nnọrọonwe abụọ, ‘ụkwa’ na ‘Bekee’. Bekee na-akọwa ụdị ụkwa a na-ekwu maka ya. Aha osisi a nwere mọfịm nnọrọonwe abụọ, ha bụ ‘ụkwa’ na ‘Bekee’.

Achara : Achara nwere naanị otu mofịm na ahansinụda.

Mkpọdụ : Mkpọdụ nwere naanị otu mofịm ma gbaso atụtụ njirieme.

Ụtụ: Aha osisi a nwere naanị nkejiokwu abụọ ‘ụ’+ ‘tụ’ ma nwee naanị otu mofịm.

Ụkpa: Okwu a bụ ụkpa nwere naanị nkejiokwu abụọ ụ/kpa. Ụkpa nwere naanị otu mofịm, otu nghọta ma bụrụ ahansinụda.

Okwè : Okwe nwere nkejiokwu abụọ o/kwe. Ọ bụ naanị otu mofịm na otu nghọta. Okwe bụ ahansinangwaa nke nwere mọfịm nnọrọonwe.

Okweoṅe : Okweoṅe nwere mofịm abụọ. Ya bụ ‘okwe’ na ‘oṅe’. Ha abụọ nwere nghọta zuru oke, ọ bụ ya gosiri na ha bụ mọfim nnọọrọonwe. ‘Oṅe’ bụ ahankọwa na-akọwa otu okwe ahụ si esi isi ọma ebe ‘okwe’ bụ aha.

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Ụtụrụkpa : Okwu a nwere nkejiokwu anọ, ụ/tụ/rụ/kpa. O nwere otu mofịm ma nwee nghọta zuru oke. Okpete: Okpete nwere nkejiokwu atọ o/kpe/te. Ọ bụ ahansinụda nke sitere n’ụda ya ma nwee otu mofịm na nghọta.

Ụnị : Aha osisi a nwere naanị nkejiokwu abụọ ụ/nị. Ụnị nwere otu nghọta ma nwee otu mofịm ebe nghọta nke a pụtara na ogwe osisi a na-adị nịị nke bụ na ọ na-anọ anọ, ọ naghị agba kom ka osisi ube.

Amụnkịta: Ọ bụ okwu abụọ mebere ya. Ha bụ ‘amụ’ na ‘nkịta’. ‘Amụ’ bụ akụkụ ahụ na-egosi nwoke ebe “nkịta” bụ anụmanụ. Amụnkịta nwere mọfịm nnọrọonwe abụọ, ma nwee nghọta abụọ ‘amụ’ na ‘nkịta’. Ọ bụ nkebiokwu keaha. Ụdịdị mkpụrụ osisi a na-eyite amụ nkịta. Ọ bụ site n’ụdịdị mkpụrụ ya mere e jiri nye ya aha a. Nkịta bụ ahankọwa kọwara ụdị amụ a na-ekwu maka ya.

Mmịmị : Mmịmị nwere nkejiokwu atọ m/mi/mi. Nghọta aha osisi a sitere n’isingwaa ‘mi’, a gbara nje iji nwete mimi, wee gbakwunyere ya nganihu m + mimi = mmimi. Mmimi bụ ahansinangwaa.

Nramejula: N’usoro mkpụrụasụsụ okwu a nwere nkewa isii n/ra/m/e/ju/la ma nwee mofịm abụọ.

Mgbammiri: O nwere nghọta abụọ ‘mgba’ na ‘mmiri’, ‘mgba’ bụ ihe e ji agba mmiri, mmanya ma ọ bụ mmanụ ebe ‘mmiri’ bụ ihe ahụ a na-aṅụ ma akpịrị kpọwa nkụ. Ọ bụ ya ka e ji asa ahụ. A bịa na mọfịm, o nwere mọfịom nnọọrọonwe abụọ ‘mgba’ na ‘mmiri’.

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Ọkwụrụ : Okwu a nwere nkejiokwu atọ, ọ/kwụ/rụ na nwee nghọta. Aha osisi a gbasoro atụtụ njirieme n’ihi na ndị Igbo nyere ya aha etu o siri bụrụ mmasị ha.

Ọgwụịba : Aha osisi a nwere nkewa abụọ n’usoro mkpụrụasụsụ. Ya bụ ‘ọgwụ’ na ‘ịba’, ‘ọgwụ’ bụ ihe a na-aṅụ aṅụ, ihe a na-ete ete, ihe a na-eku eku, ihe a na-ekpo ekpo ma ọ bụ ihe e ji asa ahụ iji nwee ahụike. ‘Ịba’ bụ ọrịa anwụnta na-ebunyekarị mmadụ, ọ bụ mkpụrụokwu abụọ a ka e jikọtara ọnụ wee mebe aha osisi a bụ ‘ọgwụịba’.ọgwụịba nwere mọfịm nnọrọonwe abụọ ‘ọgwụ’ na ‘ịba’. Ọgwụ bụ nkebiokwu keaha ebe ịba bụ ahankọwa. Ka o sila dị, aha osisi ndị a niile gosichara usoro dị iche iche sayensịn asụsụ si atụcha aha osisi n’asụsụ Igbo.

Nchịkọta N’edemede a, nwanchọcha gbara mbọ gosipụta usoro dị iche iche sayensị asụsụ siri nye aka n’ịtụcha aha osisi ụfọdụ e nwere n’asụsụ Igbo dị ka ụdara, ụkwa, akị Bekee, ụkpaka, dgz. Nchọcha a gosịrị na osisi ụfọdụ dịgasị na gburugburu ebe mmadụ bi nwegasịrị aha osisi ụfọdụ gbadoro ụkwụ na usoro mkpụrụokwu, usoro ndokọ okwu na usoro nghọta okwu n’asụsụ Igbo. Ihe ọmụmụ a gakwara n’ihu ma chọpụta na ihe ọ bụla tụmadị nke na-eku ume dị ka mmadụ ma ọ bụ anụmanụ ụfọdụ nwere ike inwe ndị ga-agbaso usoro ndị a mgbe a na-amụ maka ọsụsụ na odide asụsụ Igbo.

Mmechi

Site na nchọcha a, o doro anya na a gbara mbọ iji wee mejupụta ebumnobi e jiri mee nchọcha ya, nke bụ ịchọpụta aha osisi ụfọdụ gbasoro usoro sayensị asụsụ dị ka o siri metụta usoro mkpụrụokwu, usoro ndokọ okwu na usoro nghọta okwu n’asụsụ Igbo.

Aro Agamnihu Ụdị Nchọpụta a

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A na-atụ aro ka ndị nkuzi tinye uchu ikụziri ụmụ akwụkwọ ihe gbasara usoro mkpụrụasụsụ, usoro ndokọ okwu na usoro nghọta okwu etu o kwesịrị n’asụsụ Igbo. Ọzọ, ka ụmụ akwụkwọ ndị nọ n’amụmamụ ngalaba asụsụ Igbo lebaa anya nke ọma site n’ịchọpụta na ịmụta etu e si eji sayensị asụsụ atụcha aha ihe ụfọdụ dị ka aha anụmanụ dị iche iche, akụkụ ahụ mmadụ dị iche iche nakwa aha osisi ndị ọzọ adịghị na ọrụ nwanchọcha a.

Edensibịa

Agyekum (2006). “Anthropological and Philosophical notions of Akan. Personal names”. E wetara na University of Ghana http://ugspace;ug.edu.gh31 language/linguistics On 25 July, 2016.

Amamgbo, O. C. (2011). Ogechukwu ka mma . Onicha: Ben- Cons Publishers.

Black, M and Edelman, J. (1970). Plant growth. Heinmann Books: London.

Ekwealọ, C. C. (1996). Omenaala na ewumewu ndị Igbo . Ọnịcha: Africana First.

Frege, G. (1952). “On sense and reference:Translations from philosophical writings of Gofflob Frege” Oụford: Blackwell.

Geertz, P. (2006). Person, time and conduct in Bali. An essay in cultural analysis. Program cultural report series. Yale: South East Asian Studies.

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Hallowell, A. I. (2005). The self and its behavioural environment in culture and eụperience. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Hogan, M. C. (2012). ‘Plant’ In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds C. J Cleveland Washington, D.C. Environmental information coalition NCSE.

Huụley, P. A. (1983). Plant Research and Agro Forestry. Pillians & Wilson Ltd. Scotland.

Ilogu, E. (1975). Christianity and Igbo Culture . Ọnịcha: University Publishing Company.

Ilonzo, F. I. N. (2009). Food and your Health Part 2 Master Print: Ogidi Anambra.

Mbiti, J. S. (1970). African religion and philosophy. Nairaobi: East African Educational Publishers.

Mbiti, J. S. (1977). African religion and philosophy . London: Edinal.

McGraw, H. (1993). The school dictionary 3. New York: Macmillan.

Nwigwe, B. (2001). “Naming and being Philosophical Investigation on Names and Objects with special Reference to Igbo anthroponyms” Retrievedfromwww.naming.1phil212…//antro.com on 26 July, 2016.

Obaji, C. N. (1982). Language: Philosophical magazine. Ikot Ekpene: Bigard. Memory Seminary Press.

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Okigbo, B. (1983). Plant and Agroforestry in land use system of West Africa: In Plnat Research and Agro forestry (Ed.) Huụley. P. A: Pillians and Wilson Ltd. Scotland.

Okodo, A. I. (1988). “Title names of traditional rulers in Anambra State: A sociolinguistic analysis” . Unpublished B. A. Project, UNN.

Onumajuru, V. C. (2007). “A semantic and ptagmatic analysis of Igbo names”. Retrievedfrom www.Afrejo.net/journals/.../roll0no2art.cm On 26th July,2016 .

Rodale, M. (2012). The Importance of trees. The Blog: Delameare River Keeper Org. Retrieved 25/7/2017).

Simon, S. (1975). Webster’s new encyclopedia dictionary: London: Sacramento.

Sutherland, E. T. (1991). Marriage of Anansewa . England: Longman.

Ubahakwe, E. (1981). Igbo names: Their structure and their meanings. Ibadan: Daystar Press.

William, B. (2005). The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 24 Marcropedia. U.S.A. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc.

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The Significance of Machiavelli’s Prince to the Practice of Democracy in Contemporary Nigeria

Benedict Chukwuemeka Okpata PhD Candidate School of Postgraduate Studies Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Anambra State, Nigeria [email protected] +2348063862344

Abstract Nigeria of the Fourth Republic has managed to stutter for over two decades. On the other hand, Machiavelli and his political doctrine, especially with regard to its morality have been an old debate. While some consider Machiavelli as an embodiment of political treachery, others see him as a civic visionary. This controversy notwithstanding, a comparative analysis of Machiavelli’s Principles of Power vis-à-vis Nigeria’s democracy, especially since 1999, reveals the significance, import and relevance of the former to the latter. Moreover, althoughthe said principles seem to be divergent with democratic principles, this paper contends that some of Machiavelli’s political assertions may be useful in correcting the anomalies bedeviling representative democracy generally and Nigeria’s democracy particularly.

Keywords: Nigeria, Representative Democracy, Machiavelli and Machiavellianism.

Introduction The past, the present and the future are important components of time. The past affects the present while the past and the

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x present will definitely shape the future. This axiom holds sway in all ramifications of life both socially and politically. Here, the term “significance” is understood in two ways: “the meaning of something” and “the importance of something, especially when this has an effect on what happens in the future”. 1 It is with this frame of mind that this paper attempts to clarify Machiavelli’s Principles of Power propounded more than five hundred years ago in his The Prince . Thereafter, it examines the importance and or relevance of the said principles to contemporary politics with few examples from around the globe; though, with special reference to the practice of representative democracy in contemporary Nigeria. Before this however, it is imperative to study Nigeria’s democratic voyage which no doubt, places the audience on a better footing to appreciate the relevance and significance of the said principles to the practice of democracy in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Democratic Journey 2 This research centers more on the fourth republic which began since 1999 and has managed to survive till date. However, “fourth republic” implicates first, second and third republics. In order to better appreciate the fourth republic vis- à-vis Nigeria’s democracy, it is reasonable to make reference to the first, second and third republics. Therefore, a brief history of Nigeria especially since her independence from British Overlords in 1960 becomes indispensable. Now, while some scholars in their bid to give a historical account of Nigeria stressed more on the activities of her political leaders, others like Celestine Mbaegbu lodges Nigeria’s political history vis-à-vis her democratic evolution on her constitutional development. Like Mbaegbu, this paper examines the extent of Nigeria’s democratic development via her constitutional development. Of course, the history of

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Nigeria’s political leadership is not left out – it equally contributed in the shaping of Nigeria’s democracy.

Before the discourse of Nigeria’s democratic experience since 1960, it is necessary to point out that “Before the birth of the Nigerian State in 1914, following the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates on January 1, by the late Lord Lugard, the geographical area called Nigeria was inhabited by accephalous(sic) independent ethnic nationalities each on their own”. 3 After the amalgamation, Mbaegbu affirms that both the Northern and Southern regions were administered as separate units until 1946 – when a federal system of government with a constitution known as the Richards Constitution was introduced in Nigeria:

As Governor-General, Lugard had two lieutenant governors under him, one of whom was in charge of the Northern Sector; the other administered the Southern Sector. In 1946, a federal system of government with a constitution was introduced in Nigeria. This was known as Richards Constitution, after Arthur Richards, who succeeded Lugard. With this new constitutional arrangement, the central legislature based in the capital Lagos administered the whole country, while regional Houses of Assembly were created in each of the regional capitals of Ibadan (west), Enugu (East), and Kaduna (North). These houses acted as advisory bodies to the federal legislature on regional issues. 4

A review of Richards Constitution in 1951, according to Emefiena Ezeani, gave the regions increased autonomy in line with consociational principle. Another revision of the constitution in 1954 gave further and increased powers to the regions. In 1957, consequent to a constitutional talk in

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London, “The Federal Council of Ministers was constituted on the basis of an all-Nigerian body except for the British Governor-General who continued to act as president of the Council” 5 In the same year, Ezeani continues, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was appointed as the first Prime Minister of Nigeria. On October 1, 1960, Nigeria became independent. From hence, she began her long and tenuous political walk towards democracy. Mbaegbu and Ezeani agree that Nigeria as a nation has been characterized by ethnic and religious rivalry from the time of amalgamation till date.

Before the 1960 Independence and the 1963 Republican Constitutions, it is important to note that there were Pre- independent Constitutions, viz: Clifford Constitution of 1922, Bourdillon Constitution of 1939, Richards Constitution of 1946, Macpherson Constitution of 1951 and Littleton Constitution of 1954. However, because this paper is more or less interested in Nigeria’s democratic journey since her independence in 1960, the above Pre-independence Constitutions are passively discussed.

Democratic rule in Nigeria commenced with the attainment of political independence from Britain in 1960. The pattern of democracy adopted under the Independent Constitution was the Westminster Parliamentary system inherited from the British colonial masters. No wonder, Tafawa Belawa once remarked in one of his speeches (in 1964):

Our association with the people of the United Kingdom has been a happy one and there has always been tremendous goodwill on both sides. Their system of democratic government has now become part of our heritage and we should be wise to maintain our institution in the British model. 6

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Here, the Prime Minister became the Head of Government while the British Governor-General was appointed as Head of State. The Privy Council in London still remained the highest court in Nigeria. This pattern remained essentially the same, even with the attainment of republican status in 1963. However, the 1963 Republican Constitution included a number of features such as Fundamental Human Rights, the Rule of Law, as well as the principle of derivation. Also, the traces of imperialism, according to Mbaegbu, were removed. This regime lasted for about six years, from October 1, 1960 to January 15, 1966 – when Nigeria had her first coup led by Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna and Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. This coup brought to abrupt end, the life of the first republic. 7 Ironically, according to Odife, the coup executors did not take up the reins of government. This fell into the hands of Major General Aguiyi Ironsi, the highest commanding officer of the Nigerian Army; who was also of Igbo extraction and was to be killed in another coup of July 29, 1966. For Mbaegbu, the failure of the first republic was due to some factors ranging from:

The inadequacies of the parliamentary system of government; the Western Nigeria Crisis of 1962; the 1963 Census Crisis; the 1964 General Election Crisis; the 1965 Western Regional Elections; the January 15, 1966 and July 29, 1966 coups d’etat which quickly terminated the parliamentary system of government. These coups were understood by some people as ethnically motivated, this engendered and sowed the seed of discord, rancor, acrimony, etc, among the nationalities and led to more military coups and counter coups which later precipitated into the famous Nigerian Civil War of May 30, 1967 to January 12, 1970.

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Apart from the militarized psyche of average Nigerian, Mbaegbu continues, the worst effect of excessive military intervention in the government of Nigeria was the forging of a constitution for the country, which imposed a unilateral instead of a federal system of government, which could have taken care of the multi-ethnic and religious dimensions of Nigeria. Till date, this unilateral system of government prevails even though nominally, Nigeria is said to be a nation of federating States. 8

The 1979 Constitution which was adopted in the Second Republic was Nigeria’s first attempt at presidential style of democratic governance modeled after the United States’ Constitution. After a brief reign of General Murtala Muhammed, the General Olusegun Obasango’s military administration of 1976-1979, successfully completed a transition from military to civil rule via a general election which brought Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) to power. He became the first Nigeria’s Executive President, who was the Head of State and Head of Government as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. For Mbaegbu, under the 1979 Constitution, a two-chamber National Assembly comprising the Senate whose members were elected on the basis of equality of all States (5 from each of the 19 states then), and a House of Representatives with 450 members was established. Also, provisions were made for fundamental human rights, duties and rights of citizens as well as independence of Federal, State and Local tiers of government. Not only that the 1983 general election was marred by rigging in favour of the ruling party, NPN, crisis erupted from the interpretation of the meaning of two-third of 19 by the Supreme Court in its ruling in a suit brought to it by Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN who disputed the declaration

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x of Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the NPN as a winner. Moreover, Shehu Shagari’s regime was uninspiring to Nigerians:

Corruption and graft were high and prebends freely dispensed to party men. It could not manage effectively the resources of state and by 1982 it introduced austerity measures. Some of the major scandals that rocked the administration include the massive over-invoicing characteristic of government parastatals especially, the Nigerian National Supply Company (NNSC). 9

In different words, Egbuta affirms that: politics in Nigeria then assumed an uglier look. “It assumed again the zero sum character of Machiavellism . It was bitter and advantageous only to the rulers. Embezzlement, siphoning and thuggery became prominent concepts in Nigeria’s political vocabulary”. The Second Republic, Egbuta continues, was born with the wrong impression that parliamentary system was Nigeria’s problem. Nonetheless, the Second Republic was not by far different from the First. “Instead the Second Republic proved to be a more intensified First Republic in terms of its evil perpetuation”. 10 Therefore, the Second Republic died in the same hospital and of the same illness and of the same disease as the First Republic. 11 This therefore, led to another military incursion in 1983 which ushered in the Buhari/Idiagbon regime.

The Third Republic was stillborn. General Muhammadu Buhari’s military administration, for many, did not have any clear-cut policy for a return to democratic government. This led to his displacement through a palace coup in which his Army Chief of Staff, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida emerged as the new Head of State on August 27, 1985. Babangida formed a Constitutional Review Committee (C.R.C) in 1989 to examine the 1979 Constitution and make

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x necessary recommendations. Though there were not much fundamental changes in the 1979 Constitution, the 1989 Constitution provided for a two party system, establishment of a traditional rulers’ council and the addition of three more fundamental rights, namely: right to own property, to free medical care and to free education. It is worthy of note that the maneuverable ability of Babangida earned him a sobriquet: “Maradona” – he severally shifted the handover of power to civilians. Following the political crisis that greeted the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election (adjudged to be the freest and fairest election in Nigerian history) by General Babangida, the Third Republic could not see the light of the day.

The military junta threw the will of the majority to the winds, and the alleged winner (via open ballot system popularly known as option A4), Chief M.K.O. Abiola, imprisoned. The enormous crisis engendered by this unholy act forced Babangida, the president of the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) to step aside in August 1993 and quickly inaugurated an Interim National Government (ING) headed by a renowned businessman and industrialist, Chief Ernest Shonekan whose government lasted barely six months. General Sani Abacha, the Defence Secretary of the regime, sacked the Interim National Government.

General Sani Abacha’s regime, for Odife, was a calamity that befell Nigerians:

Special killer squads sponsored by state unleashed terror and eliminated perceived enemies. Phantom coup charges were leveled against eminent Nigerians, including his Second-in-Command, General OladipoDiya, former Head of State, Olusegun Obasango and his next in command while in office, ShehuYar’dua. It was even alleged that

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the death of the latter was a state planned terror. Sani Abacha hounded the opposition. He attempted to transform from a military to of (sic) civilian Head-of-State. The stage appeared set for this as all the five registered political parties, with the exception of the Movement for Democracy and Justice, had adopted him as their presidential candidate. 12

That said, after the sudden death of General Sani Abacha on June 8, 1998, General Abdulsalami Abubakar was elected as the Head of State by the Ruling Military Council. He initiated the Transition Programme that gave birth to the present democratic dispensation. However, Odife points out that the Transition Programme was highly flawed; it was hastily planned. The 1999 Constitution (now amended) adopted for the in-coming administration of the Fourth Republic was prepared without adequate consultation and input from Nigerians. For Mbaegbu, it was a presidential constitution in structure, bicameral legislature at the centre and unicameral at the State level. For some, it is federal in name but unitary in content and operation. Again, one of the vexing issues bordering the national house of assembly, the senate and the representatives is the harmonization of the acrimonious relationship between the legislature and the executive arms of government. This is as a result of the fact that there are parallel clauses as observed by Mbaegbu, which failed to reconcile the various spheres of authority. Consequently, the 1999 Constitution is difficult to implement.

It is not proper to end this discourse without taking note of the fact that of sixty years since Nigeria’s independence, she has had a cumulative of twenty-six years of military rule 13 and thirty-four years of civilian/democratic administration. Note also that the country was equally led by a retired army

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x officer, General Olusegun Obasango (1999-2007); and currently, another retired General, Muhammadu Buhari is at the helm of Nigeria’s affairs (2015 till date). Emmanuel Obuna summarizes Nigeria’s democratic situation thus:

Since Nigeria became independent in 1960, our experience of government in the country has been nothing but a vicious circle of democracy – followed by corruption – followed by a military coup – followed by another attempt to democracy – followed by yet more corruption and another military coup, etc. 14

From the above brief history of Nigeria’s political leadership cum constitutional development, it is expected that the reader, at this juncture, must have had a bite of Nigeria’s democratic experience from 1960 to 1999 – which is the beginning of the Fourth Republic; but how has Nigeria’s democracy fared in the Fourth Republic (1999 till date)? Of what significance and relevance are Machiavelli’s Principles of Power (MPOP) to Nigeria’s democracy of the Fourth Republic? Can MPOP be of help towards solving the problems bedeviling modern representative democracy generally, and Nigeria’s democracy particularly? These are some of the questions which this paper attempts to answer.

Machiavelli’s Principles of Power Before now, some scholars have tried to summarize those political principles (of power) dubbed Machiavellian. Perhaps, for a quick insight into the subject at hand, a brief but concise examination of few of those summaries is of great importance. For William Thayer:

Be strong is therefore the first and last commandment for nations and princes to observe;…it is safer for him [political leader] to be

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feared than loved; that he must not stick at any cruelty, provided it be necessary for the preservation of his State; to lie and dissimulate; to make a pretence of religion; to exterminate without compunction those rivals or rebels who will not submit; to indulge the masses with splendid shows; to play off the people against the grandees and so to weaken both, - these are among the precepts of Machiavellianism that most shocked the world… 15

Thayer went ahead to bemoan the world for its inability to investigate whether the above Machiavellian principles were justified by experience or not, “the world, after its usual fashion, set up a mad chorus of denunciation and assumed that it was guarding the Tables of the Moral Law from a ruthless and impious iconoclast bent on destroying them”.

On the other hand, Strauss, in the introduction to his Thoughts on Machiavelli , summarized the lessons from the teachings of Machiavelli thus:

… princes ought to exterminate the families of rulers whose territory they wish to possess securely; princes ought to murder their opponents rather than to confiscate their property since those who have been robbed, but not those who are dead, can think of revenge; men forget the murder of their fathers sooner than the loss of their patrimony; true liberality consists in being stingy with one’s own property and in being generous with what belongs to others; not virtue but the prudent use of virtue and vice leads to happiness; injuries ought all to be done together so that, being tasted less, they will hurt less, while benefits ought to be conferred little by little, so that they will be

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felt more strongly; a victorious general who fears that his prince might not reward him properly, may punish him for his anticipated ingratitude by raising the flag of rebellion; if one has to choose between inflicting severe injuries and inflicting light injuries, one ought to inflict severe injuries; one ought not to say to someone whom one wants to kill ‘Give me your gun, I want to kill you with it,’ but merely, ‘Give me your gun,’ for once you have the gun in your hand, you can satisfy your desire. 16

Though Ferrero described most of Machiavelli’s propositions as a cry of anguish, he summed up Machiavelli’s doctrine (or principles) as follows: “The supreme law of politics is success. Politics, therefore, cannot recognize any moral law as binding. What is bad in the conduct of individual can be the most imperative of duties for a statesman if the good of the state so demands”. 17 He further quoted a portion of chapter eighteen of The Prince which he called the doctrine of perjury – the great scandal of Machiavellism:

Therefore, a prudent ruler ought not to keep faith when by so doing, it would be against his interest, and when the reasons which made him bind himself no longer exist. If men were all good, this precept would not be a good one; but as they are bad, and would not observe their faith with you, so you are not bound to keep faith with them. Nor have legitimate grounds ever failed a prince who wished to show colorable excuse for the non- fulfillment of his promise. 18

Bell and Mash referred to Machiavelli as the father of modern theoretical tradition known as realism. And because he

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x believed that it would be necessary to control the populace, he concentrated on the concept of power politics . They summarized Machiavelli’s often shocking advice or principles thus:

It is better to be feared than loved. A ruler should learn how not to be good. One should appear to be good. If it is necessary to use violence against people, do it all at once. Never trust anyone more than you have to. If you will do favors for people, do them slowly and not all at once. 19

Machiavelli’s principles or advice may appear cold and sometimes brutal, but it dealt with the realities of the politics he observed. “If people in general are self-interested, and you want to achieve a political goal, you must do what is necessary to achieve that goal in the real world”. Machiavelli envisioned a government that was strong enough to secure peace and security . Bell and Mash lastly observed that Machiavelli’s later writings, in contrast to The Prince , advocated a republican government which in his view, could supply peace and stability more effectively than a prince could.

It must be noted that none of the above summaries is exhaustive, however, time is ripe to lunch into the nitty-gritty: Machiavelli’s Principles of Power vis-à-vis contemporary representative democracy, especially, as practiced most recently in Nigeria.

The Significance of Machiavelli’s Principles of Power to Contemporary Politics with Special Reference to Recent Nigeria’s Democratic Experience Perchance, there is no better way to do justice to the subject at hand than a detailed examination of Machiavelli’s

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x propositions (or principles in The Prince ) as regards how to acquire, maintain and consolidate power so as to stabilize the state.These principles or propositions are then, juxtaposed with recent political events in Nigeria and elsewhere. 20 This, no doubt, enables the reader to appreciate the significance, relevance, import or effect of the said principles in the practice of democracy in Nigeria.It ispertinent to underscore that the principles are italicized.

For however strong you (the prince, the ruler) may be in respect of your army, it is essential that in entering a new province, you should have the good will of its inhabitants . 21

In contemporary politics (especially, in representative democracy); good will of the masses can be acquired by making policies that correspond with the common good. The political party or ruler(s) that do (es) this will no doubt, consolidate his/their political power. This is one of the significance and/or relevance of Machiavelli’s theory of power in contemporary politics of representative democracy.

He, therefore, who acquires such a state (of the same tongue), if he mean to keep it, must do two things: first , that the blood of the ancient line of princes be destroyed ; second, that no change be made in respect of laws or taxes.

In respect to the first, humanity has evolved and is now civilized enough not to spill blood in such a manner. But the idea of complete annihilation of political opponents is prevalent in contemporary politics of representative democracy. This is recently exemplified in Nigeria when the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), through the Minister of Information and Culture, published a rather widely acclaimed lopsided list of alleged treasury looters. The incomprehensive list carefully excluded corrupt members of APC – many who formerly belong to Peoples Democratic

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Party (PDP), thereby portraying PDP (the only strong opposition) as a corrupt party. APC one can deduce wishes to use this as a mechanism to sustain its power and strengthen her authority by eliciting popular support. Is this not Machiavellian? Nota Bene: this paper refuses to hallow treasury looters. The paradox is that if the APC led Federal Government (FG) claims that they have enough evidence, why leave most of the looters go free without prosecuting them? It may not be wrong to reason that this may spell doom for some corrupt APC stalwarts. On the other hand, if the list is untrue why did most of the PDP members mentioned in the list refuse to sue APC/FG? Rather, while APC only solicits for refunds, PDP demands for the publication of a comprehensive list, indirectly saying: Yes, we looted public funds, but the list is incomplete. What a joke! Both parties are unserious.

Again, though character assassination is now used in place of blood spilling in contemporary representative democracies, pockets of politically induced assassinations still exist in most contemporary politics of representative democracy, especially in Nigeria. 22

On state with different language, custom and laws … the best action is for the ruler to reside in person there - so as todetect disorders in its nascent stage and quell them quickly to avoid escalation of the crisis to unmanageable size which can’t be quelled . And one ought never to allow a disorder to take place in order to avoid war, for war is not thereby avoided, but only deferred to your disadvantage. 23

Elijah John’s ventilation aptly corroborates the above Machiavellian admonition: “When Israel bombed the Iraqi nuclear reactor at El-Tuwaitha … the then Israeli Prime Minister, Menachem Begin, said his country was preventing the making of atomic bombs which might be used to fight the

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Of a state accustomed to live in freedom under its own laws - there are three methods to keep it: destroy it, live there in person, (or) let it continue to live under its own laws, taking tribute from it, and setting up a government composed of a few men who will keep friendly to you … 25

British colonial masters employed the above style in the administration of most of their colonies. A good example is the Northern Nigeria’s British indirect rule;

As regards the internal affairs of your district, it is not desirable that you should interfere with tribal government, the chiefs should continue to rule their subjects and to administer justice to them; but you should keep a constant watch so as to prevent injustice and check abuse, making the chiefs understand that their powers will be forfeited by misgovernment. You should be careful not to arouse discontent by attempting too abrupt reform.… All the powers to make war, peace and the aspect of carrying arms by emirs executive agents were all taken away from these traditional rulers, instead, the Nigerian government under the British Government was to make laws and control the armed forces, impose taxes and dispose of land according to native law and custom. 26

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The colonialists, evidence has shown, still adopt this style in neo-colonialism; they often times influence the election/selection of their stooges. For instance, “in a bid to perfect their neo-colonial scheme, they (Britain) imposed Sir AbubakarTafawaBalewa on Nigeria via rigged election”. 27

Imitation of great men is a key to success; imitation and virtue are inseparable. Virtue (for Machiavelli) include: prowess, cunning, skill, ability, prudence, and audacity - i.e., the combination of conventional virtue and vice. In other word, “the end will always justify the means”. Also “those who become princes through their own merits and not by fortune, I regard as the greatest”. 28

In democracy, merit is very important. Leadership should be by merit – credible election of the “best” leader(s). Greatness it is true comes by imitation of great minds vis-à-vis leadership, especially in a democratic system. The combination of virtue and vice is often seen in the politics of representative democracy of our times. Example: good personal character and cleverness plus campaign of calumny against the opponent(s) can facilitate power acquisition and consolidation in the form (for instance) of re-election of the same party in contemporary representative democracies, especially in Nigeria.

In chapter VII of his The Prince, Machiavelli points out that power can be acquired via fortune which is difficult to maintain; he also sanctions the use of cruelty in the story of the Duke (Cesare Borgia) vsRemirod’Orco and Romagna’s peace. 29

The former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) could be said to have acquired power via the fortune of the death of his boss, Umaru Musa Yar’dua. He, as

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In chapter VIII, 30 Machiavelli gave the following advice:

1). If cruelty must be overtly used, it should be snappy and must be well used for the advantage of the governed/the state. 2) Favours or rewards should be slow and incremental and not at once … 3) A leader must be decisive 31

President Muhamadu Buhari (PMB) of Nigeria consciously or unconsciously adopted the first Machiavellian advice against the Indigenous People of Biafia (IPOB) under the guise of Operation Python Dance. But unsurprisingly, he refused to adopt the same measure against fellow farmers who turned killer-herdsmen. While GEJ was indecisive when Boko Haram kidnapped Chibok girls, PMB was decisive when kidnappers adopted Dapchi girls - which led to the release of all except one. However, the recent increase in adoption and kidnapping activities of bandits, especially in North-East Nigeria, has overwhelmed the government.

Actions of Jerry Rawlings (in Ghana) 32 correspond to the first and third advice of Machiavelli to the Prince. He was and is still held in high esteem by most Ghanaians and United Nations; though Rawlings could be said to assume power by evil means, i.e., coup d’etat.

The two most essential foundations for every state are good laws and good arms. 33

Authority needs power; otherwise a handful of armed rebels will overthrow the government: Lack of good laws and good arms may explain the difficulty faced by Nigerian governments of the past and present to overcome BokoHaram

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x and the many violent conflicts bedeviling the country. Similarly, the lawlessness experienced in (Baghdad - the capital city of) Iraq after her invasion by United States of America (USA) and consequent deposition of Saddam Hussein, as observed by McGrane 34 , is in tandem with the above Machiavelli’s assertion regarding good laws and good arms. These foundations determine, according to Gladders, whether a state succeeds or fails; they “also serve as the purest foundations of Machiavelli’s philosophy of raison d’etat’ .35

Experience has shown that Princes and Republics with troops of their own have greatest success, whereas mercenary forces have brought nothing but harmful results.

With mercenary troops, gains are slow, belated and inconsiderable, while losses are swift, sudden, astounding and crushing. 36

Chapter XIII reinforces the above assertion in chapter XII; “I conclude therefore that without national arms, no princedom/state is safe, but on the contrary is wholly dependent on fortune, being without the strength that could defend it in adversity”.

Between an armed and an unarmed no proportion holds, nor is it reasonable to expect that the armed will voluntarily obey the unarmed, or that the latter will feel secure among armed servants … Therefore, rulers should be well trained in the art of war. 37

A current example is the strife between armed PMB and unarmed Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB. Secondly, while nations like Singapore, 38 from the start took Defencevery serious, Nigeria’s long neglect and unseriousness with Defence, led to her protracted insecurity. Again, the arm race which led to the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR),

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In Chapter XV, 39 Machiavelli claims to depart from the views of others before him as regards the attitude and conduct of a Prince towards his subjects and friends. Machiavelli wishes to stick to the practical truths rather than to fancies … the way men live is so far removed from the way they ought to live that anyone who abandon what should be, pursues his downfall rather than his preservation; for a man who strives after goodness in all his acts is sure to come to ruin, since there are so many men who are not good. It is essential, therefore, for a prince who desires to maintain his position to have learned how to be other than good, and to use or not to use his goodness as necessity requires… He needs never hesitate, however, to incur the reproach of those vices without which he would be unlikely to save his state. For, everything considered, he will find that there may be a line of conduct having the appearance of virtue, to follow which would be his ruin, and that there may be another course, having the appearance of vice, by following which his safety and well- being are secured.

This chapter, according to Gladders, is central and often referred to as the theoretical core of The Prince. Here, Machiavelli’s realism fully materializes. Ledeen further clarifies:

If you think that people are basically good and, left to their own devices, will create loving communities and good governments, you’ve learned nothing from him. Machiavelli’s world is populated by people more inclined to do evil than good, whose instincts are distinctly anti-social. These are your followers, bosses, colleagues, and employees, and, above all, your competitors and

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enemies. The only way to dominate your foes and get your friends and allies to work together is to use power effectively. 40

In the succeeding chapter, 41 Machiavelli states that: It is better for a prince to be parsimonious to avoid over taxation of the many subjects; example: Former Governor of Imo State, RochasOkorocha who chose to be generous, in his first tenure by sharing money to civil servants during Christmas but in his second tenure, he was not able to pay the salaries of the same civil servants, even after 30% cut (Pensioners also cried and died). Of course, as rightly postulated by Machiavelli, Okorocha incurred in his second tenure, infamy of miserliness and hatred - because of his inability to continue with his generosity. Instead, he replaced it with draconian policies.

There is no quality as self-destructive as liberality; the more it is indulged, the fewer are the means to indulge it further. Consequently, the prince becomes poor and despised or, to escape poverty, becomes rapacious and hated. Of all the things he must guard against, hatred and contempt comes first, and liberality leads to both. Therefore it is better to have a name for miserliness, which breeds disgrace without hatred, than in pursuing a name for liberality, to resort to rapacity, which breeds both disgrace and hatred .

Chapter VII is reechoed in chapter XVII; 42 of cruelty and clemency, Machiavelli sanctioned Cesare Borgia’s cruelty for its role in bringing peace, order, loyalty and unity in Romagna. He is considered more merciful than Florentines who to avoid being called cruel, allowed Pistoia to be destroyed (by factions).

…since love and fear rarely exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved …

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Moreover, men are less careful how they offend him who makes himself loved than him who makes himself feared. For love is held by the tie of obligation which men being scoundrel, may break whenever it serves their advantage to do so; but fear is bound by the apprehension of punishment, which never relaxes its grasp. So long as you promote their advantage, they are all yours and ready, while the danger is distant, to shed their blood and sacrifice their property; but in the hour of need they turn against you. The prince, who based his security on their word, lacking other provision, is doomed.

[Therefore] a prince should make himself feared in such a fashion that if he does not win love, he may escape hate. For a man may very well be feared and yet not hated, and this will be the case so long as he does not meddle with the property or with the women of his citizens and subjects … the prince, above all, should refrain from the property of others, for men are quicker to forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony. Constrained to put any to death, the prince should do so only when there is manifest cause or reasonable justification.

In sum, since men love as they themselves determine but fear as their ruler determines, a wise prince must rely upon what he and not others can control. He needs only strive to avoid being hated.

On the use of cruelty and clemency/leniency: the military action (or cruelty) unleashed on IPOB and Niger Delta militants under the guise of “Python Dance” and “Crocodile Smile” brought relative peace in the South-East and South- South parts of Nigeria respectively. Contrarily, the leniency enjoyed by Boko Haram of North-East during the previous regime and that enjoyed currently by killer-herdsmen alleged to be of Fulani extraction (in other words, Mr. President’s kinsmen) resulted to bloodshed which shook and is still

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x shaking Nigeria. Machiavelli argues in chapter VII of The Prince that sometimes, the Prince should disregard the reproach of being considered cruel so long as his action like “Python Dance”, enables him to keep his subjects united and obedient - hence, the end sometimes justifies the means; though not always.

Machiavelli lays much emphasis on the avoidance of hatred. Even in contemporary representative democracy, once a ruler, representative(s) or a party is hated by the masses, that ruler, representative(s) or party heads to doom - he/they are voted out in the succeeding election and sometimes, impeached before the next election.

A lot of Machiavellian principles of power can be extracted from chapter XVIII 43 :

…there are two ways of contending: by laws which properly belongs to men and by force which belongs to beasts. But since the former is often ineffectual, it becomes necessary to resort to the latter. Therefore, a prince must know how to use both natures; for the one without the other cannot endure. He must wisely assume beastlike nature of the fox and that of the lion; for the lion is defenceless against the snares and the fox is defenceless against wolves. Hence, a prince must be a fox to discern snares, and a lion to drive off wolves.

It is unwise to rely wholly on the lion; for the advantage usually goes to the one who best knows how to play the fox. Therefore, a prudent/wise prince cannot and should not keep his pledge when it is against his interest to do so and when his reason for making the pledge are no longer operative though, this does not apply if all men were good. But since men are dishonest and do not keep faith with you, you, in return, need not keep faith with them; and no prince was ever at a loss for plausible reasons to cloak a breach of faith.

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Machiavelli claimed that many solemn or peace treaties and engagements of his time were rendered inoperative and idle because of broken faith; so also in our time, in diplomatic arena, several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), bilateral and multi-lateral agreements, treaties, etc, have also been rendered inoperative and idle due to broken faith, especially when one country (or some countries in the case of multi- lateral agreement) feels cheated or disadvantaged. This corroborates the above Machiavellian principle of power. 44

[But] one must know how to mask this nature of fox skillfully and be a great dissembler. For men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions.

Poverty and hunger which form the immediate need of electorates in Nigeria, Africa and the “Global South” make them vulnerable to deceit by selfish politicians till date. A Governor in the Southern part of Nigeria promised to build or attract factories and industries so as to enhance employment. But contrarily, what the people saw was massive demolition of private houses and major markets, thereby, deepening unemployment, poverty and hunger. The World Bank, in its recent assessment of the first three years of the current Nigeria’s APC government, made similar assertion. Yet some sycophants are still blind to see PMB’s incompetence, especially as regards security and national economy.

Therefore, a prince actually needs not possess all good qualities like being merciful, faithful, humane, frank, religious, but he must surely seem to have them, especially the last one. In fact, having them all and always conforming to them would be harmful, while appearing to have them will be useful, especially to a new prince who has recently attained power. This is necessary for the preservation of the state.

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The prince must stick to the good so long as he can, but being compelled by necessity, he must be ready to take the way of evil, i.e., he must be disposed to change according to the winds of fortune and as alterations of circumstances dictates.

Average Nigerian politician misunderstood this Machiavellian principle; as exemplified in their incessant “cross-carpeting” from one political party to another for selfish reasons.

Men in general judge rather by the eye than by the hand, for everyone can see but few can come close enough to touch. Everyone sees what you seem, but few know what you are, and the few dare not oppose the many who have the majesty of the state to back and defend them. Moreover, in the actions of all men, especially princes, it is the result that renders the verdict when there is no court of appeal. Wherefore, if a prince succeeds in establishing and maintaining his authority (or power), the means will always be judged honourable and be approved and praised by all. For the mob is always impressed by appearances and by results; and the world is composed of the mob. 45

The popular but controversial assertion: “the end justifies the means” generally ascribed to Machiavelli is clearly manifested here. Jerry J. Rawlings’ “housecleaning” is a good example; where in three weeks, he executed three ex-military heads of state and in a short period of time, killed more than 100 prominent Ghanaian men and women over corruption charges. 46 Now , it is difficult to morally justify this odious act. But in line with Machiavelli’s principles of power, especially as postulated in chapter XVIII, Rawlings could be said to be compelled by necessity to take the way of evil - already sentenced to death by Gen. Fred Akufo (one of the three murdered heads of state), on escape from prison custody where Rawlings was awaiting his execution, had no option than to execute he who has already concluded plans to execute

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x him. In correspondence to “the end justifies the means”, Rawlings even till date continues to be celebrated within and outside Ghana. The United Nations under the aegis of Kofi Annan praised Rawlings’ actions. The relative peace, order, democratic principles and economic development subsequently enjoyed by Ghana have erased the odium of Rawlings; though some depict him as a “mystery”, historic and controversial leader.

Of several repetitions and narration of the life and actions of several emperors, one important principle fished out in chapter XIX reads: … all wise princes should diligently seek not to drive the nobles to desperation, and keep the common people satisfied .47

This could be said to play out in Godfatherism in Nigeria’s contemporary politics where the so called Godfathers exert enormous influence in political affairs. 48 Nigerian politicians, though try to please both the “noble” Godfathers (usually known as the power brokers and king makers) and the ordinary citizens, but for fear of not loosing political positions, tend to please more, their Godfathers: “… when the incumbent godson is at pains to satisfy the whims and caprices of the godfather among other competing demands on the scarce resources of the government, the interest of the larger number is savagely undermined”. 49

This was why Imolites cried foul and vehemently resisted the move by Rochas Okorocha to make his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, his successor. He was most likely to take instructions from his father-in-law had he succeeded him. Experience in Nigeria’s political space vis-à-vis godfather-protégé relationship in Oyo, Kwara, Enugu, Anambra, etc, lends credence to this. 50

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Not to be hated by his subjects is the best fortress a prince can have. If the people hate him, a fortress will not save him; for when once the people take up arms, foreigners do never want to assist them . [Again], in all considerations, I shall applaud him who builds fortresses, and him who does not; but I shall blame him who , trusting in them, reckons it a light thing to be held in hatred by his people .51

One wonders who assists Boko Haram, Killer-herdsmen, Niger Delta Avengers, Secessionists, Bandits and Kidnappers in arms. Are foreigners not involved? The current crisis in APC of Imo State and people’s reaction is a pointer to the fact that Imolites hate their former Governor, Rochas Okorocha.

Princes, particularly those who are new, have found more loyalty (or fidelity) and usefulness in men whom they held suspect at the inception of their rule than in men whom they initially trusted .

For those who think that Machiavelli wrote The Prince to gain favour from Medici family, this is very strong evidence.

For the prince to gain esteem, he should be a staunch friend and a thorough foe; who without reserve, openly declares for one against another – a more advantageous course than to stand neutral. Irresolute princes, to escape immediate peril, commonly follow the neutral path, in most instances to their destruction.

Average contemporary Nigerian politician, together with their global counterparts consciously or unconsciously obey this Machiavellian principle.

Machiavelli in chapter XXII 52 avers: The readiest estimate of the prince’s intelligence lies in his ministerial appointments. He is wise if they are capable and faithful; for he will have

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The present social, economic and political situation in Nigeria shows that wrong ministers, directors and heads of important agencies were appointed. This further demonstrates the level of intelligence of the number one citizen of Nigeria.

…to keep him loyal, the prince must think of his minister, dignifying him, enriching him , placing him under obligation, sharing with him both honours as well as burdens of the state, so that his minister will recognize that he cannot do without the prince, so that his many honors and abundant wealth will prevent his desiring more, and his many responsibilities will cause him fear a change of government. When prince and minister are upon this footing, they can mutually trust one another; but when the contrary is the case, the result will always be disastrous to both.

Most leaders, especially in a democratic system, including Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore were and are conscious of the above principle by Machiavelli in his The Prince . They pay their ministers well so as to save them from corruption and embezzlement of public fund: “Ministers’ salaries have to match their counterparts in the private sector. Underpaid ministers and public officials have ruined many governments in Asia [and other parts of the globe]. Adequate remuneration is vital for high standards of probity in political leaders and high officials”. 53

The only way to guard against flattery is by letting it be seen that you take no offence in hearing the truth. But a prudent prince should select few wise men (of his state) that should enjoy the freedom of telling him the truth on specific matters.

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Except for these men, he should listen to no one. He must after hearing their opinions, decide for himself.

This is the essence of Special Assistance (SA) on different facets of the government. But our politicians have bastardized this principle by using it to settle their political cronies. They now have several senior and junior Special Aids on a particular domain. Consequently, instead of listening to the voice of reason from intellectuals like: academicians, philosophers, religious leaders, our politicians prefer the voice of sycophants who end up deceiving them.

Towards the end, in chapters XXIV and XXV 54 , Machiavelli pointed outthat: By being skillful in maintaining the good will of the people and in securing the fidelity of the nobles, the prince maintains himself in power. Inertness not fortune should be blamed when power is lost.

This principle still remains relevant in nowadays politics; for one to climb the ladder to political power and maintain both his power and authority, he should be highly skillful, possess the necessary charisma to woo both the noble and ordinary citizens; and not the case in Nigeria where the nobles’ (or Godfathers’) interests are more championed out of fear of losing political position.

According to Gladders (and Strauss), in the last and most debated chapter (XXVI) of The Prince , “Machiavelli sets forth that liberation [freedom] is necessary for the common good”. 55 But to liberate a highly corrupt state like Italy of 15 th century is likely to involve amoral means. That is why Manfield like many other scholars (such as: Zmora, Parkinson and Strauss) argues that with Borgia example, Machiavelli recognized that constitutional government is possible but only after an unconstitutional beginning .56

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Most modern democracies that practice constitutional government today have at one point in their history experienced one form of unconstitutional reformation like bloody revolution which is always led by strong, charismatic rebel(s), example: J. J. Rawlings at 32 performed what he christened “housecleaning” in Ghana, where more than 100 alleged corrupt people were killed. He relinquished power (19 years later) after the institution of constitutional democracy in Ghana. But as Zmora rightly pointed out; it is always difficult for a despot, no matter how good he may be, to easily relinquish power. 57

Inasmuch as this work doesn’t subscribe to violent revolution in Nigeria, it recommends aggressive ideological revolution. For instance, the idea of “sharing of national cake” which exacerbates ethnicity should be jettisoned; though the bitter truth remains the fact that Nigeria under the watch of President Buhari (and APC) is already tilting towards another civil unrest if Boko Haram, killer-herdsmen, bandits and activities of the secessionists, etc, are not immediately stopped.

Conclusion

Before the core of this research, an attempt to summarize Machiavelli’s Political Principles of Power was made which led to a detailed examination of the principles vis-à-vis recent contemporary politics with special reference to recent Nigeria’s democratic experience.The essence of this research therefore, is to demonstrate the relevance, significance and import of Machiavelli’s Principles of Power (MPOP) to contemporary representative democracy with special reference to recent political events in Nigeria as a democratic state; where an attempt was made to improve Nigeria’s ailing democracy. Because this work is mostly interested in those political assumptions or principles marshaled out by

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Machiavelli which despite their seeming negativity, positively affect modern democracy, especially in Nigeria, the following suggestions (vis-à-vis MPOP) are put forward for the improvement of (representative) democracy generally, and Nigeria’s democracy particularly:

Objective reasoning should be emphasized while campaign of calumny should be deemphasized in modern democracy, including Nigeria. Democracy cannot thrive amidst civil unrest (or insecurity). Therefore, our leaders should be knowledgeable enough, as put forth by Machiavelli, to detect or tackle social and political disorders during their nascent stages before they escalate. Most scholars are of the view that good practice of democracy, especially in its modern sense engenders development. Serious democracies think inclusively, and this further improves human, economic, social and political development. Nigeria, if she cherishes positive development, should emulate advanced democracies and moreover, jettison negative influence of the West in the form of neo-colonialism.

Machiavelli’s emphasis on the art of war should not be overlooked. There should be a well fortified and organized military; for without a highly disciplined and strong army, a handful of armed rebels may overthrow democratically elected authority. Again, as rightly observed by Machiavelli, the Defence should be built from indigenous citizens who are likely to fight with patriotism when the need arises. Apart from good arms, Machiavelli also talked about good laws which are regarded here, as those laws that are inclusive; laws that are not subservient to a group in the society.

Owing to the fact that the masses are generally fickle, the leadership positions in a democratic dispensation should be left for the intelligent, wise and patriotic citizens. Agreed that the ruler must be shrewd, this paper strongly condemn deceit

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The fight against corruption will not be complete until civil servants are adequately remunerated. This no doubt will go a long way to curb corrupt tendencies. Recall that Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore obeyed this Machiavellian injunction.

Some scholars are of the view that democracy is a way of life. Against this backdrop, this paper recommends aggressive ideological revolution with emphasis on democratic principles and those values that unite Nigeria as a nation.Machiavelli also rightly observed in Book One, Chapter 10 of his The Discourses that bad leadership leads to civil unrest. All hands therefore, must be on deck in order to elect good leaders for social and political stability and peaceful co-existence.

Finally, for the enhancement of representative democracy, especially in Nigeria, not all the principles of power suggested by Machiavelli should be accepted, though some like those mentioned above, should be incorporated. Yes, Machiavelli’s realpolitik is not contested, but we contend and conclude that the ideal “democratic principles” must be clearly understood and assimilated in order to pull and adjust the real Machiavellian Principles of Power. Again, for Nigeria’s democratic experience: so far sofair . Nigeria has registered some remarkable progress in her democratic journey; the

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Endnotes

1. A.S. Hornby, et al , Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary , 6 th Edition, (U.K: Oxford University Press, 2000), p. 1102 2. E. Ezeani, In Biafra Africa Died: The Diplomatic Plot , (London: Veritas Lumen Publishers), 2013 3. C.C. Mbaegbu, “Nigerian Democracy and the Nationality Question” in I. Odimegwu (ed.), Nigerian Democracy and Global Democracy, (Awka: FAB Education Book, 2008), pp. 54-72 4. I. Odife, “Contentious Issues in Nigeria’s Current Democratic Experience” in A.B.C. Chiegboka et al (eds.), The Humanities and Nigeria’s Democratic Experience (Nimo: Rex Charles and Patrick Ltd., 2009), pp. 136-141 5. U.M. Egbuta, Cultural Problem and Interpretation in Machiavelli’s Philosophy: Nigeria Concern , (Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd., 2005), pp. 77-112 6. M. Omolewa, CertificateHistoryofNigeria , (London: Longman Group Ltd., 1986), pp. 191-215. 7. B. Obi, “Foot Print of Military Regime in Nigeria”, cited by U.M. Egbuta, p. 79. 8. E. Obuna, The Root of Violence , cited by U.M. Egbuta, p. 109. 9. W.R. Thayer, “Machiavelli’s Prince”, International Journal of Ethics , Vol.2, No.4 (Jul., 1892), pp.477- 478.

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10. L. Strauss, Thoughts on Machiavelli , (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1958), p. 9. 11. G. Ferrero, “Machiavelli and Machiavellism”, Foreign Affairs , Vol. 17, No. 3 (Apr., 1939), p. 569. 12. D.A. Van Bell and K.M. Mash, A Novel Approach to Politics , (Washington, D.C.:CQ Press, 2007), p. 30. 13. That is, Nigeria and other democratic Countries. 14. N. Machiavelli, The Prince , trans. by N. H. Thomson, (East Bridgewater: World Pub. Group, 2008), pp23- 33; N. Machiavelli, The Prince , trans. by D. Donno, (New York: Bentam Books, 2003), pp. 18-25. 15. B.C. Okpata, “Social Transformation and Prophetic Mission of the Catholic Church in Nigeria”, Oganihu , Vol. 4, July 2012/2013, pp.37-38. 16. K.W. Gladders, Machiavelli , (Tennessee: University of Tennessee, 2003), p. 4. 17. E.O. John, Man and the State , (Lagos: Omega Books, 2016), p. 322. 18. K.W. Gladders, Ibid.; N. Machiavelli (trans. D. Donno), p. 28; N. Machiavelli (trans. N.H. Thomson), p.39. 19. J.A. Bamgbose, “Party Politics and Godfatherism: The Nigerian Experience”, Essence , Vol.1, No.1 (2004), pp. 121 & 122. 20. K.W. Gladders, Ibid.; N. Machiavelli (trans. D. Donno), pp. 29-30; N. Machiavelli (trans. N. H. Thomson), p.43. 21. N. Machiavelli (trans. N.H. Thomson) pp. 48-54 22. B.O. Odinamadu, Politics and the Igbo Elite , (Ibadan: Sketch Pub. Co. Ltd., No Date), pp. 32-35; www.britannica.com/biography/Jerry-J-Rawlings (05/04/2018). 23. C. McGrane, “Is Machiavelli’s The Prince Still Relevant in the 21 st Century?” (No Publication Details).

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24. N. Machiavelli (trans D. Donno), p. 59; C. McGrane. Ibid; N. Machiavelli (trans. N. H. Thomson), pp. 93- 94. 25. L.K. Yew, From Third World to First , (New York: HarperCollins Pub., 2000) pp.11f. 26. N. Machiavelli (trans. N.H. Thomson), pp. 61-62; K.W. Gladders, pp.6-7. 27. M.A. Ledeen, Machiavelli on Modern Leadership: Why Machiavelli’s Iron Rules are as Timely and Important Today as Five Centuries Ago , (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999), p. 186 28. P. I. Ogugua, “Godfatherism and Democratic Question”, Essence , Vol.1, No.1, (2004), pp. 100-106. 29. C. Nnamani cited by C. E. Ukhun, “Godfatherism: The Scourge of Democracy in Nigeria”, Essence , Ibid., p.86. 30. P. Thovoethin, “Godfatherism and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria”, Essence , Ibid., pp. 60-69. 31. Loc. Cit.; Also see: H. C. Mansfield, Machiavelli’s Virtue , (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996), p. 187; H. Zmora, “Machiavelli’s Morals”, Azure , 5765 (2005), pp. 124&140; 32. G.H.R. Parkinson, “Ethics and Politics in Machiavelli’, The Philosophical Quarterly , Vol.5, No. 18 (1955), pp. 41-42; 33. L. Stranss, “Machiavelli” in L. Stranss and J. Cropsey (eds.), History of Political Philosophy , 3 rd edition, (Chicage: University of Chicago Press, 1987), p. 302.

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Mgbagwo nke Ụdaolu N’olu ndị Mbaise

Nke Si N’aka

Dioka Bridget Ogechi Centre for Igbo Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka [email protected] +2349033217027 & +2348064876052

Ụmịedemede

Mbunuche nchọcha a bụ itụle mgbagwọ nke ụdaolu n’ahịrịokwu sitere n’olu Mbaise dị na Steetị Imo. Nchọcha a gbadoro ụkwụ n’ịchọpụta mgbagwọ nke ụdaolu n’ahịrịokwu nke ihe na-ebutekarị ya bụ mkpụrụ okwu ndị mebere ahịrịokwu ndị a. E jiri atụtụ okwu njiri mepụta nke J.L. Austin mee nchọcha a. Ebe mgbadọ ụkwụ atụtụ a bụ inwe ezi mmekọrịta n’etiti okwuu na ọnụụ ka nghọta were dị mfe. A gbasoro usoro sọvee nkọwa na nchọcha a. Ndị e sitere n’aka ha mee nchọcha a bụ nwoke na nwaanyị bụ ndị Mbaise bi na Nsụka na-asụ asụsụ Mbaise nke ọma. Data e jiri mee nchọcha a sitere n’ajụjụ ọnụ, ihe e nwetara n’igwe kọmpụta, ihe a gụtara n’akwụkwọ na mmụta ọchọcha nwere. Nchọcha a chọpụtara na e nwere mgbagwọ ụdaolu n’olu Mbaise. Ihe na- ebutekarị mgbagwọ a bụ okwu ndị ahụ yiri onwe ha ma na mkpụrụ edemede ma n’ụda olu. N’ihi na okwu ndị ahụ yiri onwe ha na nsupe ma dị iche n’echiche ha na-ezipụta. Echiche abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa okwu ndị a nwere na-ebute mgbagwọ n’ime asụsụ ha nwetara onwe ha. Mgbagwọ ụdaolu bụ otu n’ihe na-ebutakarị ndịiche n’ime mkpụrụ okwu ndị a ahụ. Mgbagwọ ụdaolu na-apụtakarị ihe n’asụsụ okwu ọnụ karịa n’asụsụ ederede. Ọ chọpụtakwara na mkpọhie na ndehie okwu na-ebute mgbagwọ n’olu ndị. A na-echekwube na nchọcha a ga-enyere ndị nwe asụsụ aka ịghọta okwu ụfọdụ nke ọma ma

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Okwu Ndị Pụtakarịchara Ihe: Mgbagwọ, Mgbagwọ ụda olu, Olu ndị Mbaise

Mkpọlite

Asụsụ bụ okwu mmadụ kwụrụ n’ọnụ ma ọ bụ nke e dere ede. Mmadụ na ibe ya ji asụsụ emekọrịta. Ọ bụ naanị mmadụ na-eji okwu ọnụ eme asụsụ zuru oke. Anụmanụ ndị ọzọ na-eme mkpọtụ nke ọ bụ naanị ha na-aghọta (Sapir, 1921: 8). Mmadụ na-eji asụsụ ezipụta ihe o bu n’obi. Asụsụ okwu ọnụ na-enwe ezi nghọta site etu onye sụrụ ya ma ọ bụ onye kwuru okwu siri debe olu ya kwuo okwu ma ọ bụ sụọ asụsụ. A bịa n’asụsụ ederede, ọ bụ ụdaolu e tinyere n’okwu ahụ ga- ewepụta olu onye kwuru okwu nke ga-eme ka a ghọta ihe okwu ahụ pụtara.

Dịka Emenanjo (1978) kwuru, asụsụ ọ bụla na- agbanwe agbanwe ma n’ụda, ma n’ụtọasụsụ ya, ma na mpụtara mkpụrụ okwu na ahịrịokwu dị na ya. Asụsụ Igbo bụ asụsụ ụda olu, dị ka asụsụ ndị ọzọ e nwere n’ezinaụlọ asụsụ Naịja-Kongo. Asụsụ Igbo dị iche n’asụsụ Bekee nke bụ asụsụ ndebe olu. E ji ụdaolu ezipụta ndịiche dị n’etiti mọfịm abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa, mkpụrụ okwu abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa na ahịrịokwu abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa yiri onwe ha n’asụsụ Igbo. Ihe dị oke mkpa na nkata mmadụ na ibe ya bụ nghọta. Okwu mmadụ kwuru na-enweghị nghọta bụ mkpọtụ ka onye ahụ mere. Mgbagwojuanya a na-enwe na nghọta okwu nke nwere ike ibute nsogbu n’etiti onye kwuru okwu na onye a na-agwa okwu dị mma ka e leba ya anya.

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Amụmamụ echiche na-eleba anya n’ihe gbasara echiche na mpụtara okwu. Mbunuche amụmamụ a bụ ịmata ihe okwu pụtara, ọ bụghị ihe okwuu chọrọ ka okwu ahụ pụta n’ebe e kwuru ya (Anabogu, Mbah na Eme, 2010). Mgbe mmadụ na-ekwu okwu, ọ na-eji mkpụrụ edide, mkpụrụ asụsụ na mkpụrụ okwu emebe nkeji okwu, nkeji ahịrị na ahịrịokwu o ji akparịta ụka iji wepụta mbunoobi ya. Onye a na-agwa okwu ga-esite n’ihe ndị a mebere ahịrịokwu ndị a ghọta ihe okwuu na-ekwu ma ka ya. Etu a ka ọ dị n’ebe odee na ọgụụ dị.

Mgbagwọ pụtara mkpụrụ asụsụ, mkpụrụ okwu, nkeji okwu ma ọ bụ ahịrịokwu inwe karịa otu echiche ma ọ bụ mpụtara n’ekwumekwu ma ọ bụ n’ederede. Mgbagwọ bụ ezigbo nsogbu nye asụsụ ebe otu okwu nwere ike ịpụta ihe dị iche iche n’echiche ndị mmadụ (Rajendran, 2014; Chinelo na Macpherson, 2015). E nwere mgbagwọ mkpụrụ okwu na mgbagwọ ndokọ ahịrịokwu nke ụdaolu dị n’ime ya. Mkpụrụ asụsụ ma ọ bụ mkpụrụ okwu nwere karịa otu mpụtara ma ọ bụ otu echiche n’ime otu ahịrịokwu nwere ike ime ka ahịrịokwu ahụ nwee mgbagwo. Ọ bụrụ na ahịrịokwu nwee karịa otu echiche ma ọ bụ mpụtara, ọ ga-enye ọgụụ/ogee ntị nsogbu ịmata ozi okwuu ma ọ bụ odee chọrọ izipụta. Mgbe oge ntị/ọgụụ hụtara nghọta abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa banyere otu okwu, ọ ga-eme ka otu bụrụ ezi okwu banyere ihe odee ma ọ bụ okwuu na-ekwu maka ya, ebe nke ọzọ ma ọ bụ ndị ọzọ ga-abụ asị. Ihe e ji agwọ mgbagwojuanya dị n’ụdị ahịrịokwu a bụ ụda olu. E tinye akara ụdaolu dabara adaba n’ahịrịokwu nwere mgbagwọ, nghọta ya apụta ihe nke ọma, mgbagwọ alaa.

Mgbagwọ ụdaolu na-apụta ebe e nwere okwu yiri onwe ha ma nwee otu ụda olu. Mgbe ahịrịokwu yiri onwe ha n’ụzọ ọ bụla, ya bụ na mkpụrụ asụsụ, mkpụrụ okwu, nkeji okwu tụmadị ụdaolu mebere ahịrịokwu a, e nwee mgbagwọ ụda olu. Nke a na-apụtakarị ihe n’asụsụ okwu ọnụ karịa asụsụ

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Nchọcha a na-eleba anya n’etu ụdaolu si ebute mgbagwọ ahịrịokwu n’asụsụ Igbo tụmadị n’olu Mbaise. Mbaise so n’otu olu ndị e nwere na Steetị Imo dị ka olu Owere, Ọlụ na ndị ọzọ. Nchọcha a ga-achọpụta ụfọdụ nsogbu na-adapụta mgbe e nwere mgbagwọ n’ahịrịokwu nke ụdaolu ga-enye aka belata.

Ọrụ nchọcha a jiri atụtụ Austin (1962) bụ nke Austin kpọrọ atụtụ okwu njiri mepụta mee nchọcha a. Nchọcha agbadoro ụkwụ na mgbagwo nke ụdaolu dị n’ahịrịokwu n’olu Mbaise. Ome nchọcha a ji ajụjụ ọnụ, ihe ọchọọ mara nakwa ihe e depụtara n’akwụkwọ wee mee ngwa nchọcha ya. Ajụjụ ọnụ a bụ nke gbadoro ụkwụ n’ahịrịokwu na ndọkọ ahịrịokwu e siri n’ọnụ ndị nwe olu Mbaise wee nweta. Mbunuche nchọcha a bụ inye aka doo anya ebe niile e nwere mgbagwojuanya n’ahịrịokwu dị n’olu Mbaise n’asụsụ Igbo. A ga-etinye akara ụdaolu n’okwu ndị a ma dezie okwu ndị e dejọrọ edejọ nke butere mgbagwọ n’asụsụ e jiri mee nchọcha a.

N’ikpe azụ, nchọcha a ga-enyere ụmụ akwụkwọ na ndị ọkammụta na-eme nchọcha n’ihe banyere mpụtara okwu na mgbagwọ okwu aka na nchọcha ha. Ọzọ kwa, ọ ga-enyere ndị nwe asụsụ aka ịghọta okwu ọ bụla e kwuru ma ọ bụ e dere ka mgbagwojuanya ghara ịdị.

Ntụlegharị agụmagụ Ntụlegharị atụtụ

N’ime ihe ọmụmụ echiche, ọtụtụ atụtụ echiche ka e nwere ma nchọcha a ga-atụle atụtụ abụọ ndị ahụ metụtara mgbagwọ n’ime ahịrịokwu n’asụsụ dị iche iche.

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Atụtụ echiche ndịna ime

Whorf n’afọ 1956 wubere atụtụ echiche ndịna ime a. Atụtụ a na-akọwa na iji chọpụta echiche okwu na a ga-ebu ụzọ họpụta mkpụrụ echiche ndị mejupụtara echiche ya bụ okwu (Anyanwu, 2008). Ha na-agbaso usoro iji akara nnwe na enweghị (+, –) egosịpụta mkpụrụ echiche okwu nwere na nke ọ na-enweghị. Mgbe e mechara nke a, a ga-atụle okwu abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa site n’ilebe anya n’ihe ha nwere na nke ha na-enweghi. E mechaa nke a, a chọpụta nsiwere ha; ya bụ etu ha si yidebe ma ọ bụ sidebe. A na-ewere na ndị ha nwekọrọ ọnụ na-ebute myiri ha ebe ndị ha na-enwekọghị ọnụ bụ echiche ndịmiiche ha.

Atụtụ a dị mkpa n’ihi na ọ na-enyochapụta mkpụrụ echiche mejupụtara echiche okwu ma na-egosipụta etu okwu abụọ ma ọ bụ karịa si yidebe ma ọ bụ didebe iche. Ọghọm dị n’atụtụ bụ na ọ bụghị okwu niile ka inyọchapụta mkpụrụ echiche ha dị mfe. Ọzọ kwa, nkọwa atụtụ a metụtakarịrị mkpụrụ okwu karịa nkeji okwu ma ọ bụ ahịrịokwu. N’ihi nke a, ọ gaghị adabacha iji atụtụ a kọwaa mgbagwọ nke ụdaolu ebe o metụtara nkeji okwu, nkeji ahịrị na ahịrịokwu.

Atụtụ okwu njiri mepụta

Atụtụ a na-akọwa na asụsụ abụghị naanị maka iji kọwaa ihe. A na-eji asụsụ emepụta ihe onye na-ekwu okwu bu n’uche. Onye mebere atụtụ a bụ Nwoke Fịlọsọfi si Oxford aha ya bụ J.L. Austin n’afọ 1962. Ebe Searle (1969) hazigharịrị atụtụ okwu njiri mepụta. Austin na Searle kwuru na uru abụọ asụsụ bara bụ na e ji ya akọwa ihe ma jirikwa ya emepụta ihe.

Ha gbadoro ụkwụ na nke abụọ wee kọwaa na asụsụ ma ọ bụ okwu nwere agba atọ mgbe ọ na-emepụta ihe. Agba atọ ndị a gụnyere: nkwupụta okwu nke na-akọwa na okwuu na-akpọpụta mkpụrụ okwu mejupụtara ahịrịokwu o bu n’obi.

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Ọzọ dị ka ibe ya bụ na okwuu kwesịrị ịgwa ọnụụ okwu n’ụdị ọ ga-aghọta ma matakwa ihe a chọrọ ka o mee gbasara okwu a gwara ya. O kwesịrị ka ọnụụ mata ụdị okwu a gwara ya site n’ịkọwa ya n’ụdị usoro okwu ndị a: ajụjụ, nkwusara, arịrịọ, ozi na ntimiiwu. Nke atọ bụ ilebe anya ka ọnụụ ma ọ bụ omee siri mepụta ihe e kwuru n’okwu. Ihe ndị a gụnyere ite mmanụ, itinye mmiri chukwu, ịba aha, ịbụ di na nwunye, ịbụ ọnụ, ịdụ isi/ịnụ iyi na ndị ọzọ. Mgbe omee mepụtara ihe ndị a, a na-ewere ya na ihe ndị ahụ adịrịla ma hụta onye ahụ mere ihe ndị ahụ dị ka onye nọ n’ọnọdụ ndị a. Ọnọdụ ndị a na-adị ire naanị mgbe onye ma ọ bụ ndị mepụtara ha ihe nwere ikike ma ọ bụ nọ n’ọkwa nyere ha ikike ime ka ihe ndị a dị ire.

Ọ bụrụ na e leba anya n’agba atọ ndị a atụtụ e wepụtara nke bụ ikwupụta okwu, ịgwa ọnụụ okwu ka ọ ghọta mbu n’obi okwuu na kwa imepụta ihe ahụ ihe, a hụ ya anya, a ga-ahụ na atụtụ a dabara adaba n’ime nchọcha gbasara mgbagwọ nke ụdaolu dị n’ahịrịokwu n’olu Mbaise dị n’asụsụ Igbo. Nke a bụ n’ihi na atụtụ na-agba n’anwụ ihe okwuu bu n’obi. Ihe okwuu bu n’obi nwere ike ịgbagwoju ọnụụ anya nke ga-eme ka nghọta raa ahụ. Atụtụ a nwere nkwenye bụ nke ga-enye aka n’ịtọsasị mgbagwọ ndị a ma mee ka o doo anya.

Ọchọcha jiri atụtụ okwu njiri mepụta nke J. L. Austin mepụtara n’afọ 1962 mee nchọcha ya. Atụtụ a kọwara na ọmụmụ asụsụ abụghị naanị na mkpụrụ okwu na ahịrịokwu mebere asụsụ. Ọ na-elebe anya n’ọrụ ekwumekwu nke na- emetụta mmekọrịta okwuu na ọnụụ. Ya bụ, ọnụụ ịnụta, ghọta ma mee ihe okwuu kwuru. Nchọcha a dabara n’agba nke atọ nke bụ otu n’ime agba atọ Austin ji akọwa okwu nke bụ ọnụụ ma ọ bụ omee ịmepụta ihe, ihe okwuu kwuru nke gosịrị na ọ ghọtara ihe okwuu kwuru nke ọma.

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Ntụlegharị nchọcha n’isi okwu

Ọ bụ ezi okwu na o nweela ndị mereela nchọcha n’ihe gbasara mgbagwọ ma n’asụsụ Bekee ma n’asụsụ ndị ọzọ. Nchọcha ndị a gbadoro ụkwụ na mgbagwọ mkpụrụ okwu karịa nke ahịrịokwu. Ụfọdụ n’ime ha bụ: Tambunan (2009), Onah (2011), Udemmadụ (2012), Prezi, Ikekeonwu, Agbedo na Mbah (2013), Ugochukwu (2014), Uba (2016) na Ogwudile (2019).

Tambunan, (2009) n’edemede ogologo ya mere nchọcha banyere mgbagwọ mkpụrụ okwu na nke ahịrịokwu. O jiri atụtụ Ullman họpụta ụdị mkpụrụ okwu na ahịrịokwu ndị nwere mgbagwọ. Ọ chọpụtara mkpụrụ okwu ndị nwere mgbagwọ, mkpụrụ okwu na ahịrịokwu ndị ndokọ ya na-ebute mgbagwọ ma chọpụtakwa ụdị mgbagwọ a na-enwekarị. Tambunan sitere n’akwụkwọ a kpọrọ, Your Letters of Jakarta Post mee nchọcha ya. Nchọcha a yịtụrụ nke a na-eme ugbu a n’ihi na ọ gbasara mgbagwọ ma nke ugbu a hibere isi na mgbagwọ ndokọ ahịrịokwu nke ụdaolu n’ọlu Mbaise na Steeti Imo.

Onah, (2011) mere nchọcha mgbagwọ nke gbasara ahịrịokwu na mkpụrụ okwu ndị nwere karịa otu echiche. Nchọcha nke Onah mere hibere isi na mgbagwọ ya na ka mgbagwọ si metụta olu Nsụka. Ọ chọpụtara mkpụrụ okwu na ahịrịokwu dị n’olu Nsụka na-ebute mgbagwọju anya na ihe ndị a ga-eme ka ha doo anya ka mkparịta ụka wee dị mfe. O kwenyesiri ike na mgbagwọ ndị a ma nke mkpụrụ okwu ma nke ahịrịokwu anaghị eme ka mkparịta ụka dị mfe. Ndịiche dị na nchọcha ndị a bụ na nchọcha nke Onah mere hibere isi n’olu Nsụka, ebe nke a na-eme ugbu a ga-ehibe isi n’olu Mbaise.

Udemmadụ (2012) mere nchọcha gbasara mgbagwọ n’asụsụ Igbo. Nchọcha ya hibere isi n’ihe bụ mgbagwọ, ihe

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Prezi, Ikekeonwu, Agbedo na Mbah, (2013) mere nchọcha n’ihe gbasara mgbagwọ. Nchọcha ha lebakwara anya n’ihe gbasara mgbagwọ n’asụsụ Igbo site n’olu ndị Eru-ụlọ. Nchọcha ha kọwara ihe na-ebute mgbagwọ nakwa ụdị mgabgwọ ndị e nwere n’olu ndị a na-ekwu maka ya tinyere uru mgbagwọ ndị a bara n’asụsụ Igbo. Ha kọwara na mgbe e nwere mkpụrụ okwu nwere karịa otu echiche n’ahịrịokwu, ọ na-eme ka ahịrịokwu ahụ nwee nghọta dị iche iche na ntị ọnụụ.

N’ezie, mgbagwọ bụ ihe e ji anya uche ahụ n’amụmamụ asụsụ. Ugochukwu (2014) mekwara nchọcha na mgbagwọ n’asụsụ Igbo. Nchọcha Ugochukwu a gbadoro ụkwụ n’ụzọ e si amata mgbagwọ n’asụsụ Igbo nakwa njirimara ya. Ya bụ nchọcha gosịpụtara na mgbagwọ bụ ihe dị n’asụsụ ụwa niile ma bụrụkwa ihe a na-ahụ anya mgbe a na- amụ asụsụ n’onwe ya. Ya mere o ji dị oke mkpa na a ga-ebu nke a n’uche mgbe a na-akụzi asụsụ. Nchọcha a kọwara mgbagwọ n’asụsụ Igbo niile nke mere o jiri dị iche na nchọcha a na-eme ugbu a bụ nke hibere isi n’olu Mbaise.

Uba, (2016) mere nchọcha banyere mgbagwọ mpụtara okwu n’olu Owere dị n’asụsụ Igbo. Ebumnobi ya bụ iwepụta mkpụrụ okwu na nkeji okwu na-ezipụta mgbagwọ n’olu Owere. Ome nchọcha a ji ụzọ nke nkọwa kọwaa ngwa nchọcha ndị o nwetera na ndị na-asụ olu ndị a ma chọpụta na mgbagwọ n’olu ndị Owere sitere n’okwu ndị ahụ na-enwe karịa otu echiche, mkpụrụ okwu ndị ahụ e ji ajụ ajụjụ bụ nnọchiaha, tinyere akpalaokwu na ndị ọzọ. Nchọcha a yiri nke a na-eme ugbu a ma na ha nwere ihe ndịiche n’ihi na Uba mere nchọcha mgbagwọ nke ya n’olu ndị Owere. Nchọcha

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Ogwudile, (2019) mere nchọcha n’ihe banyere mgbagwọ mkpụrụ okwu n’asụsụ Igbo. Nchọcha ya hibere isi na mkpụrụ okwu ndị ahụ nwere ụbara echiche n’olu Oghe n’asụsụ Igbo. Ọ chọpụtara na e nwere mkpụrụ okwu ndị yiri onwe ha ma n’odide ma na mkpọpụta ma mpụtara ha abụchaghị otu kama mpụtara ha nwere etu ha siri yie onwe ha. Ụdị mkpụrụ okwu dị etu a na-ebute mgbagwọ tụmadi n’olu ndị. Nchọcha a yitụrụ nke a na-eme ugbu a n’ihi na ọ na-ekwu maka mkpụrụ okwu nwere ụbara echiche tụmadị n’olu Oghe mana mgbagwọ abụghị isi sekpụ ntị na nchọcha a.

Na nchịkọta, ndị ọkammụta dị iche iche akọwaala mgbagwọ n’ụzọ dị iche iche. Nchọcha ndị a hibere isi n’ihe bụ mgbagwọ, ụdị mgbagwọ dị iche iche, mgbagwọ n’olu ndị ụfọdụ. Nchọcha niile ndị a enwebeghị nke lebara anya na mgbagwọ nke ụdaolu tụmadị n’olu Mbaise. Ọzọ kwa, iji atụtụ okwu njiri mepụta mee nchọcha n’ihe gbasara mgbagwọ enweghị nke doro ome nchọcha anya. Nke a bụ ihe kpaliri mmụọ ome nchọcha iji atụtụ a mee nchọcha mgbagwọ nke ụdaolu n’olu Mbaise. A na-echekwube na site na nchọcha a, a ga-enwe ezi mkparịta ụka n’etiti mmadụ na ibe ya. Nghọtahie nke na-ebute esemokwu ga-ebelata. Ndị nwe asụsụ a ga- esikwa na nchọcha a ghọtamie asụsụ ha nke ọma.

Usoro nchọcha

Nchọcha a gbasoro usoro sọvee nkọwa. Nworgụ (1991) kọwara ụdị sọvee a dị ka ịchọpụta ihe dị adị, kọwaa ya ma nye ya mpụtara n’ụzọ kwesịrị ekwesị. Ali (2006) kọwara sọvee nkọwa dị ka nke na-amụ maka ‘Òtù ụdị’ mmadụ ma ọ bụ ihe dị iche iche site n’iwekọta na ịnyocha data site n’ọnụ ọgụ ndị mmadụ n’ime òtù ma ọ bụ ihe. Ọ bụ usoro a ka e jiri kọwaa mgbagwọ nke ụdaolu nke pụtara ihe n’ahịrịokwu.

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Ebe a nọrọ mee nchọcha a bụ na Nsụka mana ọchọcha gara n’ọba akwụkwọ dị iche iche, n’ụlọ akwụkwọ Mahadum Naijirịa, Nsụka gụọ akwụkwọ dị iche iche gbasara amụmamụ echiche na mgbagwọ. Ọ gakwara n’ọwa ịntaneti wee wepụta ihe ụfọdụ o jiri mee nchọcha ndị e dere na Bekee ma tụgharị ha n’Igbo. Nchọcha a hibere isi na mgbagwọ nke ụdaolu n’olu Mbaise dị na Steeti Imo.

Ọnụ ọgụ nchọcha bụ nwoke ise na nwaanyị ise ndị na-asụ asụsụ Mbaise nke ọma nwere ike ịmata mgbagwọ ndị a ma ọ bụ mara na ahịrịokwu nwere karịa otu echiche na mpụtara. Ọchọcha jiri ajụjụ ọnụ nweta ihenjiri mee nchọcha (data) iri atọ na abụọ ndị o jiri mee nchọcha ya n’aka mmadụ iri ndị a.

Ọchọcha jiri atụtụ okwu njiri mepụta nke gbadoro ụkwụ na mmekọrịta okwuu na ọnụụ wee mee nchọcha ya. E sitere na mkpụrụ okwu, nkeji okwu, nkeji ahịrị na ahịrịokwu ụfọdụ dị n’olu Mbaise nweta data e jiri mee nchọcha ma gbasoro usoro ụdaolu nke Nwachukwu wee tinye akara ụdaolu n’ọrụ a.

Ntụcha data Mgbagwọ mkpụrụ okwu

N’olu Mbaise, e nwere ọtụtụ mkpụrụ okwu ndị nwere karịa otu echiche ma ọ bụ otu mpụtara dị ka ọ dị n’asụsụ Igbo izugbe. Mkpụrụ okwu na-enwe otu ụda ma nwee mpụtara dị iche iche. Oge ụfọdụ nghọta ha na-adị iche na nke Igbo izugbe. Ịma atụ n’olu Mbaise:

(1) Á́hwà nke pụtara áhà n’Igbo izugbe nwere ike inwe mpụtara abụọ. Áhwà – aha

Áhwà – Ihe buru ibu

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(2) Hìé n’olu Mbaise nwere mpụtara ihe atọ n’Igbo izugbe.

zie ozi

Hìé zaa ihe

rahụ ụra

aba ji aba mba (3) àbá aba osisi

Aba, aha obodo

Ishi mmadụ

(4) íshí

Mmalite/Mbido

echi

(5) Échí

ụnyahụ

okwu ilu

(6) Ílú

ihe na-elu ilu

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okwu (7) Ụkà nsogbu

okpukperechi

akwa mmiri

(8) Àkwà

akwa ndina

omume

(9) Àgwà

ihe oriri

isi mgbaka

(10) Árá

akụkụ ahụ

onye eze

(11) Ígwé

Elu ịgwe

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anyịnya igwe

(12) Ígwè

mkpụrụ igwe

Mgbagwọ ahịrịokwu

Ọtụtụ ihe na-ebute mgbagwọ n’ahịrịokwu. Ụda olu bụ isi sekpụ ntị n’ụdị mgbagwọ a. Ihe ọzọ na-ebute mgbagwọ n’ahịrịokwu ọ kachasị n’okwu ọnụ bụ ụda asụsụ mebere ahịrịokwu ndị ahụ.

Mgbagwọ keụda asụsụ

Mgbe a na-ede asụsụ, a na-enwe ndehie dị iche iche n’ụda asụsụ dị n’okwu ndị a nke na-ebute mgabgwọ n’okwu ndị ahụ. Okwu ndị dị etu a gụnyere:

(13) Íhéọ́má: nwere ike ịbụ aha mmadụ ma ọ bụ ihe ọma (ihe dị nma). Ọ bụrụ ma e dezie ya nke ọma, ihe mgbagwọjụanya efuo.

Iheọma márá m̀má.

Ihé ọ́má márá ḿmà.

(14) Onye ḿmà bịara taa : nwere ike ị bụ onye m ma (onye m maara), ma ọ bụ onye na-ere mma.

(16) Ọ́kwà yá ná-ábịá: nke a nwere ike ịpụta; Ọ́ọ kwá yá ná-ábịá (ọ bụ ya na-abịa) ma ọ bụ ọ́kwá (nnụnụ) yá ná-ábịá.

(17) Ónyé áhịá ázụ̀ bịárà táà: Nke a nwere ike ị bụ ónyé ná-ázụ̀ áhịá ázụ̀ ma ọ bụ ónyé sí óbódò Áhịázụ̄ dị́ ná Ḿbáìsé

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Ụdị mgbagwọju anya ndị a sitere na ndehie ụfọdụ okwu ndị a nwere ngwọta n’ihi n’asụsụ Igbo nwere usoro dị mma e ji ede Igbo. Ọ bụrụ ma e dee okwu ndị a nke ọma, mgbagwọ ndị a alaa.

Mgbagwọ keụdaolu

A na-enwe mgbagwọ ụdaolu mgbe e nwere ahịrịokwu yiri onwe ya n’ụzọ ọ bụla ma n’ederede ma n’ụda ma mpụtara ha dị iche iche. Ịma atụ: Eji m anya m hụ gị

(18) Ahụrụ m gị n’anya

Ihe gị na-amasị m

Onye ishi ahụ agwọ tara

(19) Onye ishi agwọ tara

Onye ahụ ishi agwọ tara

Ihu onye eze agbarụọla

(20) Ihu igwe agbarụọla

Ihu elu igwe agbarụọla

Ụbọchi na-abịa abịa bụ eke

(21).Ụbọchi echi bụ eke

Ụbọchi gara aga bụ eke

Saa aka gị

(22) Kwọọ aka gị

Kwọrie aka gị

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Mepee aka gị

(23) Saa aka gị

Kwọọ aka gị

Ishi gbawara onye

(24).Onye nwee mma ishi gbawara nwe mma Ishi mma gbawara agbawa

Ọnụ oke ji eri nri buru ibu

(25) Ọnụ oke buru ibu

Ọnụ ebe oke bi buru ibu

Nnụnụ nọ na nsogbu

(26) Nnụnụ a na-ata ahụhụ

Nnụnụ a na-eri ụmụ ahụhụ

Kpọpụ nta gị n’anwụ

(27) Kpọrọ nta gị lie n’anwụ

Lie nta gị n’anwụ

Obi tara anụ ahụ mmadụ

(28) Obi tara anụ mmadụ

Obi tara anụ onye ọzọ

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Uche nwere anya dịka nke ewu

(29) Uche nwere anya ewu

Uche maara ihe gbasara ewu

Obi na-akụ aka ya

(30) Obi na-akụ aka

Obi na-akụ aka n’ụzọ

Ndị na-akụzi Igbo

(31). Ndị nkụzi Igbo na-ama akwụkwọ

Ndị nkụzi si ala Igbo

Ihe i ji maka ya bịa

(32) Gịnị kpọtara gị ebe a

Ụgbọ butere gị ebe a

Nchịkọta nchọcha, mmechi na aro Nchịkọta nchọcha

Na nchịkọta, a chọpụtara na e nwere mgbagwọ n'olu Mbaise dị n'asụsụ Igbo. Ụda olu bụ ihe na-ezipụta adịmiche n'ahịrịokwu ndị a dị ka ọ dị n'asụsụ Igbo izugbe. A chọpụtakwara na mkpụrụ okwu nwere mpụtara karịrị otu na- eme ka ahịrịokwu ọ nọ n'ime ya nwee mgbagwọ. Ihe ọzọ a chọpụtara bụ na mgbe a na-ede asụsụ, a na-enwe ọtụtụ ndehie n'asụsụ ndị a nke na-eme ka e nwee ndịiche n'ihe okwuu bu n'obi na ihe ọnụụ nụrụ ma ọ bụ ihe ọ ghọtara.

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Mgbagwọ na-apụta ihe ebe ọ dị ukwuu n'olu ndị n'ihi na ihe okwu pụtara n'olu Mbaise abụchaghị ihe ọ pụtara n'Igbo izugbe. Nke a na-eme ka ahịrịokwu na mkpụrụ okwu ndị a nọ n'ime ha nwee echiche karịrị otu nke na-ebute mgbagwọ. A chọpụtakwara na e nwere mkpụrụ okwu ma ọ bụ ahịrịokwu ndị bụ otu ma na mkpụrụ edemede, mkpụrụ asụsụ na ụdaolu mebere ha ma mpụtara ha dị kwa iche iche. Nke a gosiri na mgbagwọ dị ire ma n'asụsụ Bekee, n'asụsụ Igbo ma n'olu ndị tụmadị olu Mbaise.

Mmechi

Olu Mbaise nwere mgbagwọ n’ụdị dị iche iche n’ebe ọ dị ukwuu. Site n'ihe ndị a chọpụtasịrị, anyị ga-ahụ na e gboola ọgụ mgbagwọ nke bụ isi nchọcha a site n'iji atụtụ okwu njiri mepụta nke Austin wepụtara n'afọ 1962 wee nyochaa mgbagwọ ndị a. Ebe ọ bụ n'asụsụ na-egosị ezi mmekọrịta n'etiti okwuu na ọnụụ ka ọnụụ nwee ike mepụta ihe okwuu chọrọ ka o mee site n’ihe ọ gwara ya. Ọ bụrụ na e nwee ezi nghọta n'etiti okwuu na ọnụụ, esemokwu alaa. Nke a ga-eme ka mkparịta ụka na-aga were were n'ọnụ. Nchọcha a gosiri na ụdaolu na-arụ nnukwu ọrụ.

Aro Ome nchọcha na-atụ arọ nye ndị na-ede olu Mbaise na asụsụ Igbo izugbe ka ha gbaa mbọ na-etinye akara ụdaolu dabara adaba ebe o kwesiri ka ederede ha na-enwe ezi nghọta. Usoro nkanye ụdaolu ndị a kacha dị mkpa n'okwu ndị ahụ yiri onwe ha na-ebute mgbagwọ. E wepụ ụda olu, n’ahịrịokwu, e nwere ike iwere ahịrị ajụjụ dị ka ahịrị nkwusara. Ịma atụ:

33. Ó shìrì ńrí – ahịrị nkwusara 34. Ò shìrì ńrí? – ahịrị ajụjụ Ihe ọzọ dịkwa mkpa bụ na ndị na-ede asụsụ ọnụ n'akwụkwọ ga-agbaso ezi usoro e ji ede Igbo were dee Igbo ọ bụladị n'olu Mbaise. Ha ga-agbakwa mbọ na-ekwuru okwu

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Nneka gbara … nwere ike ịpụta:

35. Nneka gbara egwu 36. Nneka gbara asịrị 37. Nneka gbara akwụkwọ 38. Nneka gbara egbe 39. Nneka gbara ọsọ, na ndị ọzọ.

Edensibia

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Anyanwu, O. (2008). Essentials of semantics. In B.M. Mbah & E.E. Mbah (Eds). History of Linguistics and communication: A festschief in honour of Professor P.A. Nwachukwu . (pp.186-201) Nsukka: Paschal communication.

Chinelo, E.J. & Macpherson, A.N. (2015). A stylistic exploration of lexical ambiguity in newspaper headlines. Humanity & Social Science Journal 10 (2), 63-72.

Emenanjo, E.N. (1978). Elements of modern Igbo grammar . Ibadan: Oxford University Press.

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Mbah, B.M, Mbah, E.E., Ikeokwu, E.S., Okeke, C.O., Nweze, I.M., Ugwuona, C.N., Akaeze, C.M., Onu, J.O., Eze, E.A., Prezi, G.O., & Odii, B.C. (2013). Igbo adi: Igbo English, English Igbo dictionary of linguistics and literary terms . Nsukka: University of Nigeria Press, Ltd.

Ndiribe, M.O. (2016). Speech act theory. In B.M. Mbah (ed). Theories of linguistics , (pp. ) Nsukka, University of Nigeria Press Ltd.

Nworgu, B.G. (1991). Educational research: Basic issues and methodology . Ibadan: Wisdom Publishers.

Ogwudile, C.C. (2019). Polysemy in Oghe variant of Igbo language. Journal of Linguistics, Language and Culture , 6 (1), 51-72

Onah, J. E. (2011). Ambiguity and polyseny in Igbo: A case study of Nsukka dialect cluster. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Linguistics, Igbo and Other Nigerian Languages. University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Prezi, G., Ikekeonwu, I.C., Agbedo, U.C., & Mbah, M.B. (2013). Ambiguity in Igbo: An inferential analysis: Nsukka Working Papers of Language, Linguistics and Literature . (NWPPLLL), 1, (1 & 2), 115-126.

Rajendran, S. (2014). Resolution of lexical ambiguity in Tanil. Languages in India, 14 , 271-291. Retrieved from www.languageindia.com

Sapir, E. (1921). Language . Harcourt: Brace & World.

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Searle, J. (1969). Speech acts: An essay in the philosophy of language . London: Cambridge University Press.

Tambunam, H. (2009). The analysis of lexical and structural ambiguity in your letter of Jarkata post. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of English, University of Sumantera Utara.

Ubah, J. N. (2016). Semantic ambiguity in Owerre Igbo. Ph.D. seminar paper presented in the Department of Linguistics. Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Udemmadu, T. (2012). The issue of ambiguity in Igbo language . An International Journal of Language, Literature and Gender Studies , 1(1), 109-123. Retrieved from afrrevjo.net/journals/laligens.

Ugochukwu, C.N. (2014). Ambiguity in the Igbo language. Journal of Modern European Languages and Lliterature , 3, 171-183.

Whorf, B. (1956). Language, thought & reality. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

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Company and Allied Matter Act (Cama) 2020: The Nigeria Church and Matters Arising

Ifeanyi J. Okeke (PhD) Department of Philosophy/Religion Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. [email protected] (+2348036716310)

And

Ewelukwa, Roseline Nonye Department of Christian Religious Studies Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe Anambra State Nigeria. [email protected] (+2348036517115)

Abstract

The Churches in Nigeria seem to have been hit below the belt by the recently enacted CAMA 2020 which was signed into law by President Mohammadu Buhari in August 2020. This Act seen by many as a promotion of government vigilance in the affairs of religious organizations with non-profit status has been generating reactions especially from the Christian population. Under this Act, the Corporate Affairs Commission can suspend Church trustees and appoint interim managers. The CAC under same Act can replace Church trustees if it reasonably believes there has been mismanagement, misconduct or fraud to protect its property in the public interest. Are there any benefits to the Church accruing from this Act? Is the CAC not usurping the duties and functions of Nigeria police and other State security agencies to investigate

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Keywords: CAMA 2020, Church, Matters, Validity, Arising.

Introduction

On the 7 th of August 2020, President Buhari signed the CAMA 2020 into Law. The Act repeals the companies and Allied Matters Act, 2004. Sunnewsonline.com of 9 th September 2020 writes that the Act addresses the lapses in the Old Act and equally introduces new provisions to regulate businesses in line with international best practices. It has been hailed in several quarters as the most important business legislation to come out of Nigeria in the last thirty years. However, despite the resonating plaudits generated by the Act, in numerous quarters, we must be circumspect and cautious in our euphoria and cyber-rattling. There is need for this cautious oxymoron of making haste slowly.

The new Act has thus generated so much hoopla and controversy. One major reason for this is its unique provisions making it possible for CAMA officials to take over a Church, Mosque, or an NGO; appoint a Bishop, Imam, Overseers, or

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Executive Director of their choice, and even decide what sermon, homely or Khutbah shall be disseminated into the adherents. This sounds like a fairy tale. But it is real, if not carefully handled.

CAMA 2020 – where it affects the Church

The provision of section 839 of CAMA 2020 has remained the very contentious area or section. It provisions include:

1. The Commission may by order suspend the trustees of an association and appoint an interim manager or managers to manage the affairs of an association where it reasonably believes that: a) There is or has been a misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of association; b) It is necessary or desirable for the purpose of – i. Protecting the property of the association. ii. Securing a proper application for the property of the association towards achieving the objectives of the association, the purposes of association of that property or of the property coming to the association. iii. Public interest; for c) The affairs of the association are being run fraudulently.

2. The trustees shall be suspended by an order of court upon the position of the commission or members consisting one fifth of the association and the petitioners shall present all reasonable evidence or such evidence as requested by the court in respect of the petition.

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In a nutshell, section 839 of CAMA 2020 states that the Corporate Affairs Commission can unilaterally suspend the trustees of any Association that is registered as Incorporated Trustees, such as the Heads of Churches, Mosques, Executive Directors of NGOD’s, etc. The Section goes on in arrogation of supremacy to the CAC over the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), to provide that such trustees can be removed where the Commission “reasonably believes” that the trustees are involved in “misconduct or mismanagement in the affairs of the association” (www.sunnewsonline); or where the removal of the Trustees would be necessary for the protection of the property of the Association, or where the removal of such trustees is “in public interest” etc. This Section also appears to donate extrenous powers to the CAC, to usurp the investigative powers of law enforcement agencies. This provision virtually confers supremacy on the CAC over Constitutional provisions, to the extent that the CAC can remove solely on its “reasonable belief”. This portends danger for Nigeria’s fragile and already bleeding democracy over the conscripted civic space, because by virtue of the amended CAMA, all that would be required to remove the Executive Director or the General Overseer or Bishop of a registered Church, or Imam of a Mosque whom the Government is not comfortable with, is the magical wand of “reasonable belief” that such Executive Director, General Overseer or Bishop has been involved in the mismanagement of the NGO or Church. This is arbitrary, whimsical and capricious. Also, affected by the Section 839 are charitable organizations, educational institutions, socio-cultural organizations and clubs.

With such a Law in place, one can quickly ask “where is the right to fair hearing guaranteed by section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)

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The simple fact that the CAC can unilaterally remove the trustees of an association on nothing more than its “reasonable belief” of “mismanagement” by the trustees is ominous – not just for the Association, but also for the entire civic space.

Further, though it may appear that Section 839(2) CAMA douses this fear by its provision that:

… the trustees shall be suspended by an order of court upon the petition of the Commission or members consisting of one-fifth of the association and that the petition shall present all reasonable evidence or such evidence as requested by the court in respect of the petition, the pertinent questions begging for answers are the conditions precedents before a case for the removal or suspension of a trustee for twelve months can be instituted based on a petition by the CAC leading to the appointment of trustees for other proper administration of the association?

It baffles to even contemplate that the CAC can even appoint an interim manager to act as receiver and manager over the Church’s property. It calls for further reasoning the so called grounds for unilateral removal of thetrustees of an association by the CAC which are, to say the least, quite vague. For example, Section 839(1) (b)(iii) entails that the CAC can remove the trustees of an association “in the interest on public interest”, what is this public interest? Who determines it? What is the measure of “public interest”? The manifest vagueness of these decisive terms isdefinitely is problematic. This is dangerous for Nigeria’s already overburdened democracy.

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A Discourse on Churches

Following the signing of this bill into Law by President Buhari, the Christian Financial Accountability Association (FAA) hosted a virtual forum to discuss the new law and its implication for the Churches in the country. Giving the presentation on the ‘Overview of the New CAMA Act 2020, Atoyebi (2020), informed stakeholders that the New Act comprises of 870Sections with over 604 pages but was only concerned with Section839 of which deals with not-for- project organizations that cover religious organizations. Atoyebi believes it is important for faith-based organizations to submit to regulations, while they propose alternatives for the loopholes they identify. He opined that a lot of opposition to CAMA 2020 was borne out of ignorance, even as a repeal at this time will not be fair and only lead to disorderliness, while asking the Churches to look at the American model and also learn from the United Kingdom that has a robust legal system, Atoyebi advises the Church in Nigeria and other faith- based organizations to engage the government extensively and make recommendations before rules and regulations are considered.

Speaking at a retreat for members of Commerce Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN) held in Abuja, the Registrar–General of the CAC, Alhaji Garba Abubakar (2020), raised some serious posers for the organizations’ kicking against the new CAMA. He said:

… the law says once you submit yourself by accepting to register with CAC, you are bound to obey all its laws as well. How is it that a registered member who qualifies to be a trustee in an organization would not want government to know how the organization is run? What are the responsibilities of the trustees? What are the responsibilities of the governing council or the board?

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How do you change the affairs of the organization? How do you use or expand the income and properties of the organization? How do you appoint members of the governing board? These are the issues the new CAMA has come to address.

It is instructive to note that the missing questions from Abubakar’s queries are “where were the groups when the law was being considered in the National Assembly? Why is it only the leaders of Christian Organizations and CSO’s that are vociferously kicking against the law? What options are available to groups opposed to the law other than declaring that it is totally unacceptable to them? Joel (2020) lending his voice on the topical issue argued that those who have raised their voices in protest against the supposed intent and possible fallouts of the implementation of the law, have a right to do so. They, no doubt have grounds for their fears. Take it or leave it, no matter how well-intentioned a law is, like the military decrees that were promulgated during military regimes, chances are that there would be people who will find such laws either offensive or not consistent with all the provisions of the United Nations Charter of Fundamental Human Rights. It seems those who are crying wolf, regarding this amended Sections of the law, have reasons to do so.

It is pertinent to further note, that since the Churches and non- governmental organizations are registered under the law, they ought to abide by its regulation. However, by the time the amendment to the law was being proposed, before getting to the final stages, the relevant parties should have been brought into the picture and their inputs sought. If this wasn’t done, regardless of the supposed good intent of the amendment to the law, the seed of suspicion has been sown. Even between spouses or business partners, once there is room for suspicion as to the motive of the either party, there would be no love.

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Continuing, Joel said “I am convinced that we have a government that has listening ears and good understanding, like they did when there was uproar over the proposed Infectious Diseases Bill. I look forward to an amiable resolution of the issues relating to the amended Sections of the CAMA 2020. There is no need for a war of words and threats from either party. It will be wonderful if the Church is allowed to operate and practice Christianity in Nigeria without anything inimical attempt on her progress as long as she does not do anything that affects the peace and prosperity of the nation. There should be no bad blood between her and the nation.

Adding his voice, Omobude (2020) who is also the National President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) as well as the General Superintendent, Gospel Light International Ministries argued that government brought in the controversial aspect of CAMA which infringes on the religious freedom of the people of Nigeria and the freedom of the non-governmental organizations who are serving the ordinary people of Nigeria. The Church stands against the violations. We are opposed to those Sections of the law that suggest that somebody can sack the trustees of a Church and appoint a manager. The Church is not ruled from the Government House. The Church is a divine institution. While we encourage the government to make good laws for good governance, the right of the people to congregate and follow their faith must be protected and preserved. It does appear that the Church for this law is one of the non-governmental organizations. It’s a non-profit organization. Therefore, if government makes a law that affects NGO’s, they are making laws that affect not only the Church, but also religious organizations across board.

Reacting to the amended law, Abdul Raheem (2020) states:

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The recently amended CAMA was good effort towards regulating non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) that are not religious bodies. It is a call for probity, precedence and accountability. These are cherished principles in Islamic public administration. But the Act is certainly not perfect with respect to few sensitive areas. One of such areas is Section 839(1) suspending the trustees of an Association and then, appoints interim managers to manage the affairs of the association, if certain reasons call for such. We must realize that Nigeria is a nation where we have not perfected checks and balances in government activities, if taken by CAC, could be considered to have political, religious and ethnic undertones.

It does not also specify what area the interim manager is liable to administer. Is it the administrative and financial processes alone or does it include the religious affairs? These are some issues that must be looked into before such a law can come into effect.

The Reaction of the Church

In a Guardian report of 17 th August 2020, Bishop David Oyedepo was said to have questioned the rational behind the inclusion of religious centres and charity organizations into the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020. While addressing the members of his congregation, he said the decision is borne out of jealousy of the Church’s growth. In his words:

The Church works on patterns delivered by God not the patterns of man. The government has no power to appoint people over Churches. This is a secular nation.The Church is the greatest asset of God in this country. Please be warned. Judgement is coming. The

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Lord says I have been still but now it will arise. Anybody that is in this deal is taking poison. This will never work. I am waiting for a day when anybody will appoint a trustee over this Church ... You can’t gag anybody. We own this country together. It is only in Africa that people who are over 80 years still run around to become president. I know that it is the prosperity of the Church that is making them jealous. But I am going to live to see an army of many winners soar greater. In this Church shall emerge one of the largest concentrations of giants on earth.

Kinzemi (2020) reports in a fierce statement, that the Christian Association of Nigeria described the Section 839(1) and (2) of CAMA 2020 as “satanic”. “How can the government sack the trustee of a Church which it contributed no dime to establish”? CAN was quoted to have said. “How can a secular and political minister be the final authority on the affairs and management of another institution which is not political? Further, how can a non-Christian head of government ministry be the one to determine the running of the Church? It is an invitation to trouble that the government does not have power to manage”.

On his own part, the National Vice President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Cosmas Ikechukwu (Saturday Magazine, 2020) who was reported to have told Chris Irekamba in an interview emphasized that government has no powers to regulate the Church. According to Irechukwu, the CAMA 2020 is an unnecessary and inherently divisive piece of legislation. From two Constitutional stand points, it is not within the powers of governments in Nigeria to regulate the Church. The first is that the preamble to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) places the sovereignty of Nigeria under God, and that is the God we worship as Christians.

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Secondly, the Constitution clearly guarantees the fundamental right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and did not anticipate mindless intrusion by government. It does not contemplate by any stretch of the imagination that government will remove trustees of a Church for any reason whatsoever. Irechukwu was further quoted to have said that for members of the Church or board of trustees to report any crime in their midst to appropriate quarters, is for the law to take its course. It is inconceivable that government will remove the board and appoint whoever they like to manage the affairs of the Church. This is sordid and will never happen. It must be noted that the Church is not merely a human creation or organization. It is a spiritual organization infused with divine life. A government that sets out to legislate against God is certainly over stepping its limits. More so, it is unthinkable that a government that is infested with unimaginable levels of corruption and has lost capacity to address the frightening bloody secularity challenges can set out to check the Church in the manner that it is preceding; the government should leave the Church alone, Irechukwu was quoted to have said. Njoku (2020) reports that Nwabueze Ugwu, a Constitutional Lawyer and a former member of Enugu State House of Assembly, argues that members of the National Assembly should not only be blamed for the opposition to the law, but also held responsible for attempting to set the country backward by enacting it. It is the obnoxious parts of the law that people are pointing at, especially the Ecclesiastical Ministers. I have every reason, to agree with them. They are talking specifically about the provisions of section 839 sub-sections one and two.

Yusufu (2020) posits that the CAN queried the federal government over the signing into law of such Act. According to CAN what good thing again will government not take away from the people in the name of being in power? Are we not

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Disaggregating the Issues

This provision virtually confers supremacy on the CAC over Constitutional provisions, to the extent that the CAC can remove the trustees of an Association based solely on its reasonable belief. This portends danger for Nigeria’s fragile and already over conscripted civic space, because by virtue of the amended CAMA (2020), all that would be required to remove the Executive Director or the General Overseer or Bishop of a registered Church, or Imam of a mosque whom the government is not comfortable with, is the magical wand

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Now the big question is, if the Amended CAMA 2020 operates and affects the named institutions, then where is the right to fair hearing guaranteed in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which is the grund norm and the font et origo of Nigeria’s Statehood. The Act has become a burdensome albatross on the Church and Mosque. It presents a ready opportunity for the Nigerian state apparatus to further shrink Nigeria’s civic state, and unleash its death arsenal on opposition, rights activists, dissenters and critics of government. To this end, these identified negative aspects of the amended 2020 CAMA should be resisted by all men and women of good will, civil societies and religious bodies (who are the main targets of the Act) must instigate a serious legal challenge to ensure that the Act does not bastardize their activities. The validity and Constitutionality of these Sections of the Act must be vested at every level on the courts in Nigeria.

Conclusion

Having reached thus far, the work aligns itself with the position as expressed in the sunnewsonline of 9 th September 2020 that the point must equally be emphasized that these “not-for-profit” organizations, whether Churches, Mosques, etc, NGO’s must themselves be above board like Caesar’s wife. The only reason they are accorded tax free existence is because of the belief that they will add value to the society, by ploughing back their would-be taxation into the society to help the needy and the most vulnerable. Are many of them

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Today’s mega pastors do little to hide the fact that they are billionaires. They flaunt wealth, ride expensive cars, fly in private jets, and live in vulgarly ostentations mansions while their congregational members suffer deprivations. They argue that Churches have spiritual foundations and it is only concerting trouble, to empower any agency to appoint people who do not share that same spiritual insight to oversee their affairs. This seems fallacious because most Pentecostal Churches are one-man businesses where when the founder dies, his wife or son takes over. Undeniably, the motives behind the stand against CAMA 2020 amendments seem suspect (www.allafrica.com).

Recommendations

Olutuji (2020), position captures the fancy of this research:

1. The CAC should embark on a sensitization campaign on the New Act, including clarifying the contentious Section.

2. A training programme for associations and religious institutions on how they can be compliant with the

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law and be financially accountable would also be appropriate.

3. Trustees of charities organisations ought to understand their roles as custodians of those organizations. Hence, they must know that they are accountable to the public.

4. It is beyond any doubt that our religious institutions must become exemplary with financial accountability. It is time for them to start setting example for secular organizations. We must be able to pick up the bank statements of a religious institution without finding the personal expenses of the trustees in it;

5. CAMA 2020 seems to be the right step in the right direction and it should be embraced, while clarity should be given to grey areas.

The faith-based organizations should further;

- Keep records of accounting and transactions such as receipts of gifts, dividends, donations, personal cars, properties etc.

- Keep the bank statements and ensure no transactions are out of the bank.

- Keep assets register and ensure acquisitions and disposal are at fair value.

- Keep contract documents.

It is therefore manifest from the position of this manuscript that both the government and the faith-based organizations need to do more, if the essence of CAMA2020 must be achieved, for according to Albert Einstein “Nothing is more

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References

Abdur Raheem, L. (2020). Gurdian.Guardian Newspaper, 17 th August 2020.

Agbedo, O. (2020). Nigeria Guardian 29 th August 2020. www.guardian.org.

Atoyebi, F. Watch Web (2020) Sept 22/2020-, SAN.

Garba–Abubakar (2020). Nigerian Guardian, 29 th August 2020.

Guardian, Adeola (2020). This Day Newspaper August 25, www.thisdaylive.com

Joel, E. (2020). Guardian 12 th August, 2020

Njoku, L. ed (2020). Saturday Magazine

Olutuji, O. (2020). “Financial Nigeria”.

Omobunde, F. (2020).

Premium Times (2020). 21 st August 2020.

Saturday Magazine 2020 www.sunnewsonline, 9 th September, 2020.. www.premiumtimes.org.

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Www, poshareng.com. www.thisdaylive.com.www.premiumtimesng.com. www.financialnigeria.com. www.allafrica.com. www.financialnigeria.com. www.guardianonline.com.

Yusufu, K ed (2020). Premium Time of 21 st August 2020.

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Echiche Ndị Nkụzi Gbasara Iji Asụsụ Igbo Kụzie Sayensị Ahụike n’Ụlọakwụkwọ Sekọndịrị

Nke

1Onwuka, Gloria Tobechukwu,

2Omeje, Monica Obiageli

3Chineke, Stella Obioma 1, 2 & 3 Ngalaba Mmụta Nka, Mahadum Naịjirịa, Nsukka

Ụmịedemede

Nchọcha a lebara anya n’echiche ndị nkụzi Igbo na Sayensị Ahụike gbasara iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie sayensị ahụike n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị. E ji usoro sọvee nkọwa mee nchọcha a. Ebe nchọcha bụ n’okpuru ọchịchị ime obodo Udi na Zoonu Mmụta Udi nke Steeti Enugu, ndịda ọwụwa anyanwụ Naịjirịa. Ndị e jiri mee nchọcha bụ ndị nkụzi Igbo na Sayensị Ahụike niile dị iri abụọ na atọ n’otu n’otu nọ n’ụlọakwụkwọ sinịọ sekọndịrị nke abụọ. A gbasoro usoro nsere nkịtị wee sere ndị nkụzi asụsụ Igbo iri na atọ na ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike iri wee mee nchọcha. Ngwa nchọcha e ji mee nchọcha bụ nke ndị ọkachamara abụọ na Ngalaba Mmụta Nka na otu onye nọ na Ngalaba Mmụta Sayensị, Mahadum Naịjirịa, Nsụka nyochara. E ji usoro nnwale ntụkwasịobi nke Cronbach Alpha nwalee ntụkwasịobi dị na ngwa nchọcha nke nyere akara ntụkwasịobi 0.78. Nchọpụta gosiri na ma ndị nkụzi asụsụ Igbo ma ndị nkụzi Sayensị

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Ahụike kwekọrịtara na iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie ihe nwere ike ime ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ ime Sayensị Ahụike n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị. A tụnyere aro ka ndị ọchịchị mata oke uru asụsụ amaala bara na mwulite obodo ma si n’ụzọ dị etu a weta ego a ga-eji wube ụlọakwụkwọ dị elu ebe a ga-aga akụziri ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike naanị etu ha ga-esi jiri Igbo kụzie ya bụ ihe ọmụmụ.

Ọkpụrụkpụ Okwu: Echiche, Ndị Nkụzi, Asụsụ Igbo, Sayensị Ahụike.

Mkpọlite

Asụsụ bụ ihe mere mmadụ ji pụọ iche ma bụrụkwa ihe bara oke uru n’agụmakwụkwọ ụmụaka. Ọ bụ n’ihi nke a ka mba dịka China, Japan na obodo ndị ọzọ nwere oke mmepeanya n’ụwa ji hụ mkpa ọ dị iji asụsụ epum dịka asụsụ e ji akụzi ihe n’ụlọakwụkwọ. Nke a enyerela mba ndị a aka n’ụzọ a bụla ụzọ n’inwe oke mwulite n’etiti mba ndị ọzọ maka na ndị ọmụụ nwere ike ibufe ọkpụrụkpụ ihe ha mụtara n’asụsụ epum na-enweghị nsogbu ọ bụla (Olagbaju na Akinsowon, 2014). Gomwalk (2000) na Aronoff (2007) kọwara na asụsụ na-achịkwa ihe niile mmadụ na-eme. Asụsụ metụtara omenaala; ma ọ bụrụ na mmadụ chọọ ịghọta omenaala, ọ ga-aghọtarịrị ma gosi ezigbo akparamagwa n’ebe asụsụ omenaala ahụ dị nke bụ ụzọ dị mkpa e ji enyefe omenaala.

E kwenyere na asụsụ (nke asụsụ Igbo so n’ime ya) bụ igodo omenaala. Ka o sila dị, ọ na-akwalite adịmnotu na mmekọrịta nke ndị mmadụ na-asụ asụsụ dị iche iche. Ọ bụ nke a mere Gọọmentị Etiti ji mee ka a mata n’Atụmatụ Izugbe maka Agụmakwụkwọ “National Policy on Education” (2004) na gọọmentị matara mkpa asụsụ dị dịka ụzọ e si akwalite mmekọrịta mmadụ na ibe ya, adịmnotu obodo nakwa ichekwa

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x omenaala. Ya mere, nwata ọ bụla ga-amụ asụsụ a na-asụ na gburugburu ya. Dịka o si dị, asụsụ Igbo bụ asụsụ nke obodo ma ọ bụ agbụrụ. Ọ bụ asụsụ ndị nọ na ndịda ọwụwa anyanwụ Naịjirịa na-asụ. Ha gụnyere: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu na Imo. Ụfọdụ ebe na Steeti Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa na Benue na-asụkwa Igbo (Chigbu, 2013). Asụsụ Igbo bara uru n’ụzọ dị iche iche. Dịka Aguiyi (2012) si kọwaa, a na-eji asụsụ Igbo n’ụzọ okwu, egwu na eserese nka enyefe ọdịbendị. Asụsụ Igbo na omenaala ya nwere ụdọ jikọrọ ha ọnụ, ofufu asụsụ Igbo bụkwa ofufu omenaala ma ọ bụ ọdịbendị. N’otu aka ahụ kwa, Asogwa (2014) kọwapụtara na e wepụ asụsụ Igbo, ọ ga- ahịa ahụ ikwu maka ntute n’ọnwụ omenaala, nchọcha, nkụzi na ọmụmụ Igbo n’ụlọakwụkwọ ma ọ bụ n’ụwa. Asụsụ Igbo bụ asụsụ epum ma na-arụ ọrụ dịka asụsụ izizi ma ọ bụ asụsụ a na-asụ na gburugburu mmadụ. N’ebe a, ọ na-arụ ọrụ dịka ụzọ e si arụ ọrụ ndị ahụ dịka nchekwa omenaala na nkwalite mmekọrịta mmadụ na ibe ya dịka e si kọwapụta na n’atụmatụ izugbe maka agụmakwụkwọ nke mere ka o soro n’asụsụ e ji akụziri ụmụaka ihe.

Mkpa ọ dị iji asụsụ a na-asụ na gburugburu nwata kụziere ya ihe bụ nke a ga-aghọta nke ọma n’okwu Aguiyi (2012) mgbe ọ kọwara na ọ bụ eziokwu doro anya na usoro ọmụmụ ihe nwata na-enwe oke ihe ịma aka ma ọ bụrụ na ọ ghọtaghị asụsụ e ji akụziri ya ihe n’ụlọakwụkwọ. Nwata na- amụta ihe ọsọ ọsọ mgbe e ji asụsụ epum ya kụziere ya ihe ebe ọ bụ na ọ bụ asụsụ ka e ji akụziri ya ọtụtụ ihe n’ụlọakwụkwọ. Ọ bụ nke a bụ ụkpụrụ na-achịkwa usoro a na-agbaso n’agụmakwụkwọ n’ụwa.

Ọ bụrụ na e lee anya n’uru iji asụsụ a na-asụ na gburugburu nwata kụzie ihe dị n’elu, a ga-achọpụta na ọ dị mkpa ịgba ndị mmadụ ume ka ha jiri ya dịka asụsụ nkụzi n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị ọ kachasị n’ịkụzi Sayensị Ahụike. Nke a bụ maka na n’ebe ọ bụla mmadụ hụrụ onwe ya, ihe

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x kacha mkpa bụ ahụike. Ọ bụrụ na ahụike adịghị, enweghị ezigbo ihe a ga-arụpụta. Ya bụ, onye nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike ọ bụla na Naịjirịa nọ n’ọnọdụ ime ka ụmụ akwụkwọ nwee ezigbo ahụike (Idehen na Oshodin, 2008). Nke a dabara na nchọpụta Ojeme (1990) na Sayensị Ahụike, nakwa sayensị ndị ọzọ dị mkpa na mwulite ihe obodo ọ bụla nwere ike imenwu ma ọ bụ mepụta.

A na-ahụta Sayensị Ahụike n’ụwa niile dịka ihe ọmụmụ dị mkpa, ma ọ kachasị n’obodo ndị ọcha (Oshodin, 2004). Dịka ihe ọmụmụ nke sayensị njiarụ ọrụ, Sayensị Ahụike metụtara ahụike mmadụ na nke anụmanụ. Ọ gụnyere ọmụmụ, nchọcha na nghọta ahụike n’itinye nghọta a n’ọrụ iji kwalite ahụike, gwọọ ọrịa ma ghọtakwa etu ahụ mmadụ na anụmanụ si arụ ọrụ (Ogunniyi na Yandila, 1994). Mmụta Sayensị Ahụike malitere mgbe obodo e ji ọrụ ugbo mara na United Kingdom gbanwere bụrụzie nke dabeere na sayensị na nkanụzụ (Akindutire na Olanipekun, 2012). Na 1851, ngosipụta pụrụ iche (Great Exhibition) e mere na United Kingdom mere ka a mata na e nwere ike ichekwa obodo ọhụrụ a site n’ịgba mbọ hụ na a kụziiri ọtụtụ ndị mmadụ Sayensị na Nkanụzụ Ahụike (Secondary Education Review, 1998). Na Naịjirịa, Sayensị Ahụike so n’ihe ọmụmụ na korikulum ụlọakwụkwọ Sinịọ Sekọndịrị a ga-ele n’ule n’ogo West African School Certificate Examination na National Examination Council (WASCE/NECO) iji dọta mmasị ọtụtụ ndị ntorobịa Naịjirịa nwere nka n’ọrụ na-enye ntọala maka nrụpụta ọrụ zuru oke n’obodo e nwere ọchịchị onye kwuo uche ya.

N’agbanyeghị na e nwere ọtụtụ uru Sayensị Ahụike baara ndị mmadụ nakwa obodo, ụmụ akwụkwọ sinịọ sekọndịrị ka họrọ Kemịstrị, Fisiks, Bayọlọji karịa Sayensị Ahụike (Erinosho, 1994). Ya bụ na ụmụ akwụkwọ enweghị mmasị na Sayensị Ahụike dịka ihe ọmụmụ. Ihe kpatara nke a

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x bụ maka na nkụzi ahụike n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị n’ọtụtụ mpaghara Naịjirịa bụ ihe anaghị eme nke ọma kemgbe ọtụtụ afọ gara aga (Idehen, 2004). Nchọcha Dawson (1997), Frank (1998) na Gold (1999) gosipụtara uru nkụzi ahụike bara ma chịkọta na nkụzi ahụike dị mma n’ibelata akparamagwa ihe iyi egwu, ime mkpuke na ise ìgbó n’etiti ndị ntorobịa. Ka o sila dị, Udoh n’ime Idehen na Oshodin (2008) mere ka a mata na ọ dị ka ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị dị na Naịjirịa emezubeghị ihe a tụrụ anya n’aka ha dịka o si metụta itinye ụfọdụ mpaghara korikulum ọmụmụ ahụike n’ọrụ. Nchọpụta ndị a mere ka ọ dị mkpa ịchọta ụzọ ịkụzi Sayensị Ahụike n’ụdị ga- adọta mmasị ụmụ akwụkwọ. Ụzọ e nwere ike iji mezuo nke a bụ ịkọwakwu mkpa ọ dị iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike.

Nchọcha egosila na e nwere ezigbo mmekọrịta dị n’etiti asụsụ e ji akụzi ihe na mwulite ụbụrụ nwata (Okafor, 2010). Ihe ndị a na-ahụta na Phillipine, Mexico, Wales, Canada, Russia, Yugoslavia na Japan egosila na asụsụ amaala dabara adaba n’ogo agụmakwụkwọ nille dịka asụsụ e ji akụzi nkụzi nke nwere ike ikpochapụ nhịa ahụ a na-enwe na nkụzi na ọmụmụ ma sikwa n’ụzọ dị etu a kwalite ezi nghọta (Jibir- Daura, 2014). Na Tanzania, nchọpụta e nwetara na nchọcha e mere n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị gosiri uru iji asụsụ Swahili kụzie ihe bara karịa iji Bekee, asụsụ ndị mbịarachịwa, maka ezi mwulite ọrụ ụbụrụ na mmeta nke ọma ụmụ akwụkwọ mgbe e ji asụsụ epum ha kụziere ha ihe, ọ kachasị mgbakọ na mwepụ, ka a hụtakwara na ọ kwadoro nchọpụta “Ife Six-year Project” (Bewaji, 2002) ebe mgbe e ji asụsụ Yoruba bụ asụsụ epum ụmụ akwụkwọ kụziere ha ihe, ha mere nke ọma na ‘Isiro’ bụ ihe ndị Yoruba na-akpọ amụmamụ mgbakọ na mwepụ.

N’ịga n’ihu, nchọcha Ramirez (1998) mere gosiri na n’ime ụmụ akwụkwọ puku iri na abụọ (12,000) nọ na San Francisco Unified School District , ụmụ akwụkwọ ndị e ji

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x asụsụ epum ha kụziere ihe afọ ise tupu e bido iji naanị Bekee kụziwere ha ka ụmụ akwụkwọ e ji Bekee kụziwere ihe kemgbe mee nke ọma na nnwale nghọta ntọala nka (Ademowo, 2012). Dịka Kanana (2013:45) si kọwaa, “… ọ dị ka enweghị ike Afrịka itinye uru asụsụ bara n’obodo n’ọrụ nke ga-eme ka e nwee mwulite n’obodo mere ka obodo ndị ọzọ mepere emepe n’ụwa bụ ndị ma uru asụsụ bara ji eme nke ọma karịa mba Afrịka”. Kanana gara n’ihu ịkọwa na a bịa na mba ndị mepere emepe, a na-etinye nkanụzụ ka ọ daba n’ụkpụrụ omenaala na obodo ma si n’ụzọ dị etu a wepụta ụzọ kwalite adịmnotu na obodo. Simire (2004) chịkọtara mkpa ọ dị iji asụsụ epum dịka asụsụ Igbo kụzie ihe n’ụlọakwụkwọ mgbe ọ kọwara na n’iji nwee mgbanwe n’usoro ọchịchị, akụnaụba na omenaala ndị, ụlọakwụkwọ niile na ewumewu pụrụ iche nakwa ụlọọrụ dị n’okpuru ọchịchị na gọọmentị etiti kwesịrị ijikọta, gbasaa ozi ma were asụsụ epum onye ọ bụla kụziere ndị okenye na ndị ntorobịa, ndị gụrụ akwụkwọ na ndị agụghị akwụkwọ, nwoke na nwaanyị, ogbenye na ọgaranya ihe.

Echiche a dị n’elu kwadoro mkpa ọ dị iji asụsụ Igbo na-akụzi Sayensị Ahụike n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị. Nke a dịkwu oke mkpa n’ihi nsogbu ahụike gazuru ụwa niile ọnụ dịka nje koro, nje Ebola, ọrịanfesa (ịnflenza), ịba, ịba ọcha n’anya, ịrịa ịba (taịfọịd), ọrịa mmịnwụ na ọtụtụ ọrịa ndị a na- ebute site na mmekọ nwoke na nwaanyị nwere ike ikpochapụ ọgbọ ndị ntorobịa ugbu a. Otu n’ime mbunuche korikulum asụsụ Igbo n’ogo ụlọakwụkwọ sinịọ sekọndịrị bụ na ngwụcha agụmakwụkwọ sekọndịrị na ụmụ akwụkwọ ga-enwenwu ike ịtụnye oke ha n’ihe gazuru ụwa niile dịka ọrịa mmịnwụ, mmetọ ọgwụ, ibu ọgwụ ike, enweghị ọrụ nke ndị ntorobịa, mmepụta ọrụ, nchekwa gburugburu ebe obibi mmadụ…ụbịam na nchụla agụụ, mmepeanya, na ihe ndị ọzọ (FME, 2009).

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Ihe gbasara ahụike ndị a e depụtara n’elu bụ ihe ịma aka nyere ezi obibi nke ndị Igbo na-abịanụ kpọm kwem nakwa nke Naịjirịa n’izugbe. N’agbanyeghị, ha so n’ihe na- eche ndị nkụzi aka mgba ma ọ bụrụ na e lebaa anya n’ọrụ pụrụ iche ndị nkụzi na-arụ na mwulite obodo, omenaala, na akụnaụba ọtụtụ mba niile dị n’ụwa.

Ya bụ na mbunuche nchọcha a bụ ịchọpụta echiche ndị nkụzi banyere mkpa ọ dị iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị. Nchọcha chọrọ ileba anya n’ihe a kpọm kwem:

1. Ịchọpụta ogo ndị nkụzi cheere na iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike ga-eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Ahụike.

Ajụjụ Nchọcha

1. Kedu ogo ndị nkụzi cheere na iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike ga eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Ahụike?

Ụmaokwu

HO 1: Enweghị oke ndịiche n’ọsịsa miin/nkezi nke ndị nkụzi Asụsụ Igbo na Sayensị Ahụike banyere ogo iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike na-eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Ahụike.

Usoro Nchọcha

Nchọcha a gbasoro usoro nchọcha sọvee nkọwa. Usoro nchọcha sọvee nkọwa, dịka Olaitan, Eyo na Sowande (2002); Nworgu (2015) si kọwaa bụ mgbe a na-enyocha

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x nnukwu ma ọ bụ obere ndị e jiri mee nchọcha site n’ịnata na inyocha ihe nchọcha e ji njụmaza ma ọ bụ ajụjụ ọnụ nata ndị e jimee nchọcha a ma si na ya mee ka nchọpụta e nwetara bụrụ nke ga-anọchi anya ndị e jimee nchọcha niile. A hụtara na usoro nchọcha a dabara na nchọcha a na-eme ebe ọ bụ na e ji njụmaza nata ndị nkụzi ọsịsa ma were ihe ndị a chọpụtara dịka ihe nọchitere anya echiche ndị e jimee nchọcha niile. Ebe a nọ mee nchọcha bụ n’okpuru ọchịchị ime obodo Udi nke Steeti Enugu. Udi bụ otu n’ime okpuru ọchịchị dị na Zoonu Mmụta Udi nke Steeti Enugu, ndịda ọwụwa anyanwụ Naịjirịa. Okpuru ọchịchị nke ọzọ bụ Ezeagu.

Ndị e ji mee nchọcha bụ ndị nkụzi asụsụ Igbo niile n’ogo sinịọ sekọndịrị nke abụọ dị iri abụọ na atọ na ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike niile dị iri abụọ na atọ nọ n’ụlọakwụkwọ sịnịọ sekọndịrị niile dị iri abụọ na atọ n’ebe a nọ mee nchọcha. A gbasoro usoro nsere nkịtị wee sere ndị nkụzi asụsụ Igbo iri na atọ na ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike iri. Ngwa nchọcha e ji nata ihe njirimee nchọcha bụ njụmaza nke isiokwu ya bụ ‘Njụmaza Iji Asụsụ Igbo Kụzie Sayensị Ahụike’. Njụmaza a nwere nhọ ọsịsa anọ: N’ogo dị oke elu (OOE), ogo dị elu (OE), obere ogo (OO) na oke obere ogo (OOO). Njụmaza a nwere nkeji abụọ - nkeji A na nkeji B. Nkeji A gụnyere ihe gbasara ndị nzaajụjụ ebe nkeji B metụtara otu mkpokọta nke na-achọ ịnata ọsịsa n’aka ndị nzaajụjụ. Mkpokọta a nwere ndịna iri nke gbadoro ụkwụ n’ịnata ndị nzaajụjụ ọsịsa gbasoro ogo ndị nkụzi na-ahụta iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike dịka ihe na-akwalite ụmụ akwụkwọ ịhọrọ Sayensị Ahụike. Ngwa nchọcha e ji mee nchọcha bụ ndị ọkachamara abụọ na Ngalaba Mmụta Nka na otu onye nọ na Ngalaba Mmụta Sayensị, nọcha na Mahadum Naịjirịa, Nsụka nyochara ya. E ji usoro nnwale ntụkwasịobi nke Cronbach Alpha nwalee ntụkwasịobi dị na ngwa nchọcha nke nyere akara ntụkwasịobi 0.78. E kere njụmaza; ndị nchọcha nakọtakwara ya ka ndị nzaajụjụ zachara ya bụ ajụjụ.

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A natara akwụkwọ njụmaza niile e kere nke mere na e nweghị nke ọ bụla furu efu.

E ji miin na ndịpụ n’izugbe tụchaa ihe nchọcha a natara n’aka ndị nzaajụjụ. Miin ọsịsa nà ntụ anọ bụ 2.50. Ndịna ajụjụ ọ bụla nwetara akara miin bidoro na 2.50 gbagowe ka a nabatara dịka nkwenye n’ihe a jụrụ n’ajụjụ ebe nke nwere 2.49 were gbadata zipụtara njụ (ekwenyeghị). Azịza dị otu a zipụtara na a nabataghị ihe a jụrụ na ndịna nke ahụ.

Nchọpụta

E gosipụtara ka okwe si gbaa n’okpuru:

Ajụjụ nchọcha nke mbụ:

Kedu ogo ndị nkụzi chere na iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike ga-eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ ime Sayensị Ahụike?

Table 1

Ọnụ Ndịna Òtù Ọgụ Miin Ndịpụ Mkpebi ọgụ n’izugbe 1 Ụmụ akwụkwọ N.S.A 10 3.30 .48 Ogo dị chọkarịrị ka e were N.A.I 13 3.38 .86 elu asụsụ Igbo kụzie Ogo dị Sayensị Ahụike elu n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị. 2 Iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie N.S.A 10 3.20 .78 Ogo dị ihe na-eme ka ụmụ N.A.I 13 3.46 .96 elu akwụkwọ mụọ Ogo dị Sayensị Ahụike na- elu enweghị ihere ọ bụla.

3 Iji asụsụ Igbo na- N.S.A 10 3.10 .73 Ogo dị enyere ụmụ akwụkwọ N.A.I 13 3.46 .66 elu aka ịghọta ụfọdụ ihe Ogo dị

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ndị tara akpụ na elu Sayensị Ahụike. 4 Iji asụsụ Igbo na- N.S.A 10 2.90 .73 Ogo dị akwalite mmasị ụmụ N.A.I 13 3.23 .83 elu akwụkwọ ibi ezigbo Ogo dị ndụ. elu

5 Iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie N.S.A 10 3.00 .66 Ogo dị Sayensị Ahụike na- N.A.I 13 3.23 .59 elu enye ụmụ akwụkwọ Ogo dị nkamobi n’ihi na ọ bụ elu asụsụ epum ha. 6 Iji Igbo kụzie Sayensị N.S.A 10 3.20 .63 Ogo dị Ahụike na-eme ka N.A.I 13 3.15 .80 elu ụmụ akwụkwọ mata Ogo dị ihe nwere ike ime elu n’ahụ ha na etu ha ga- esi gboo ha. 7 Iji asụsụ Igbo N.S.A 10 3.40 .77 Ogo dị kụzie Sayensị Ahụike N.A.I 13 3.46 .56 elu na-akwado ụmụ Ogo dị akwụkwọ maka ihe elu niile ha ga-amụ na ndụ ha niile. 8 Iji asụsụ Igbo na- N.S.A 10 3.10 .56 Ogo dị akpali ụmuakwụkwọ N.A.I 13 3.38 .86 elu ime ihe ga-eme ka Ogo dị ndụ ha dịkwuo mma. elu

9 Iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie N.S.A 10 3.10 .87 Ogo dị Sayensị Ahụike na- N.A.I 13 3.69 .48 elu eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ Ogo dị ghara ịtụfu asụsụ elu njirimara ha. 10 Iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie N.S.A 10 3.00 .66 Ogo dị Sayensị Ahụike na- N.A.I 13 3.53 .51 oke elu agbanwe Ogo dị akparamagwa ọjọọ elu ụmụ akwụkwọ, ndị nne na nna na obodo niile n’ebe asụsụ Igbo dị. 11 Mkpokọta Miin. N.S.A 10 3.13 .37 Ogo dị N.A.I 13 3.40 .48 elu Ogo dị elu

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: Akara miin na ndịpụ n’izugbe ndị nkụzi banyere iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike.

N.S.A = Ndị Nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike N.A.I =Ndị Nkụzi Asụsụ IgboIgbo

Tebul nke mbụ gosiri ọsịsa miin na ndịpụ n’izugbe ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike na Asụsụ Igbo banyere iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike dịka ihe ga-eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Ahụike. Ọsịsa ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike nyere na ndịna 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 na 10 nwere akara miin 3.30, 3.20, 3.10, 2.90, 3.00, 3.20, 3.40, 3.10, na 3.10 ebe ọsịsa ndị nkụzi asụsụ Igbo nyere na ndịna 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 na 10 nwere akara miin 3.38, 3.46, 3.46, 3.23, 3.23, 3.15, 3.46, 3.38, 3.69 na 3.53. Ndịna niile nwere akara miin karịrị miin 2.50 bụ miin a chọrọ. Ya bụ, ọ bụ echiche ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike na Asụsụ Igbo na ndịna niile ndị a dị n’elu nwere ike ime ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Ahụike n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị.

Ụmaokwu 1: HO 1: Enweghị oke ndịiche na ọsịsa miin/nkezi nke ndị nkụzi asụsụ Igbo na Sayensị Ahụike banyere ogo iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike na-akwalite ụmụ akwụkwọ ịhọrọ Sayensị Ahụike.

Tebul 2: Nnyocha t-test nke ọsịsa miin dị iche iche ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike na Asụsụ Igbo nyere banyere ogo iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike na-eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Asụsụ.

Otu Ọnụọgụ Miin Ndịpụ Df t-cal Sig.(2 Mkpebi n’izugbe tailed) N.S.A 10 3.13 .37 Enweghị mpụta ihe I.L.T 13 3.40 .48 21 1.46 .158 3

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N.S.A= Ndị Nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike

N.A.I= Ndị Nkụzi Asụsụ Igbo

Ntụcha Ụmaokwu 1

Ntụcha Tebul nke abụọ gosiri na akara okwukwe omume bụ .158 nke karịrị ogo mpụta ihe .05 (P<05). Ya bụ, a nabatara ụmaokwu efu. Ya mere, e nweghị ndịiche pụtara ihe n’ọsịsa miin ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike na Asụsụ Igbo banyere n’ogo iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike na-eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Asụsụ. Nke a pụtara na ma ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike ma ndị nkụzi Asụsụ Igbo kwekọrịtara na n’ogo dị elu na Asụsụ Igbo ga-eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Ahụike.

Mkparịtaụka

Nchọcha gosiri na ndịna iri niile ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike na ndị nkụzi Asụsụ Igbo zara nwere ike ime ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Ahụike n’ụlọakwụkwọ sinịọ sekọndịrị. Ihe ndị a gụnyere: ụmụ akwụkwọ ka chọọ ka e were asụsụ Igbo na-akụziri ha ihe, ọ naghị eme ụmụ akwụkwọ ihere ime Sayensị Ahụike, ọ na-enyere ụmụ akwụkwọ aka ịghọta isiokwu tara akpụ na Sayensị Ahụike, ọ na-eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ na-achọ ibi ndụ ahụike ma nyekwa ha nkamobi. Ọ na-enyekwa ụmụ akwụkwọ nghọta gbasara ihe ha ga-atụ anya n’ahụ ha nakwa ha ga-esi gboo nsogbu, ọ na-akwado ụmụ akwụkwọ maka ihe ha ga-amụ na ndụ ha niile, ọ na-ajali mmụọ ụmụ akwụkwọ ime ihe ga-enyere ha aka na ndụ, ọ na- eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ ghara ịtụfu asụsụ ha gbanwekwaa agwa ọjọo ụmụ akwụkwọ, ndị nne na nna na ọha obodo na- akpaso asụsụ Igbo. Nchọpụta ndị a dabara na nkọwa Aguiyi (2016) na ọ bụ ihe doro anya na usoro ọmụmụ nwata anaghị aga etu o kwesịrị ma ọ bụrụ na ọ naghị aghọta asụsụ e ji

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x akụziri ya ihe. Nwata na-amụta ihe ọsọ ọsọ mgbe e ji asụsụ ya kụziere ya ihe ebe ọ bụ na ọtụtụ ihe a na-akụziri ya bụ asụsụ ka e ji eme ya.

Ntụnye Aro

Site n’ịgbado ụkwụ na nchọpụta nchọcha a, a tụnyere aro ndị a:

⁕Ndị nhazi korikulum kwesịrị ịgba mbọ tinye asụsụ Igbo dịka asụsụ e ji akụzi Sayensị Ahụike n’ogo ụlọakwụkwọ sinịọ sekọndịrị.

⁕Okpuru ọchịchị ime obodo na gọọmentị steeti ebe ndị a na- asụkarị Igbo kwesịrị ịhụta iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike dịka ụzọ e si akwalite omenaala na akụnaụba ndị Igbo. Imezu ọrụ a dị mkpa asụsụ Igbo na-arụ ga-eme ka ndị ọchịchị wepụta ego a ga-eji hibe ụlọakwụkwọ dị elu ebe a ga-azụ ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike etu ha ga- esi were asụsụ Igbo kụzie ya bụ ihe ọmụmụ.

Nchịkọta

Nchọpụta nchọcha a gosiri na ma ndị nkụzi Sayensị Ahụike ma ndị nkụzi Asụsụ Igbo kwekọrịtara na iji asụsụ Igbo kụzie Sayensị Ahụike nwere ike ime ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Ahụike dịka ihe ọmụmụ n’ụlọakwụkwọ sekọndịrị. Ọ bụ ihe dị mkpa na ndị niile ọnụ na-eru n’okwu n’ihe gbasara agụmakwụkwọ ga-agba mbọ hụ na e tinyere nchọpụta nchọcha a n’ọrụ. Nke a bụ maka na e wepụ na ọ na- eme ka ụmụ akwụkwọ họrọ Sayensị Ahụike ma kwalitekwa nkụzi, ọ ga-emekwa ka ndị Igbo ruo n’ogo mba ụwa ndị ọzọ rurula site n’itinye asụsụ amaala ha n’ọrụ.

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Edensibịa

Ademowo, A. (2012). Indigenous languages and techno- scientific development inAfrica. Afro-Asian Journal of Social Science, 3(33), 122-128. Akindutire, I.O & Ekundayo, H.T. (2012 ). Teacher education in a democratic Nigeria: Challenges and the way forward. Educational Research , 3(5), 429-435. Aronoff, M. (2007). Language (linguistics). www.scholarpedia.org/article/language Asogwa, B.E & Asogwa, M.N. (2014). Information and communication technology and Igbo studies in tertiary institutions in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges. Library philosophy and practice . Lincoln: University of Lebraska. Bewaji, J.A.I. (2002). African languages and critical discourse. In Oladipo, O. (ed). The third way in African philosophy:Essays in honour of kwasi Wiredu . Ibadan: Hope Publications. Chigbu, U. (2013). Imminent death of Igbo language. http://dailyindependentng.com/2013/03/imminent- death-of-igbo-language wherearetheleaders . Dawson, N. (1997). What primary school teachers think of drugs education in their school. Health Education Journal , 56: 364-375. Erinosho, S.Y. (1994). Girls and science education in Nigeria. Journal ofCurriculum Studies and Instructional Technology. Ogun State University, AgoIwoye , 1(2), 47. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004). National policy on education . Lagos: NERDC. Federal Ministry of Education (2009). Senior secondary curriculum: Igbo for senior secondary schools 1-3. Abuja: NERDC.

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Frank, H.J. (1998). Peer education: The unauthorized version. British Educational Research Journal, 24(2), 179-193. Secondary Education Review (1998). A review of secondary school in England and Nigeria (1993- 1997). Journal of Education , 8(2), 116-119. Gold, B.S. (1994). Heath education teacher resource handbook. A practical guide K.12 health education . Newton: Educational Development Centre. Gomwalk, S. (2000). Language and power: A tool for successful political speeches. In Babarinde, K. (ed). Education and the challenges of patriotism in Nigeria. Ogun: Adventures. Idehen, C.O. (2004). Implementation of the National health education curriculum in secondary schools in Edo State. M.ed Thesis submitted to the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Idehen, C.O & Oshodin, O.G. (2008). Factors affecting health instruction in secondary schools in Edo State, Nigeria. Ethno Med, 2(1) 61-66. Jibir-Daura, R. (2014). Transformation of Nigeria through indigenous languageeducation . JORIND 12(1), 10- 12. www.ajol.inf/journals/jorind Kanana, F.E. (2013). Examining African languages as tools for national development: The case of Kiswahili. The Journal of Pan African Studies, 6(6), 4165. Olaitan, S.O; Ali, A; Eyo, E.D & Sowande, G.G. (2000). Research Skills in education and social sciences. Onitsha: Cape Publishers International Limited. Olagbaju, O.O. & Akinsowon, F.I. (2014). The use of Nigerian languages in federal education: Challenges and Solutions. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(9), 123-127. Omeje, E.O. (1990). Notes on methods and materials of teaching physical education . Benin City: Aji-rhomes Business press.

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Oshodin, O.G. (2004). Are you not also guilty of drug abuse? Health Educationand Cultural Strategies to the rescue. An Inaugural Lecture Series. BeninCity. University of Benin Press Ltd. Simire, G.O. (2004). Developing and promoting multilingualism in public life and society in Nigeria. In Muthwii, M.J & Kioko, A.N. (eds). New language bearings in Africa: A fresh quest. Toronto: Clevedon.

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Re-Assessing the Needs for Using Information Communication Technologies in Teaching the Igbo Language in South East, Nigeria

Virginus Onyebuchi Aruah Dept of Linguistics, Igbo & Other Nigeria Languages University of Nigeria, Nsukka [email protected] +234 8039 482 647

Abstract This study x-rays the re-assessing the needs for using information communication technologies (ICTs) in teaching the Igbo language in South East Nigeria. The study investigates the extent the ICTs are functional in teaching the Igbo language in the South East Nigeria on the face of some unavailable Igbo diacritic marks and symbols on the available technologies. The study was done using a descriptive analysis. The simple random sampling was used to select 148 respondents from four universities in the South East Nigeria. Data were gathered using questionnaire and analysed using pie chart and four Likert scale. The findings reveal that there is a need to include these non available diacritic marks and symbols on the keyboards and other ICT gadgets. It stresses that ICT should be re-assessed to facilitate the teaching of the Igbo language and other indigenous languages in Africa. This study brings the idea of teaching oneself the Igbo language on ICTs and also promotes the Igbo language communication by media professionals.

Keywords: computer, modern technology, Igbo language, default Igbo keyboard.

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Introduction Nigeria is a multilingual nation. It has about 521 languages belonging to the three major language families. These language families are: Nilo Saharan, Afro Asiatic and Niger Congo as Green cited in (Igbojinwaekwu & Dorgu, 2015). The Igbo language belongs to the Kwa phylum of the Niger Congo language family. This language is one of the three major languages in Nigeria; others are Hausa and Yoruba languages. In Nigeria, the Igbo people are predominantly found in the South-Eastern and South- Southern part of Nigeria. In the South East, they are densely found in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States. They also constitute majority in Rivers State and about one third of Delta State population while they populate three local government areas in Benue State and good numbers in Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Kogi States. The Igbo language has an established orthography and numerous works on its phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. It also has methodologies for its teaching, and is being taught in various schools across the country. Presently, the world is experiencing an avalanche of technological inventions. Therefore, there is the need to adjust to fit into that reality. Shyamlee and Phil (2012) warn that if we neglect or ignore technological developments, they will continue, and perhaps we will not be able to catch up, irrespective of the discipline one is reading. Bewick (1989) defines needs as a gap or measurable discrepancy between a current state of affairs and a desired future state. Braine cited in Aruah (2015) states that needs take different shapes depending on the environment they surface. Therefore, Igbo teachers have seen the need to incorporate these technologies to the teaching and learning of the Igbo language. According to Iloene, Iloene, Mbah & Mbah (2013) the challenges of new technologies have been a major setback for Igbo teachers. They suggest that it is

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x necessary to launch Igbo into these new technologies. The study is suggesting that it is not enough to have this default software, but to improve on internet uploads of educational cultural materials, which should include live events, pictures, cultural situations and occasions, which would provide avenues for the teacher to make the classroom interactive. The statement of problem indicates that the existence and availability of ICTs in the South East of Nigeria is in its brim but these technologies are not fully equipped with all Igbo diacritic marks and symbols. This has been elongated issues for the Igbo language teachers and learners. It has resulted to a half baked application of such unseen diacritic marks on the ICTs while teaching the language in question. It also stresses that there is a cogent needs to re-asses the use of ICTs in teaching the Igbo language. For instance when a scholar is dealing on tone, it is very difficult to get all the tone marks found in the Igbo language. The media professionals should welcome this study as it helps them achieve their professional aims. In 2017, two British Broadcasting Cooperation correspondents came to the Department of Linguistics, Igbo and Other Nigerian Languages, University of Nigeria, Nigeria in respect to Igbo computer software and default Igbo keyboard. They told the members of the Department of Linguistics, Igbo and Other Nigerian Languages that they came to verify some of the Igbo alphabets and Igbo diacritic marks that are not on the default keyboard of ICTs. From the above statement, the study has objectives which are aligned with the research questions. The following objectives of the studies are portrayed for the sake of this research: i. To examine the extent of using ICTs while teaching by Igbo language teachers in tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria ii. To ascertain the types of ICTs facilities used while teaching the Igbo language in tertiary

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institutions located in five states of the South East in Nigeria iii. To verify how some of the Igbo diacritic marks and fonts are applied on the ICTs facilities while teaching and learning of the Igbo language iv. To weigh the linguistic relevance of ICTs in teaching the Igbo language in tertiary institutions in the South East, Nigeria. This study comes up with these research questions in order to supply the answers that will serve as the findings 1. What is the extent of using these ICTs facilities while teaching the Igbo language in tertiary institutions in South East of Nigeria? 2. What are these types of ICTs facilities used while teaching the Igbo language in tertiary institutions located in the five states of South East, Nigeria? 3. How are some of these Igbo diacritic marks and fonts applied on the ICTs facilities while teaching and learning of the Igbo language? 4. Are there any linguistic relevance of these ICTs facilities in teaching and learning the Igbo language in tertiary institutions in the South East, Nigeria? This study will help many scholars to enhance the studying of Nigerian indigenous languages through the help of ICTs which in contemporary time are the teaching methods used by teachers and learners. It is the fastest and global method of language teaching method. The world at this era of global platform should not isolate the Igbo language from the spectrum of ICTs method of teaching. Meanwhile, no language is superior to others. The scope of the study hinges on how the Igbo language should be taught using ICTs and also accommodates all the Igbo diacritic marks, fonts or symbols.

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Review of Relevant Literature Iloene et al (2013) opine that computer is available, with almost a 100 percent score in institutions; the use is rather low for the teaching of indigenous languages. This is no doubt as a result of the unavailability of default softwares in these languages. However, the presence of these instruments without the requisite drivers does not make them very useful. It “… does not only dampen their [teachers and of indigenous languages] morale, but also limits the possibilities of the language as a vehicle for new technologies” (Iloene et al, 2013:119). They also state that the challenges of this advent of new technologies have served as a setback for Igbo teachers, and provide a serious survival status for the Igbo language, especially at a time when Computer Assisted Learning has dominated language pedagogy.

It is observed that the use of ICTs is of great importance to both Igbo teachers and learners. Though, they face some diacritical and unspecified font challenges in some of the developing countries. Nigeria is one of the developing countries having multilingual issues. These multilingual issues have encroached ICTs usage in delivering lectures in indigenous languages in African at large and Nigeria in particular. The findings of some studies reveal that there is no limit to the advantages that we get from modern technologies (Godwin-Jones, 2013; Xing, 2008; Zhao, 2003).

Conversely, Uchechukwu (2005) reveals that it has some challenges in Africa and other developing countries. Applied linguists see these challenges as vital tools for enhancing classroom teaching. Every challenge has its own positive input on the context where it is found. This is the prior work of applied linguist to solve world practical language related problems by tracing the problems, studying

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The primary function of an applied linguist is to apply practical solutions to language related problems. When a problem is solved; it is no more a problem but reinforcing factors. Such ICTs reinforcing factor could revive the Igbo language from facing extinction. Applying the ICT method of teaching will take the language to another level. Chukwuma (2016) states that the best way to teach the Igbo language or to prevent it from extinction is to develop stand-alone learning system (SALS). Another way is by using Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS). Intelligent tutoring system is educational software containing an artificial intelligent component. The software tracks the student’s work which is based on tutoring.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the teaching of the Igbo language suffers because of the lack of online cultural educational materials, the lack of default Igbo software to animate the computers which are available and Igbo default keyboard. These have been a major setback to the teaching and learning of the Igbo language and as well as the growth of the Igbo language as one of the languages that accommodate the use of ICTs facilities in teaching and learning of indigenous languages in Africa. The application of ICTs to the Igbo language was started because the language in question has developed its orthography. During the 19th Century, majority of European and American linguists began their studies in Nigerian languages on developing their orthographies. It was only the Yoruba language that was developed by Bishop Ajayi Crowther. The application of all Igbo orthography and its diacritic marks to the ICTs studies should be updated to accommodate every bit of the language for a successful teaching and learning of the Igbo language in Nigeria and in Diasporas. The study is devising ways to

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x enrich the status of the Igbo language as one of the global languages which will be used in target teaching and internet exploration, the Igbo teachers and learners should contribute immensely on such academic and ICTs growth in the South East of Nigeria.

The Igbo language teachers and students are not left behind to improve this situation of using ICTs to teach and learn the Igbo language. Their efforts should be on gathering data (especially pictorials) from their various endeavours in Nigeria localities and upload them on these ICTs facilities for educational purposes. They serve as the information to pop up on smart boards and internet located in e-learning centres and class rooms. It makes teaching easier and makes learning so interesting.

In summary, the Igbo default keyboard and some Igbo softwares should be produced for interactive multilingual internet teaching and learning. In order to achieve this goal, some scientific methods should be used while carrying out this research.

Methodology The study is a descriptive research which used survey method to ascertain its objectives. The study used copies of questionnaire and participant observation as research tools to gather data. The instruments used for the study are pie charts and tables (Likert scales). The study also used copies of questionnaire to obtain information from the respondents. Copies of questionnaires were distributed to 49 lecturers and 131 students of Department of Linguistics, Igbo and Education in the selected five tertiary institutions in the South East of Nigeria. The respondents were assessed based on the ICTs facilities used by teachers while teaching the Igbo language to students learning Igbo in five tertiary institutions

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x located in South East, Nigeria. These tertiary institutions are University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Alex Ekwueme University, Ndifu Alike Ikwo, Abia State University, Uturu, Imo State University, Owerre and Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe. The number of copies of questionnaire distributed and collected

Institution Lecturers Students Total 1 University of Nigeria, 15 30 45 Nsukka 2 Alex Ekwueme 5 25 30 University Ndifu Alike Ikwo 3 Abia State University, 13 28 41 Uturu 4 Imo State University, 9 26 35 Owerri 5 Nwafor Orizu College 7 22 29 Education, Nsugbe Total 49 131 180

The population of students and lecturers in South East tertiary institutions were sampled using random sampling techniques. These respondents in turn filled the copies of questionnaires and returned to the researcher. After the population was sampled, the study used 180 respondents to ascertain the data which helped to generate the findings. The reason for sampling the population was to show representative, relevant and manageable population used for the study (Asmah, Gujbawu, Ekhareafo & Okpanachi, 2012).

Data Analysis Chart 1: Respondents used for the study

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Lectures and students of Linguistics, Igbo & Education, sampled in South East, tertiary institution in Nigeria Lecturer s 27.3

Students 72.7

The above pie chart represents the number of respondents used for the study. We used 49 Igbo lecturers representing 27.3% and 131 students reading the Igbo language representing 72.7% selected at random from five tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria. The essence of choosing students serves to examine their own perception on learning the Igbo language through the ICTs medium. The teachers gave their own perception on the purview of teaching.

What is the extent of using these ICTs facilities while teaching and learning the language in tertiary institutions in South East, Nigeria? Modern Mostly Needed Fairly Not Total Technologies Needed Needed Needed Sampled (ICTs) (Respondents At All Population ) Smart Board 92 50 28 10 180

Speakers 67 85 21 7 180

Internet 102 68 23 3 180

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Electricity 110 40 28 2 180

Camera 70 72 30 8 180

Personal 120 40 20 0 180 computer Igbo default 105 29 14 0 180 keyboard and software

The above table shows the frequency of respondents that indicate the extent of ICTs facilities usage in tertiary institutions in the South East, Nigeria. The above table proves that internet, electricity, personal computer and Igbo default keyboard and software have the high extent of usage in tertiary institutions in the South East of Nigeria. The frequency of these computer facilities are as follows: Igbo keyboard, internet, smart board, speakers and personnel computer.

TABLE 1: Showing the extent of ICTs use in aforementioned tertiary institutions in the South frequency and percentage The above table shows the extent of using these ICTs facilities while teaching and learning the Igbo language in five tertiary institutions in the South East of Nigeria. In order to achieve the main objective of the study, the Likert scale was used. Some of these ICTs facilities that are needed in teaching indigenous languages were accessed by the numbers of respondents that claimed whether each one is mostly needed, needed, fairly needed and not needed at all. The table above shows that majority of these ICTs facilities are either mostly needed or needed by both lecturers and students studying Igbo as their discipline in the South East of Nigeria. The figures in the above table represent the number of respondents selected from each row on four point Likert scale. It is observed that

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Answer to research question 2: What is the degree of ICTs usage in South Eastern tertiary institutions in Nigeria? Answers to Question 2 posit that they are not widely used in schools located in the South East of Nigeria. Its usage cannot be compared to the way they are being used in the Western world. They stated that Nigeria is a developing country and these new technologies are not evenly distributed in schools by the government. Another challenge realised by the Igbo teachers is that keyboards used or supplied do not contain some of Igbo symbols and fonts. They are not installed directly as an Igbo default keyboards. As a result of this, many teachers have felt reluctant in using what will give them a dead end.

Suggested Solutions to Research Question 3: How can we improve the usage of these new technologies on the face of unidentified Igbo fonts while teaching the Igbo language?

Answers to Question 3 showed that we can improve the needs of using these ICTs to teach the Igbo language in schools in the South East, Nigeria should be an embodiment of progress to Igbo teachers, learners and software engineers who could install Igbo font and symbols. Both teachers and learners should know the obstacles that slow down their teaching and learning of indigenous languages. The Igbo language is one of the indigenous languages found in Nigeria. In collaboration with media houses that operates in Nigerian indigenous languages and its software developers, the solution should be devised to end this protracted challenges.

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Types of challenges the Igbo teachers face while using modern technologies: On the face of this modern era, some of Igbo teachers who teach the Igbo language are encountering some challenges while using ICTs in both traditional and online teaching.

Technological Problems: This is one of the problems encountered while teaching the Igbo language via ICTs. The use and maintenance of these instruments requires a certain degree of expertise. Some of these gadgets (when available) may be affected by viruses, and some may be sub-standard. When these instruments suffer malfunctions the teaching events get interrupted. Thus, the teacher(s) and the learners lose their target needs at that moment. Could we use ICTs to teach the Igbo language without a complete Igbo symbols and fonts? Igbo fonts are software technologies which help human to assess computer via the Igbo language. When some of these fonts are not found on the keyboard; it renders such teaching incomplete.

Electrical Problems/ Power Failure: Since these gadgets run on electricity, the interruption of power supply or a destructive voltage from the power company may affect the gadgets adversely. If the gadgets are procured for every school, then, the power supply is not evenly distributed. Those technological instruments may only serve as aesthetic values. This shows that Nigeria is a developing country and she is lacking some amenities. The power supply in Nigeria is in epileptic state and people using it to conduct their teaching of indigenous languages are facing epileptic challenges of electricity.

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Linguistic Problems The Igbo orthography is not readily recognized by word processing applications. Thus, there are no available spell-checkers for Igbo words on these ICTs platform. We observed that the computer software available for word processing highlights Igbo words, or hypocritically, when the system is set to the Igbo language, the word processing software just ignores, and does not attempt to correct or check the grammar. This certainly impedes efficiency for both teachers and students of the Igbo language. Thus, this software is not primed for Igbo (nay indigenous Nigerian languages) pedagogy, since it lacks Igbo language orthographies or Igbo linguistic features. Such inventories could be manipulated through assigning keys to these unfamiliar Igbo fonts and symbols. On the symbols, some of these Igbo symbols are missing even when you use Tahoma font of your computer. Tone is an essential aspect of the Igbo language. It is distinctive in the language in question. When working on Igbo tones, it possesses a serious problem for a researcher to apply all tone marks on the Igbo vocalic inventories.

Suggested Solutions: Government should give technological incentives to schools in Nigeria by way of providing both material and knowledge aid to the teachers of indigenous languages. The issue of power supply should be ameliorated to pave way for efficient teaching of the Igbo language and some other African languages. The sufficient power supply geared towards teaching and learning of indigenous languages will enhance peoples’ interest in learning the language. The alternate sources of power supply made available for institutions involved in the venture of indigenous language pedagogy; which may include solar panels, inverters or other means they deem fit.

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The linguistic problems (language related problems) are what we should be given attention to, such that producers of these technologies should include Igbo default software to new computers. Igbo fonts, keyboards, practical Igbo class compact software should be produced in a large quantity and at a low cost. By doing so, Igbo interactive class through internet could be achieved. The enrichment of Igbo activities on the smart board interactive forum could be globalised.

Summary of findings and conclusion The study shows that there are existence of computers and other ICTs gadgets in schools in the South East of Nigeria but they are not primed for indigenous language teaching. Though, it is used to teach the Igbo language and other African languages but such teaching is not fully realised. Meanwhile, these indigenous language teachers are not getting maximal output from them. This is because these gadgets lack such functionalities such as the Igbo language fonts, Igbo default keyboard. The survey of the study indicates that most of the computers available have maximally primed European languages: English, French, and Spanish. These would also affect Igbo machine translation which should help teachers and learners translate to and from Igbo for efficient teaching and learning, and even for post classroom learning endeavours. The teachers themselves need to seek for personal development without necessarily waiting for the government to train them. They [the teachers] should improve on the use of modern technologies to teach the Igbo language. Teachers also should have a large coverage of Igbo cultures, language interactions, events and situations and post them on the internet for easy teaching of the Igbo language. They should champion the cause for the creation of Igbo language blogs and websites for the lovers of the Igbo language. This should

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References Aruah, V.O. (2015). The language needs of medical professional in Nsukka metropolis (Master’s thesis). University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Berwick, R. (1989). Needs assessment in language programming: From theory to practice. In R. K. Johnson (Ed.), The second language curriculum (pp. 48-62). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Godwin-Jones, R. (2013). Emerging technologies: the technological imperative in teaching and learning less commonly taught languages. Language learning & technology , 17(1), 7-19. Igbojinwaekwu, P.C., & Dorgu, T. E. (2015). Igbo language as medium of instruction and enhancement of retention level of pupils in primary school mathematics. British Journal of Education , 3(4), 21- 36. Iloene, M. I., Iloene, G. O., Mbah, E. E., & Mbah, B. M. (2013). The use of new technologies for the teaching of the Igbo language in schools: Challenges and prospects. In L. Bradley & S. Thouësny (Eds.), 20 Years of EUROCALL: Learning from the past, looking to the future. Proceedings of the 2013 EUROCALL Conference, Evora, Portugal (pp.117- 122). Dublin/Voillans: Research-Publishing.net. Shyamlee, S. D., & Phil, M. (2012). Use of technology in English language teaching and learning: An analysis. International conference on language, medias and culture IPEDR, 33, 150-156. Retrieved from http://www.ipedr.com/33/030-ICLM2012-L10042.pdf Uchechukwu, C. (2005). The representation of Igbo with the appropriate keyboard. In C. Ikekeonwu & I. Nwadike

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(Eds.), Igbo language development: The metalanguage perspective . Enugu: CIDJAP printing Press. Xing, X. (2008). An investigation of the use of CALL by college English teachers: Perspectives in Chinese Normal University. M.ED Thesis. Queensland University of Technology. Zhao, Y. (2003). Recent developments in technology and language learning: A literature review and meta- analysis. CALICO journal , 21(1), 7-27. Retrieved from http://caligo.org/html/article_279.pdf

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Looking at the Tail of a Kite: Relevance of Folklore in Contemporary Nigeria

Aloy Nnamdi Obika, PhD Department of English language and Literature Madonna University Okija Campus Anambra State

Abstract Folklore which originated from time immemorial contains all that has ever been known in a particular society where it originates. Inside it are many genres some of which belong to oral literature, religion, ethics and even the germ of scientific thoughts. Some civilized countries, an example of which is Canada, study this archaic field up to the doctoral level. Some others have been studying it and extracting what they use in their scientific investigations. The reverse is the case in Nigeria and indeed, the entire African continent. To show the wealth of knowledge encapsulated in it, but which Nigerian education planners are denying the country, the present researcher did a random sampling out of which he studied only three genres. This is done in order to show that this field is so important that it should neither be neglected nor denigrated for it is indeed very relevant to the modern age. Such has been discovered in places like the United States of America, India, and Rome and so on.

Key words: Folklore, Alchemy, Songs, Superstition, Traditional medicine

Introduction

An Igbo proverb has it that if a blacksmith does not know how to make a gong, he should look at the tail of a kite.

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The traditional gong actually looks like the tail of that bird. Therefore, the proverb is enjoining people not only that they should recognize their shortcomings, they should not despair. They should go on to search for sources of knowledge from which they would learn and improve whatever it is they are lacking.

It is in view of this that this enquiry enjoins Nigerians that it is not enough that they know that all is not well but they should look around to source for the solutions to their problems. This is just as the blacksmith is advised to look, not beyond his environment but at something that is within his reach and is at the same time, natural and affordable.

Even, some developed nations not only did like that, they are still doing so. Therefore, Nigerians cannot be seen as being odd if they do like them, who as written in the online version of Britannica encyclopaedia saw the need “… to transform base metals such as lead or copper into silver or gold and to discover a cure for diseases and a way of extending life” (Mulkhauf n.p.). When they were confronted with these needs, they looked at the tail of a kite. This kite was nothing but their folklore. Although they did not arrive at their targeted destination, they were able to achieve something worthwhile which today is very beneficial not only to them but to the entire world. As that online source states: “The first chemists were metallurgists, who were perhaps the most successful practitioners of the arts in antiquity. Their theories seem to have come not from science but from folklore and religion” (n.p.).

If the source of chemistry and all the other fields of study attached to it (examples of which are chemical engineering, modern chemotherapy, cyclotron, etc) are not seen as being worthwhile discoveries, then something is wrong with the person looking at it.

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Also impressive are the nations that embarked on this illusory attempt to upgrade human existence. All these nations that delved into their people’s folklore today are far ahead of Nigeria in everything. Some of them are: China, India, the West, Greece, Arabia, Rome and so on. All these countries practiced alchemy which is a genre of folklore.

The point here is that beside us and in us is what we can use to elevate ourselves. What is more, let Nigerians look into the residual knowledge of their ancestors because encapsulated in it can be found what they can use as starting points so as to elevate themselves. But where is that residual knowledge but the folklore of the people. Indeed, folklore is a field of study that can be used as a starting point, for it is highly relevant to the present generation.

Folklore and Society

Among all peoples of the earth, there exist sayings, beliefs, practices, and so on which almost all the citizens believe is correct. Initially, those concerned lived in the countryside and their means of livelihood only catered for their needs through farming, petty trading and handiworks. Such people are referred to as the folk and their means of transference of knowledge is referred to as lore or stories.

As explained in the online source yourdictionary.com:

Folklore is made of two words: folk , which means regional people, and lore, which means stories. Therefore, folklore reflects stories told by people in a particular region. Folklore can define a people’s values, beliefs, and preferred way of life with its literary themes (n.p.).

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Because of the level of the people involved, and because of the vastness of the field, a lot of issues are involved. Because of that level of the people, modern scholars tend to look down on the field. But no matter what happens, embedded in folklore are all those things with which the people lived their lives and brought up their children. What they did was not inchoate, damaging and destructive or else, they would not have survived to produce the present generation. No matter their being outdated and irrational, the knowledge they left for us can be beneficial if we do like those enumerated above who took up alchemy and came up with modern chemistry and all the ancillary courses that originated from it.

But then, Dan Ben-Amos while looking at the issue states that:

Originally, it [folklore] connoted tradition, ancient customs and surviving festival, old ditties, archaic myths, legends and fables, and timeless tales and proverbs. As these narratives rarely stood the tests of common sense and experience, folklore also implied irrationality: beliefs in ghosts and demons, fairies and goblins, sprites and spirits; it referred to credence in omens, amulets, and talismans (11).

There are many issues involved. But when thoroughly looked at, how sure are we that those things we refer to as irrationality are really irrational? If there is nothing like spirits and demons, what do religious people go to their places of worship to war against or consult? If there are no positive results in what they do, all religious groups would have disintegrated. But since they still go there and achieve their aims, our denigrating their actions will only amount to sheer short-sightedness or mere sanctimoniousness to write them off like that.

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But in spite of the areas pointed out by Ben-Amos, Alan Dundes has more in-depth fields of study in folklore. It is then not a wonder that these ancient people were able to live their lives successfully. As Dundes enumerates, the field of folklore is made up of:

. . . myths, legends, folktales, jokes, proverbs, riddles, chants, charms, blessings, curses, oaths, insults, retorts, taunts, toasts, tongue-twisters, and greetings and leave-taking formulas . . .. It also includes folk dance, folk drama (and mime), folk art, folk belief (or superstition), folk medicine, folk instrumental music . . . , folk songs (lullabies, ballads), folk speech (e.g. as blind as bat), folk metaphors (e.g. to paint the town red) and names. Folk poetry ranges from oral epics to autograph-book verse, epitaphs, latrinalia (writings on the walls of public bathroom), limericks, ball bouncing rhymes (to determine who “it” will be in games) and nursery rhymes. The list of folklore forms also contain games, gestures, symbols, prayers (e.g. graces, practical jokes, folk etymologies, food recipes; quilts and embroidery designs; house, barn, fence types, street vendors’ cries; and even the traditional conventional sounds used to summon animals or to give them commands. There are such minor forms of mnemonic devices (e.g. the Roy remembers the colours of the spectrum in order), envelop sealers (e.g. SWAK – Sealed with a Kiss) and the traditional comments made after body emissions (e.g. after burps or sneezes). There are such major forms as festivals and special day (or holiday), custom (e.g. Christmas, Halloween and birthday) (3).

A look at the items with which the scholar started the above enumeration can easily show that inside folklore is oral

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It is not only the aspect of oral literature that is underrated and misunderstood but the entire folklore field. The current researcher can recall his discussion with another academic. When they came to discuss folklore, that academic wrote it off that studying folklore is like studying history as if history has no relevance in the modern world. If such an educated person is of such an opinion, what about others who are not all that educated?

In view of situations like this, one can understand the stand of what the editors of Current Perspectives on African Folklore put in their introductory note. It is saddening; according to them that there is a decline in folklore studies in Nigeria. They further state that “… the principal objective of the publication is to popularize scholarly enthusiasm in the discipline of folklore in Africa in general and in Nigeria specifically” (iii).

It is quite unfortunate that Africans, especially Nigerians, have failed to look at the tail of the kite like those countries that studied their folklore and came up with worthwhile results. Unlike them, the organizers of our university education do not see enough relevance in this field. But the Canadians think otherwise. That can explain the advertisement made by Memorial University, Canada as seen in their online publication. According to them:

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The degree of Master of Arts in Folklore is offered by part-time and full-time study. The program normally requires extensive fieldwork research in Newfoundland. Integral to the teaching of the Department of Folklore is work of the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Language Archive (n. p.).

The advertisement shows that the University goes as far as offering folklore at the doctoral degree level.

But what Nigerian National Universities Commission (NUC) allows is only a course titled Introduction to Oral Literature. What one expects is that the course would lead to a higher one but there is none. In this way, what is shown is that our education planners do not understand the essence of looking at the tail of a kite in order to make amends and in this way, come up with something worthwhile. Had they studied the curriculum of these foreign universities, they would have come up with something higher. Also, they have failed to look at the happenings in Ahmadu Bello University where a course titled Orature and Multimedia was introduced so as “to study and analyze transformations and adaptations of the new polyvalent forms. At the heart of this field of study is the interface of African oral arts and the media technology” (Liman 310). Our inability to look and study happenings in other fields and areas shows how far we can go, for indeed, we have failed to look at the tail of a kite and so, we cannot make a sound going.

For us to study the relevance of folklore in Nigeria of the 21st century, let us study more of those genres of the field since studying all of them, is impossible in a work of this volume. For us to determine the number to be studied, we had to do a random sampling of just three genres. The number three was selected due to the Igbo saying that “Ihe bịa n’ịtọ, ọ

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Relevance of Songs with their Accompanying Dance

There are many types of songs in the traditional society. These can be classified as praise songs, satirical songs, lullabies, morning songs and so on. Even, in other genres of folklore such as the folktale, songs are inserted. The result is that when people dance, when they work, when they relax, and so on, they hum and entertain themselves with some of these songs for indeed, songs are very crucial aspect of the African culture for these songs entertain, educate, criticize and correct people. In fact, Africans cannot do without songs.

For corrective purposes, satirical songs come into play. If people are satirized and made fun of, they tend to caution themselves and toe the right path. What the law court and other law enforcement agencies cannot achieve, these songs do so. This is because people think that with their money and connections, that they can evade the long arm of the law. But when such people are ridiculed publicly, they take it that their hidden deeds have been exposed even to people far below their social status. Nobody will then force them to toe the line of sanity for they will hastily do so.

In studying satirical songs, Okoh has it that:

. . . satirical songs, for example which constitute a well-known genre of oral literature are not only in circulation, but are also exploited fully to the benefit

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of society. They provide one unique opportunity to attack those who have violated the social norms or engaged in one form of anti-social behaviour or the other (228).

This scholar points out certain negative behaviour in society. Some of those who are guilty of such are well placed individuals. Some are well connected that nothing can be done to them. The only approach is what the Igbo people say that for one to talk to the King, one has to cover one’s face with a cap. This covering is to resort to the usage of songs. In the view of Okoh: “The songs which may be aimed at anyone – whether the ruler, the rich, or the aristocratic – are composed on a range of “negative” topics – from stealing, committing adultery, to debasing womanhood or insulting manhood” (229).

Apart from satirical songs, there are praise songs. Such songs inspire people to move higher and to strive to be like those who are receiving the eulogy. The result is that some of such people do change their behaviour; some work harder and even, there are others who may be moved to envy those being praised.

In spite of the last mentioned behaviour which is negative, it is on record that “some praise singers sing to mould public opinion through entertainment in sponsored or self induced musical performances. This is especially true with the court singers” (Bichi 89).

Sometimes, praise songs do turn to satirical ones. In spite of some of the singers being paid to praise, they can sometimes deviate so as to correct objects or persons of their praise. But no matter the deviation, they aim to change society for the better. As seen by Abdu Yahya Bichi:

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. . . the role played by African praise singers is more than mere entertainment. At certain times, they do not hesitate to criticize and condemn the actions of their patron if he violates traditional norms and values. Among the Hausa of Nigeria for example as Abdulkadir states . . . “An oral singer not only entertains his community, he also informs the public about current events as well as the ancient historical accounts, and instructs new generations about traditions, custom, history, folklore and culture of their ancestors. He can also praise, warn, condemn or advise, depending on the situation and circumstance (89).

This is how it is all over Africa. One needs to read the observation of Okot p’Bitek about African dancing when compared with European one. In Song of Lawino , he extols the dancing that accompanies the song. While that of Africa is done in the open with black youths dancing vigorously, raising some dust, that of westerners is done in rooms. The poet uses this opportunity to criticize the western type. This is how praise singing turns into satirical songs. As he puts it:

Each man has a woman

Although she is not his wife

They dance inside a house

And there is no light

Shamelessly, they hold each other

Tightly, tightly

They cannot breath! (44)

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Therefore, African songs of all types not only entertain and educate, they correct social anomalies. The appropriateness of the following observation can then be seen: “These professional performers . . . can in the course of their performances criticize the most powerful ruler with impunity” (Bichi 89).

In addition to the above relevance of songs as an aspect of folklore in the African society, it is on record that these songs inspire musicians. Among the Igbo, such musicians are called Ndi Egwu Ekpili . There are many of such musicians who either repeat these traditional songs or compose in imitation of them. Three of such notable musicians are: Mike Ejeagha, Obiligbo and Umu Obiligbo.

To substantiate this observation, one needs to look at the online publication of Carterhaugh School (in spite of their expansion that includes the entire field of folklore). According to the school, “Folklore is constantly inspiring artists and musicians, writers and makers. Some of your favorite books; TV shows, movies, clothes and songs are likely rooted in folklore” (n. p.).

These musicians belong to the upper class of society. The younger generation refers to them as celebrities and in this way, shows their admiration for them. Indeed, their music not only popularizes them, it also enriches them. As it is succinctly observed; “Economically, praise-singing is a profitable enterprise for those who engage in it. That is to say, it provides the singers with a source of livelihood in many groups throughout sub-Saharan Africa” (Bichi 95). Therefore, these songs have created employment opportunities for those who have the talent and can go into musical production.

But not all singers can be professionals like those mentioned above. Here, one can look at mourning songs

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If one fails to highlight the health benefits that accompany songs, then one has denied the readers an important aspect of this enquiry. As seen by p’Bitek

When the drums are throbbing

And the black youths

Have raised much dust

You dance with vigour and health

You dance naughtily with pride

You dance with spirit (47).

Such a vigorous dance has many health benefits. As observed by Badamasi Lawal and C. C. Okam:

. . . folk dancers have mastered the ability to balance themselves in a number of positions. This strengthens our stabilizer muscles, while protecting our core and keeping us less prone to injury in our daily lives. Dancing also aids in coordination and helps strengthen our reflexes. It is a great way to keep our central Nervous System and peripheral Nervous

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System in hip-hop shape by improving the connection of our bodies to our mind (171).

If dancing which accompanies these songs can be as useful as this, there is need to embark on it so as to not only elongate human life but to bring down medical expenses to the barest minimum. That our education planners are overlooking folklore from which these songs originate shows their negligence and lack of foresight. There then, is the need to look at the foreign institutions that teach folklore and in this way, introduce it into our curriculum. Let them look at the tail of the kite in order to make a high sounding gong that can be heard far and wide.

Relevance of Traditional Medicine

Medicine has been in the African society from time immemorial. This medicine is made from herbs, roots, minerals, and so on. Added to this, are the numerous beliefs found in society. However, the traditional healers tend to mystify their work by attributing it to spirits. According to them, as it is in Igbo land, the healing deity, Agwu not only selects those who would be healers but speaks through the herbs as they go about searching for appropriate medicine.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) as cited by Ray Tapan, traditional medicine is:

. . . the sum total of the knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness (3).

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In spite of the denigration which the field is receiving from modern people, traditional health care practitioners are doing marvelously well. This is because some diseases do defy modern medicine and when one fails while using it, one now reverts to the traditional one. What is more, when the sickness originates from a diabolic source, the only solution is this traditional one. In order to be more useful to the people, the cost of this medicine is not as high as that of orthodox one. It is then not surprising that: “. . . it has been reported by WHO (2005) that ‘up to 80% of the population in Africa uses traditional medicine as the primary health care system. This is because it is easily available and affordable by the generality of the populace’ ” (Bichi 13).

Therefore, we should overlook its beginning which some people say was from witchcraft or magic. We should be like the people of Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism who, in spite of such knowledge, harness the gain that is in that field. But it is this ministry who notes in an online paper that:

Folk or traditional medicine originates from primitive man’s reactions or attitude to natural events. Magic and witchcraft played an important role here. In these societies where witchcraft and religious beliefs were of great importance, disease and health were explained by external factors penetrating and harming the body (n. p.).

Therefore, where we perceive that folk medicine can be more useful than modern medicine, let us apply it and get healed. Jettisoning it is not doing our nation any good. Instead of helping us, we are losing because of this neglect. The summary of this is that there is something important and life- giving in folk medicine. Some modern pharmaceutical companies on seeing the limit of what they are producing

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One of the recent winners of the Nobel Prize for medicine discovered a breakthrough drug after poring over 2,000 ancient herbal recipes. Dr. Tu Youyou’s discovery of the anti-malarial artemisin, derived from wormwood is credited with saving millions of lives (n. p.).

Therefore, in traditional medicine there is something which the world can use to save lives. That this medicine belongs to the field of folklore shows that folklore is a worthwhile field of study. Therefore, any nation that neglects it is denying itself a very important field with which it can navigate the tortuous path of life.

Such a denial cannot be found in India. As the nation participated in the era of researching into alchemy, so it is today because the people have known about the gems and nuggets left for them by their ancestors. This can explain why it is on record today that in India:

Both Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Ghandi advocated the integration of the best of indigenous medicine with modern medicine. The government established a Central Council of Indian medicine, a statutory body with a mandate to ensure conformity of standards of education and regulation of practice in respect to the traditional system (Tapan 15).

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Therefore, no matter how quaint and obsolete folklore is or we think that it is, it is useful in this modern era. Delving into it has solved many problems of the world not only in the field of medicine but in other areas.

Further, many industrialized nations have realized this fact and therefore, they now delve into their roots by taking up this overlooked aspect of their cultures. With this move, they keep on moving higher and higher while the third world countries keep on depending on them not knowing that beside them is the knowledge which they can develop so as to move higher.

Therefore, in traditional medicine usage, it has been stated that:

The WHO also notes that the use of folk medicine is spreading in popularity in industrialized countries like America where about 158 million adults use complementary medicine (a field that incorporates traditional or folk medicine but is broader in scope (Nwankwo 180).

This usefulness of folk medicine has been noted by another scholar. In this case, what is looked at goes beyond complementary medicine. The one being looked at is folk medicine in its untainted nature. It is in it and in it alone that people find relief and cure. As noted by Linus Chia Saalu in an online paper:

In the past two decades, there has been a global resurgence of interest in traditional medicine for the treatment of ailments that defile orthodox medicine principally because many diseases have defied or developed resistance to conventional drugs as well as a health system closer to the rural poor (n. p.).

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The sum total of this section is that because of the usefulness of folk medicine and in view of the indigenes of frontline countries that have looked into what is happening and so has decided to delve into the love of their ancestors, Nigerians and indeed, the entire Africans should study what is around them. Let them do like these frontline countries and take up the residual knowledge in their folklore.

Relevance of Folklore Beliefs in Today’s World

Of all aspects of folklore, belief is the most denigrated. Some people refer to it as either superstition or superstitious beliefs so as to belittle it further. But in spite of this, it is the stand of this paper that this overlooked field holds one of the keys with which Africans can unlock the prison gate that has been hindering the continent’s progress. As in the two areas already investigated, this one also holds some scientific seeds that can be harvested.

As defined by the Encyclopaedia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite , superstition is: “. . . belief, half-belief, or practice for which there appears to be no rational substance. Those who use the term imply they have certain knowledge or superior evidence for their own scientific, philosophical or religious convictions” (n. p.).

One should note that African nations are deeply involved in religious activities. That can explain the plethora of deities in most places. These deities are approached through beliefs and are credited for doing wonders when approached through the right channel. The belief in these deities also generates beliefs in other fields. These unexplored beliefs some of which sound bizarre, however, can lead to something tangible. Or is there any proof that these deities are inexistent? What is more, such beliefs can be rooted in thoughts that can be developed to produce something

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In tracing the origin of beliefs or superstition as some would like us to refer to it, Odejobi Cecilia Omobola states that superstition:

. . . were found in the early man’s effort to explain nature and his own existence, to propitiate fate and invite fortune; to avoid evils he could not understand and to pry into the future. A superstition is a belief or a practice that is not based on facts or events that can be proven . . . . The term superstition is usually referred to as a belief or influence that is incapable of being justified on rational grounds (222).

But in spite of the imperfections of these beliefs, there are many that contain worthwhile truth that can aid the modern man to live his life. This is because many of them were formulated after deep observations of natural occurrences. Therefore, it is important that we do not just pour away the water used in bathing the baby along with the baby. If the foreign scientists have done like that, where would we have been today?

As an illustration, before inoculation, which we freely use today for prevention of diseases was perfected, it killed a lot of people but the scientists never gave up. They continued in their belief that one day, they would succeed. This inoculation started from local superstition in Gloucestershire. It took the effort of Edward Jenner to study the superstition so as to turn it into a scientific discovery. In other words, inside superstitions are the germs of great thoughts which man can study to elevate himself. As was stated by Gustav Jahoda:

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. . . when Edward Jenner, the discoverer of vaccination was an apprentice in his teens, he heard about a local belief in Gloucestershire that people infected by car-pox from cattle were thereafter immune from smallpox. Contemporary physicians refused to pay any attention to such tales but these probably inspired Jenner’s later experiments. He kept them secret at first, rightly suspecting that his colleagues were not inclined to take them seriously (13).

Whatever man comes up with today, must originate from his belief that that thing can be made to come into existence. But because old ones have not yet been developed, that cannot account for our looking down on them. To show that we should come down to our root and those that update our university curriculum should redirect their aloofness; let it be known that some of such beliefs have to be upgraded. This is because some of them are rooted in sound scientific facts.

To illustrate this, let us listen to Newbell Puckett who states that:

Some of these weather signs, though developed in superstition have scientific value. This is especially true of those having to do with conditions of excessive humidity. Meanwhile, the Negroes very widely believe that if the smoke falls towards the ground instead of rising upward or if the soot falls into the fireplace or on the roof, it is a sign of rain. This is true since it is the excessive humidity of the atmosphere that causes the phenomena (513).

But why should the beliefs not have scientific value? One should note that they started with man’s observations and his stating these in his own illiterate way. That he is an

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Yet many old beliefs such as those in astrology and witchcraft have gained new popularity in technologically sophiscated societies such as those in the United States and Western Europe. Plainly, despite supposed sophiscation, human beings are all “folk” and thus are still the source of folklore (39).

But why should it be doubted that in these beliefs were buried generations of observations? In them are the observations of the ancestors and these observations are being modified by coming generations. In them are inculcated what can be used to tackle the problems of man. But then, when the Greek mythical architect, Daedelus and his son Icarus were escaping from Crete using the former’s fabricated wings, do you not know that man by then had started thinking of air travel? Or is this different from the thought that came when Mbe (Tortoise), the Igbo folktale trickster hero was crisscrossing the sky in his multi-coloured plumage beside the birds? This singular and bizarre thought was proved to be real when the Wright brothers came up with the fact that air travel is possible. Today, many people have done like the folkloric characters, and in this generation, it is a scientific fact.

Conclusion

Folklore contains many fields of study for in it can be found all that the ancestors thought and knew during their time. Since they are not printed in books, these thoughts keep on changing from one person to another and from one generation to another. But the problem is that many people

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However, many frontline nations have realized this fact and are studying it. An example is Canada that has mounted folklore as a university course where capable students can study up to the PhD level. But instead of following such nations like Western Europe, America, Rome, India and so on, our education planners are looking the other way. The only genre of folklore that they allow in our tertiary institutions is the introductory aspect of oral literature – only the introductory aspect.

It is in view of this apathy that this paper is calling on the entire African continent to do like these foremost nations. They studied the lore of their ancestors, saw the wealth of knowledge encoded in them and they started developing their discoveries. What Africans need now is to do what an Igbo proverb says to any blacksmith who does not know how to make a gong. Let such a blacksmith look at the tail of a kite. Africans should study these civilized countries and do like them.

Works Cited

Ben-Amos, Dan. “The Idea of Folklore: An Essay”. Edited by Issachar Ben-Ami and Joseph Dan. Studies in Aggadah and Jewish Folklore . The Magnes Press, 1983, pp.11 – 17.

Bichi, Abdu Yahya. “Traditional Medicine, Hausa Folklore and Globalisation”. Edited by Sani Abba Aliyu. Essays on African Folklore . Almadu Bello University Press Limited, 2019, pp. 12 – 17.

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Carterhaugh School. “10 Reasons to Study Folklore”. https://carterhaugh-school.com.

Dundes, Alan, The Study of Folklore . Prentice Hall Inc., 1965

“Folk Medicine”. www.kultur.go.tr/Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Gilbert, Robert Andrew and Robert P. Mult-hauf. “alchemy”. britannica.com

Jahoda, Gusiru. The Psychology of Superstition . Penguin Books Ltd, 1971.

Lawal, Badamasi and C. C. Okam. “Folklore and Health”. Edited by Abubakar Rasheed and Sani Abba Aliyu. Current Perspectives on African Folklore : A Festschrift for Professor Dandatti Abdulkadir. Almadu Bello University Press Limited, 2014.

Larin, Seymour Z. “Alchemy”. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009 [DVD]. Redwood, WA. Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

Liman, Abubakar Aliyu. “Folklore and Electronic Media in Contemporary Nigeria: Interrogating the Cultural Logic of Postmodernism”. Edited by Abubarkar Rasheed and Sani Abba Aliyu. Folklore, Integration and National Development in Nigeria . Bayero University Kano, 2014, pp. 305 – 315.

Memorial University, Canada. “Folklore”. https://www.mun.cu/ folklore.

Nwankwo, Ignatius Uche. “Resilience of Folk Medicine among the Igbos of Southeast Nigeria”. European Scientific Journal , Dec., 2014, pp. 177 – 187.

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Okoh, Nkem. Preface to Oral Literature . Africana First Publishers Limited, 2008.

Omobola, Odejobi Cecilia. “An Overview of Taboo and Superstition among the Yoruba of South west of Nigeria”. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences . Vol. 4 no 2, 2013, pp. 221 – 225. p’Bitek, Okot. Song of Lawino . Heinemann Educational Books Ltd, 1984.

Pitt, Chris. “Five old remedies that are still healing us today”. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com. 27th Oct., 2015.

Puckett, Newbell Niles. Folk Beliefs of the Southern Negro . The University of North Carolina Press, 1926. http://www.abebooks.com.

Rasheed, Abubaka and Sani Abba Aliyu. Current Perspectives on African Folklore: A Festscrift for Professor Dandatti Abdulkadir . Almadu Bello University Press, Zaria, 2014.

Saalu, Linus Chia. “Nigerian Folk Medicinal Plants with Potential Anti-fertility Activity in Males: A Scientific Appraisal”. Research Journal of Medicinal Plants vol. 10, no 3, 2016, pp. 201 – 227.

“Superstition”. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2015.

Tapan, Ray. “Role of Folk Medicine in Primary Health Care: A Case Study of West Bengal India”. International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies . Vol.1 no 2, 2014, pp. 13 – 18.

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Utley, Francis Lee. “Superstition”, Encyclopedia Americana International Edition vol. 26. Danbury: Connecticut, 2004, pp. 39 – 41.

“What is Folklore? Meaning, Types, and Examples”. https:/www.examples.yourdictionary.com.

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Nghọta Ọnwụ na Mpụta Ihe Ya n’Abụ Akwamozu Ndị Ovoko

1Chiọma M. Akaeze; ₂Jacinta Ndidi Okey-Agbo, ₃Sọpụrụchi C. Abọh & ₄Helen U. Asọgwa 1Ngalaba Lingwistiks, Igbo na Asụsụ Naịjirịa Ndị Ọzọ, Mahadum Naịjirịa, Nsụka *Odee ọnata ozi: [email protected]

Ụmịedemede Nchọcha a na-eleba anya na nghọta ọnwụ na mpụta ihe ya n’abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko. Mbunuche nchọcha a kpọmkwem bụ ịchọpụta nghọta ọnwụ n’Ovoko site n’ịgbado ụkwụ n’isiokwu na ndịnaisiokwu dị n’abụ akwamozu ha, asụsụ e ji zipụta nghọta ọnwụ n’abụ ndị Ovoko nakwa ịmata nghọta ọnwụ site n’olu abụ. E ji abụ akwamozu iri na ise mee nchọcha. E ji igwe nchekwa okwu nweta ha n’akwamozu atọ e mere n’ala Ovoko. A gbasoro usoro nkọwa tụchaa abụ akwamozu ndị a. A chọpụtara na site n’isiokwu na ndịnaisiokwu dị n’abụ akwamozu Ovoko, a na-aghọta ọnwụ dịka ihe e ji ndidi eso, nke na-egbunyụ mmadụ anya, nke na- enweghị enyi, nke mmadụ amaghị obodo o si na ihe anaghị asọ onye ọ bụla anya. Asụsụ nka a na-ahụta n’abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko ma bụrụkwa ndị banyere n’ọrụ nzipụta nghọta ọnwụ n’ Ovoko gụnyere: mbụrụ, ajụjụ nzaraonwe, nkwusara, kwunkwukwa na ụkabụilu. Ndị nchọcha chọpụtakwara na olu ndị pụtara ihe n’abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko bụ nke ndụmọdụ, nkasiobi na ịdọ aka na ntị. Site n’olu ndị a, a na-ahụta ọnwụ dịka ihe na-emetụta mmadụ niile nakwa ọrụ dịịrị ndị mmadụ ịkasi onye ọ bụla ọnwụ gburu nwanne ya ma ọ bụ ikwu na ibe ya obi. Ndị nchọcha tụnyere aro ka e mee ụdị nchọcha a n’obodo ndị ọzọ iji wee hụta ka obodo dị iche iche si ahụta ọnwụ. Ọkpụrụkpụ okwu: Ọnwụ, Ovoko, asụsụ nka, ndịnaisiokwu, olu

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Abstract This study examines the conceptualisation of death and its manifestation in Ovoko elegy. The specific objectives of the study are to understand the concept of death in Ovoko by x- raying the themes in Ovoko elegy, the language of the dirge and the tone. Fifteen elegies obtained in three funeral ceremonies in Ovoko form the data of the study. The data are analysed descriptively. The study reveals that the themes prevalent in Ovoko elegy include: endurance, the ruthlessness of death, death has no friend, has no known origin and fears no one. The figurative expressions found in Ovoko dirge include: metaphor, rhetorical question, apostrophe, parallelism and anecdote. The researchers found out that Ovoko elegy has admonishing, consoling and warning tones. From these tones, one understands death as something that affects everyone and it is expected of individuals to console members of the deceased family. The study recommends similar research in other communities in order to understand how these communities conceptualise death. Keywords: Death, Ovoko, figurative language, themes, tone

Ndubata Ọnwụ bụ ihe mmadụ dị iche iche na-aghọta n’ụzọ dị iche iche. Nghọta ndị nwere n’ebe ọnwụ dị na-ebute otu ndị si akpaso onye nwụrụ anwụ agwa. O nwere ndị na-akpọ onye nwụrụ anwụ ọkụ, kporo ntụ ya wụnye na mmiri ma o bụ tinye na mkpọ ma ọ bụ n’ime ololo maka ncheta onye ahụ (Hutton, 2009). Ndị Alakụba na-eli mmadụ ozugbo ọ nwụrụ na-ejighị igbe ozu. Ebe ọtụtụ ndị n’ala Afrika na-eji mmemme dị iche iche eli onye nwụrụ anwụ n’ụdị nkwanye ugwu, nke ọ bụla ndị na-eme na-esite na nkwenye ma ọ bụ echiche ha nwere gbasara ọnwụ. Abel (1998) kọwara na ọnwụ dịka nkewapụ anụ ahụ mmadụ na mkpụrụobi. Anụ ahụ na-ere ure, ebe

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x mkpụrụ obi na-aga ebe mmadụ agaghị ahụ ya anya. Ọ kọwara na ọnwụ dịka ụgwọ dịịrị onye ọ bụla dị ndụ, n’agbanyeghị etu ọ bụla o si mee: ọnwụ chi, ọchụ, nkwụgbu, na ndị ọzọ. Ndị Igbo kwenyere na mmadụ nwere nnukwu mkpụrụ ụbọchị abụọ n’ụwa: ụbọchị ọmụmụ na ụbọchị ọnwụ. Ọnwụ na akwamozu bụ omenaala a na-akpachapụrụ anya n’ala Igbo, nakwa n’ọtụtụ mba ndị ọzọ. A bịa n’omenaala ụfọdụ, o nwere ndị na-eme ihe dịgasị iche iche maka ọnwụ na akwamozu, mana ndị Ovoko na-agbasokarị ụzọ omenaala abụọ: ili ozu na ịkwa ozu onye nke ha. Ovoko, nke bụ ebe a gbadoro ụkwụ n’ihe ọmụmụ a bụ obodo dị n’okpuru ọchịchị Ndịda Igbo-Eze n’ime Steeti Enugwu. Ọ dị na Nsụka nke dị n’ọwụwa anyanwụ Naịjirịa. Obodo ndị ya na ha bụ agbataobi bụga Iheaka, Imilike na Ọbụkpa. Dịka akụkọ nsiripuru na mbawanye ha si kọwaa, ha sitere n’ebe a kpọrọ Nrụ́atọ n’oge gboo (nke dị n’Enugu- Ezike, Mgbago Igbo-Eze) bịa biri n’Ovoko. Nke a ka a sị na ọ malitere n’aka otu nwoke aha ya bụ Akpụrokwe, onye lụtara nwaanyị aha ya bụ Nneigboke. Nneigboke mụtara ụmụ atọ: Aroji Ogerewu, Lọọlọ Eworoagụ na Ijike Arọji. Ha bidoro mụbawa nke na ebe ha bibu abaghịzi ha, kpatara ha jiri gafee ma biri ebe ha bi taa, bụ Ovoko. Mbunuche nchọcha a bụ ileba anya na nghọta ọnwụ dịka o si pụta ihe n’abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko nakwa inyocha ka asụsụ, isiokwu na ndịnaisiokwu abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko si wepụta nghọta ndị Ovoko nwere n’ebe ọnwụ dị. Uru ụdị ihe ọmụmụ a bara bụ na o so n’ụzọ e si akwalite ihe ọmụmụ omenaala Igbo nke ọtụtụ mmadụ na-eleghara anya. Ọ bụkwa ụzọ e si akwalite ihe ọmụmụ n’abụ ọdịnaala Igbo ma hụtakwa uru dịgasị n’abụ ọnụ Igbo. Abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko bụ abụ ọnụ. Okebalama (2003) kọwara abụ ọnụ dịka agụmagụ a gụrụ mgbe a na-eme ihe ngosi ya ma dịrịkwa n’ụdị mgbanwe mgbanwe. Abụ ọnụ ndị a e ji mee nchọcha a bụ ndị nke e detubeghị n’akwụkwọ n’ala Ovoko. N’isite na ndịna kọwaa

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x abụ akwamozu, e nwere ike ịsị na ọ bụ ụdị abụ ahụ isiokwu na ndịnaisiokwu ya gbadoro ụkwụ n’ihe gbasara ọnwụ. Otu ihe so kpalite mmụọ ihe ọmụmụ n’isiokwu a bụ maka nleghara anya a na-eleghara ihe ọmụmụ gbasara ọnwụ na ihe dị na ya. O nwebeghị ọtụtụ nchọcha emerela maka nghọta ọnwụ na ka o si pụta ìhè n’abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko, dịka ndị odee madebere. A sị na nkụ dị na mba na-eghere mba nri. Ka omenaala si digasị iche iche bụ ka nkwenye na echiche ndị si dị iche iche. Ya kpalitere edemede a nke isi sekpụ ntị ya bụ ịchọpụta ma wepụta nghọta dị iche iche dị n’abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko, site n’olu, asụsụ, isiokwu na ndịnisiokwu abụ ndị a họọrọ. Abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko gbadoro ụkwụ n’echiche dị iche iche n’ihi etu ha si aghọta ọnwụ na akwamozu. Abụ ndị nke e ji rụọ ọrụ na nchọcha bụ ndị dị n’ụdị uri, ya bụ ndị a na-agụ agụ. Ọtụtụ n’ime ha nwere ekwee-azaa n’ihi na otu onye ọgụụ gụọ, ndị ọzọ bụ ndị ókwúkwē. Abụ ndị a dịkwa n’ụdị mgbanwe mgbanwe, nke bụ na ọgụụ nwere ike tinye ihe mgbe ọ na-agụpụta abụ site n’otu ebe ruo n’ọzọ. Abụ iri na isii ka e ji rụọ ọrụ. Ebe e si nweta ha bụ n'ebe a na-akwa ozu. Otu n’ime ndị nchọcha ji igwe nchekwa okwu (teepu rekọda) wee nweta abụ ndị a. Ọ bụ n'akwaozu atọ ka e nwetare abụ iri na ise ndị a e ji mee nchọcha. Ha niile bụ ekwee-azaa belusọ nke iri na isii dị n’ụdị ngụgọ. A gbasoro usoro nkọwa wee tụchaa abụ ndị a. Ntụlegharị agụmagụ Mba, okpukperechi na omenaala dị iche iche na- aghọta ọnwụ n’ụzọ dị iche iche. Nghọta a na-ebute ndịiche n’etiti uche ha, omenaala na usoro akwamozu ha. Mbiti (1975) mere ka a mata na ọnwụ kwụ n’etiti mmadụ na mmụọ, nakwa n’etiti ihe a na-ahụ anya na ihe a naghị ahụ anya. N’uche ya, ndị Afrịka kwenyere na e nwere ụwa abụọ: ala mmadụ na ala mmụọ. Kirwen (2008) kọwara ọnwụ dịka ihe

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x enweghị ike igbochibido, nke bụ ihe akụkọ nye ndụ onye ọ bụla . O gara n’ihu kwuo na n’agbanyeghị na ọnwụ bụ ihe na- enweghị mgbochi, na ọnwụ abụghị njedebe ndụ mmadụ, kama ọ bụ ụzọ e si abanye n’ụwa ọzọ. Ya bụ na mmadụ nwụọ, ndụ ya adịwanye n’ala mmụọ. Nke a danyekwara n’okwu Taylor (2001), onye hụtara ndị nwụrụ anwụ dịka ndị alabeghị ala nọ n’onyinyo dị ọkpụrụkpụ, n’osisi nke na-asụ ude, n’ọkụ nke na-anyụ anyụ n’oke ọhịa; ya bụ na ndị nwụrụ anwụ anwụbeghị. Akwamozu bụ omenaala dị mkpa a na-eji akwanyere mmadụ ugwu ma ọ nwụọ. Okpoku (1978) kwadoro nke a site n’ịkọwa akwamozu dịka ihe kwesịrị ekwesị ndị dị ndụ ga- emere ndị nwụrụ anwụ, chụọrọ ha àjà, nri na ihe ọṅụṅụ nke ga-egosi ihe ncheta na nsọpụrụ. N’aka nke ọzọ, Okpoku kọwara na onye nwụrụ anwụ na-arụrụ ndị dị ndụ ọrụ, ọ kachasị na ndụ ezinaụlọ ya. Baloyi na Makobe-Rabothata (2014) lekwasịrị anya n’etu ndị Afrịka si aghọta ma na-eme emume akwamozu. Ha jiri nhụrụ ụwa na nghọta ndị Afrịka ka ntọala. Ha jiri ihe ọmụmụ abụọ wepụta, kọwaa ma gosi nghọta ọnwụ n’Afrịka, mpụtara ya, uru nakwa emume na usoro akwamozu dị na ya. Ha chọpụtara na ụzọ dị iche iche ndị Afrịka ji eme ihe gbasara ọnwụ enwebeghị ugwu na nghọta n’ewumewu ndị na-eme omenaala ndị ọcha pụtara ihe. Edo (2019) lebara anya n’ụzọ pụrụ iche ndị Igbo si eme ihe gbasara ọnwụ. Mbunuche nchọcha ya bụ iwepụta nghọta ọnwụ ndị Igbo dịka o si metụta ndụ. O lebara anya n’ihe ndị e kwesịrị ime maka ịbụ ndịichie, ịlọ ụwa, isiokwu chi, eluigwe na ọkụ mmụọ na nghọta ọnwụ ndị Igbo. Ha kwenyere na nghọta ọnwụ dịka ọ dị n’ahụmụ ndụ ndị Igbo gbakwasịrị ụkwụ n’obodo n’obodo, ma gbaakwa mgbọrọgwụ n’ịbụ mmadụ na mmụọ. Etu o sila dị, okpukperechi na ndị dị iche iche na- ahụta ọnwụ na emume akwamozu n’ụzọ dị iche iche. Dịka na Tibet Ọtọnọmọs Rijọn dị na mba Chaịna, tupu onye nwụrụ

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x anwụ eree ure, ụmụnne na enyi onye ahụ na-achịkọba ihe keaja maka ọnọdụ a ga-edebe ozu onye ahụ. Allan (2014) kọwara na ha na-eme nke a site n’idebe ozu ahụ n’elu ugwu ma ọ bụ n’ebe dị elu ka nnụnụ bịa tụsaa ya. Ha na-ahụta nnụnụ a ka ihe na-ebuga mkpụrụobi n’eluigwe. Ọ bụ nghọta ha nwere gbasara ọnwụ butere ụdị omenaala a gbasara onye nwụrụ anwụ. Na mba Ịndịa, ka ọ dị na Hindu, a na-akpọ ozu ahụ ọkụ n’ihi na ha kwenyere na mmadụ sitere na ntụ, ya mere o ji alara ntụ. Thrane (2010) kọwapụtara na ọnwụ, dịka ọ dị na Hinduyizim, bụ ngwụcha ndụ mmadụ, ma bụrụkwa mmalite ndụ ọhụrụ. Ha kwenyere na ọnwụ abụghị ihe ọjọọ, na ọ bụghị njedebe ndụ, kama usoro dị adị na ndụ. Na Izlam, mmadụ nwụọ, a saa ozu ya were akwa ọcha fuchie ya, lie ya ozugbo. Atụtụ Babelizim nke Nwaozuzu (2013) hụrụ maka nsiripuru ya na-egosi na etu Chineke si kepụta olu asụsụ dị iche iche n’ogige Babel bụkwa ka nghọta ihe si gbasasịa n’ụwa niile. Asụsụ ọ bụla na-akọwa ihe ka nghọta echiche na nkwenye ha si dị. Ihe e nwere ike isite n’atụtụ Babelizim kpebite bụ na otu ahụ mba dị iche iche nwere otu ha si asụ asụsụ n’olu dịgasi iche iche ka e nwekwara ike inwe nghọta ọnwụ n’ụzọ dịgasị iche iche n’ebe dị iche iche. Nghọta ọnwụ n’Ovoko site n’abụ akwamozu ha A bịa n’abụ ọnwụ n’ala Ovoko, e nwegara ụzọ dị iche iche a gbasoro maka ịhụta nghọta ha nwere n’ebe ọnwụ dị. Ụzọ ndị a gụnyere: Site n’isiokwu na ndịnaisiokwu dị n’abụ akwamozu ha Abụ ọ bụla nwerịrị ihe e bu n’uche wee bụọ ya, ya bụ ọdịnaya abụ ahụ. N’abụ akwamozu ndị Ovoko, ọ ga-ekwe nghọta na n’agbanyeghị na ha nwere otu isiokwu (ọnwụ na akwamozu), echiche/ndịnaisiokwu dị n’abụ ndị a gbasara aka. Ndị a hụtara bụ ndị a:

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x a. Ọnwụ chọrọ ndidi A bịa n’abụ nke mbụ, ahịrị nke mbụ, a ga-ahụta echiche na nghota nke a. A na-ezipụta na ọnwụ abụghị ihe a na-ebeta n’akwa. Ya mere abụ nke mbụ a ji na-ekwu sị, “Onye o mere dibe ee.” b. Ọnwụ gbuo, o gbuola N’ahịrị nke abụọ na atọ nke abụ nke mbụ, a hụtara ọnwụ ka ihe nkụwa, nke e jiri ‘bọtụrụ’ gosipụta. Ihe nkụwa na-ahịa ahụ imezite ma ọ kụwaa. Ya bụ na ọnwụ apụghị ịgbanwe ma o gbuo. Ya bụ na a naghị eweghachi onye nwụrụ anwụ azụ na ndụ. Nghọta ha nwere n’ebe ọnwụ dị adịghị ka nke ndị ụka Kraịst ndị nwere ike ikweta n’ọrụ ebụbe Chukwu nwere ike ime ka onye nwụrụ anwụ sikwa n’ọnwụ kulie; “Maka nə botụrụ bụ ihe nkụwa” — Maka na Ololo/kalama bụ ihe nkụwa. “Bọtụrụ kụwaa nə ọ na-ashwa eshi nə ndozite”— Ololo/kalama kụwaa, ọ na-ahịa ahụ na ndozita. ch. Ọnwụ enweghị enyi N’abụ nke abụọ, e sitere n’ụdị ajụjụ zipụta ọnwụ dịka ihe na-enweghị enyi. A ghọtara ya dịka ihe ya na mmadụ agaghị enwenwu mmekọrịta enyi na enyi ma ọ bụ nwanne na nwanne. Kama, ọ bụ ọ bịa, o gbupụ ma chụpụ onye ọ bịakwutere; Ọnwụ e, anə m ajụ — Ọnwụ e, ana m ajụ Gị nə onye ji-ebi? — Gị na onye ga-ebi? d. O nweghị onye ma obodo ọnwụ Nghọta ọzọ a na- ahụta bụ na ebe ndị nwụrụ anwụ na- eje abụghị ihe doro ndị dị ndụ anya. Nke a ka a hụtara n’abụ nke ise;

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Nɛ anyị ahwụgụ nwanne anyị o — Na anyị ahụghị nwanne anyị o Mɛ anyị amagə obodo o jere — Ma anyị amaghị obodo ọ gara e. Ọnwụ na-enye ezumiike N’abụ nke asaa, a hụtara nghọta ọnwụ ka ihe adịghị njọ ka ọtụtụ mmadụ si ahụta ya. A na-ahụta ya dika ihe na- enye ezumiike. N’ụwa, ndọlị, ọrịa na ọtụtụ ihe ndị ọzọ na- enye mmadụ nsogbu anaghị ekwe mmadụ zuru ike. Ya bụ na a na-enye nghọta onwụ dịka ihe na-anapụta mmadụ n’aka ihe ndị a na-enye mmadụ nsogbu n’ụwa, “Onye nwərə o zuru ike” — Onye nwụrụ o zuru ike. f. Ọnwụ anaghị asọ anya nke o ji enwe nsọpụrụ N’abụ nke iri, a ghọtara ọnwụ dịka ihe anaghị asọ anya. Ọnaghị akwanyere mmadụ ugwu ma ya fọdụ nsọpụrụ. Ọ bụ ihe na-ewere onye masịrị ya, ma onye ukwu ma onye nta. Ọgụụ: Onye nne Nkwe: Ọnwụ! Ọgụụ: Onye nna Nkwe: Ọnwụ! Ọgụụ: Okorobịa Nkwe: Ọnwụ! Ọgụụ: Agbọgọbịa — Agbọghọbịa Nkwe: Ọnwụ! Ọgụụ: Oke mmadụ — Onye ukwu Nkwe: Ọnwụ!…

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x g. Ọnwụ achọghị ego nke o ji eri ngarị Abụ nke iri na out zipụtakwara nghọta na ihe ndị dịka ezinaụlọ onye si pụta, akụnaụba, ụmụ, ego na ihe ndị ọzọ anaghị egbochi ọnwụ: “Ọnwụ ajụgə ese ego” —Ọnwụ ajụghị ese ego “Bịa gburə” — Bịa gbuo Asụsụ e ji zipụta nghọta ọnwụ n’abụ ndị Ovoko Ọ bụ eziokwu na abụ ndị e ji mee nchọcha a dị n’olundị ndị Ovoko, mana o gbochighị ịhụta nka asụsụ dịgasị iche iche ndị rụrụ ọrụ dịgasị iche iche ma wepụtakwa nghọta ọnwụ n’ụdị dị iche iche. Abụ ọnụ Igbo bụ abụ a na-ahụkarị asụsụ nka dịgasị iche iche n’ime ha. Asụsụ nka ndị a anaghị abụ naanị maka iji chọọ abụ mma kama e nwekwara ike isi n’ime ha zipụta otu ozi ma ọ bụ ọzọ. Ụfọdụ asụsụ nka ndị e ji zipụta nghọta ọnwụ n’abụ ndị a gụnyere; Mbụrụ Nke a bụ atụmatụ agụmagụ e ji eme ntụnyere ihe abụọ na-ahaghị nhatanha. Ụdị atụmatụ agụmagụ a pụtara ihe n’abụ nke mbụ ebe a sị; “Maka nə bọtụrụ bụ ihe nkụwa”— Maka na ololo bụ ihe nkụwa. N’ebe a, e ji ‘bọtụrụ’ tunyere ndụ jiri ‘nkụwa’ tụnyere ọnwụ. Nke a gosiri na ‘nkụwa’ (ya bụ ọnwụ) zute ‘bọtụrụ’ (ndụ), okwu agwụ. Ọ kụwaa, ndụ agwụla. Nghọta ụdị mbụrụ a wepụtara n’abụ ndị a bụ na ọnwụ zute mmadụ, o nweghịzi ihe e kwutere ya. Ya bụ na ọnwụ bụ onye mmemịna. Ajụjụ nzaraonwe/Ajụọ-asaghị Ọ bụ ajụjụ nke a naghị atụ anya ọsịsa maka ajụjụ a jụrụ. Ọ pụtara ìhè n’abụ nke atọ na nke iri: “Ọnwụ e, anə m ajụ” — Ọnwụ e, ana m ajụ “Gị nə onye ji-ebi?” — Gị na onye ga-ebi?

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“Ọ bụ gənəbə anyị mere ọnwụ e?” — Ọ bụ gịnị ka anyị mere ọnwụ e? Nghọta si n’ajụjụ ndị a apụta ihe bụ na ọnwụ enweghị onye ọ nabatara ka nwanne ma ọ bụ enyi. Ọzọ bụ na ọnwụ bụ ihe gbara mmadụ gharịị, ya bụ ihe mmadụ amaghị ihe ọ ga- eme wee zeere ya. Nkwusara E nwekwara ike ịhụta ajụjụ nzaronwe ndị a nọ n’elu ebe a ka ‘nkwusara’. Nkwusara bụ atụmatụ agụmagụ ebe a na agwa ihe abụghị mmadụ ma ọ bụ ihe adịghị ndụ okwụ ka ọ bụ mmadụ dị ndụ. Na nkwusara, mgbe ụfọdụ, a na-agwa ihe/mmadụ anọghị nso okwu ka ọ nọ nso ebe ahụ a na-ekwu okwu. Nghọta ha gosipụtara n’ebe e ji ha rụọ ọrụ n’abụ ndị a bụkwa nghọta ahụ a hụtara n’ajụjụ nzaraonwe. Ebe ọzọ a hụtara nkwusara n’abụ ndị a bụ n’abụ nke isii. N’ebe a kwa ka a gwara ọnwụ okwu dịka a na-ahụ ya anya ma ọ bụ na ọ nọ ebe a na-ekwu okwu ahụ ma na-anụ ihe a na-ekwu. Ọnwụ ị marə — Ọnwụ ị mara I vərə ego — I buru ego Hafə nwanne m — Hapụ nwanne m Ka ọ dịrị anyị ọ — Ka ọ dịrị anyị o. Nghota a hụtara e ji nkwusara zipụta ebe a bụ na onwụ anaghị eri ngarị. Ọzọ bụ na e jighị ego egobi ọnwụ ka ọ ghara ime uche ya mgbe ọ kwadoro ime ya. Kwunkwukwa Nke a bụ atụmatụ agụmagụ ebe a na-ekwu otu okwu ma ọ bụ usorookwu ugboro ugboro iji gosi mkpa ihe dị. Oge ụfọdụ, ọ na-ewepụta ndanusoro dị n’abụ. Ọ pụtara ìhè n’abụ nke anọ na nke iri na anọ. N’abụ nke anọ; Ọnwụ emee anyị arụ oo

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Ọnwụ emee anyị arụ oo… N’abụ nke iri na anọ: Udu kwe kwe kwe Udu kwe kwe kwe Ọnwụ bụ ọ nọyima o gbee — Ọnwụ bụ ọ nakọta, o gbuo. Udu kwe kwe kwe… Nghota e ji akanka kwunkwukwa a nye maka ọnwụ bụ na ọnwụ anaghị eyi agba wee na-egbu. Ọzọ bụ na ọnwụ na-egbu kwamgbe kwamgbe. Ụkabụilu : Atụmatụ agụmagụ na-adị n’ụdị okwu e kwuru ekwu ma bụrụkwa ilu. Abụ nke atọ ji ụkabụilu zipụta na ihe gbasara ọnwụ abụghị ihe kwesịrị imetụta naanị ndị ọnwụ gburu be ha.Ya bụ na onye nụrụ ube nwanne ya ebe mmadụ nwụrụ kwesịrị ịhapụ ihe niile ọ na-eje/eme gbata kasie ndị o mere obi. Nke a pụtara ihe n’abụ nke atọ: Ọnụrụ mkpu ọnwụ —Ọnụrụ mkpu ọnwụ Vərə nkata —Buru nkata Jee Ọnịcha mgbere — Gawa ahịa n’Ọnịcha Ọ zətara ya ribe oo — Ihe ọ zụtara ya ribe o… Nghọta ọnwụ site n’olu abụ Anọzie (2005) kọwara na ọ bụ òtù olu okwu mmadụ dị mgbe ọ na-ekwu okwu ka e ji amata ọnọdụ onye ahụ n’ihe a na-ekwu. Olu e nwere ike ịnụta n’abụ nwere ike ịbụ olu ikpe, akaje, iwe, mpako na ndụmọdụ ma ọ bụ nkụzi. Ọ gakwara n’ihu kọwaa na ụdaolu ọgụ abụ na-agba onwe ya n’anwụ mgbe ọ na-agụ abụ ya. Ọ na-abụkarị asụsụ dị n’abụ

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Igboscholars International Journal of IGBO SCHOLARS FORUM, NIGERIA. Volume 14 No 2, August, 2021 ISSN: 2476-843x na-enye aka ịchọpụta olu dị n’abụ. N’abụ ndị e ji rụọ ọrụ, Olu ndị e nwere ike ịhụta na ha gụnyere: Olu ndụmọdụ Ụfọdụ na-abụ sị na ha hụ ozu onye ọzọ, ọ dị ha ka ọ bụ ukwu nkụ. Abụ nke atọ na-enye ndụmọdụ ka mmadụ kasie ibe ya obi maka na o nweghị onye ọnwụ agaghị erute be ya. N’abụ nke atọ, ọgụ abụ sị: Ọnụrụ mkpu ọnwụ — Ọnụrụ mkpu ọnwụ Vərə nkata — Buru nkata Jee Ọnịcha mgbere — Gawa ahịa n’Ọnịcha Ọ zətara ya ribe oo — Ọ zụtara ya riwe o Ọ nwerə onye onye ajigə anwụ? — O nwere onye agaghị anwụ? Site n’abụ a, a na-enye ndụmọdụ na iro ekwesighị iru n’onwụ. A na-akọwa na onwụ bụ ihe na-agazu ebe niile.Ọ ga- erucha onye ọ bụla . Olu nkasiobi N’abụ ndị a, a hụtara ebe dị iche iche a kasiri ndị ọnwụ metụtara obi. Dịka n’abụ nke asatọ, a gwara onye ọnwụ metụtara dibe maka na ọnwụ bụ ihe e kwesịrị ịkasi onye o metụtara obi. Dibe dibe dibe Ndidi ka mma Onye o mere ya dibe oo Ndidi ka mma Olu nkasiobi a na-ahụta na nkebite abụ a na-egosi na ọnwụ bụ ihe na-eweta arịrị na ihe mgbawa obi.

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Olu ịdọ aka na ntị N’abụ nke iri na otu, e ji olu ịdọ aka na ntị na- egosipụta nghọta onye ọ bụla kwesịrị inwe nke bụ na ọnwụ enweghị oge. Onye ọ bụla kporie ndụ mgbe ọ dị ndụ maka na obi adịghị ụwa mma. Ọ kpara akụ ribe akụ ya o! Obi adəgə ụwa mma chaa chaa Ọnwụ ajụgə ese ego Bịa gburə Nghọta ọzọ e nwere ike isi n’olu ịdọ aka na ntị dị na nkebite abụ a nweta bụ na ọ bụghị mgbe niile ka ọnwụ mmadụ na-esi na chi. Ndị mmadụ nwere ike ibutere mmadụ ibe ha ọnwụ erughị eru. Nchịkọta na mmechi Ọnwụ bu ihe zuru ụwa ọnụ. Ihe niile dị ndụ nwere oge ọnwụ ya. Nke a mere ndị Igbo ji ekwu okwu sị na abalị abụọ mmadụ nwere n’uwa bụ ụbọchị ọmụmụ ya na ụbọchị ọnwụ ya. N’agbanyeghị na ọnwụ zuru ụwa, mba dị iche iche na-enye onwụ nghọta dị iche iche dika ha si elenyere ọnwụ anya. E nwegasịrị ụzọ ndị e nwere ike isi hụta ka ndị si aghọta ọnwụ. E nwere ike isite na omenaala ha na-eme mgbe mmadụ nwụrụ. E nwekwara ike site n’agụmagụ ndị wee hụta nghọta maka ọnwụ. Na nchọcha hiwere isi n’abụ ndị Ovoko, e nyochara ka ha si aghọta onwụ n’omebendị ha. Ka ndị Ovoko si elegara ọnwụ anya na-egosikwa nkwenye ha nwere n’ebe ọnwụ. Nkwenye ndị a, dịka anyị nwere ike isite na nghọta ndị gosipụtara onwe ha n’abụ ndị e ji rụọ ọrụ gụnyere: na ọnwụ bụ ihe mmadụ na-apụghị ịkọwa, ya bụ ihe dị omimi,o nweghị onye agaghị edetụ ọnwụ ire, ọ bụghị oge niile ka mmadụ na- anwụ ọnwụ chi ya, e nwere ike ịnapụ mmadụ ndụ ya n’ihi akụ, anyaukwu, ekworo, ọnwụ enweghị enyi nke ọ ji enwe

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Edensibịa Abel, (1998). Death and religion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Allan, C. G. (2014). Death and Culture: Disposal of human corpses. E nwetara na http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/deathandculture n’ụbọc hị1/08/2020. Anọzie, C. C. (2005). Uche bụ akpa. Onitsha: Varsity Press Ltd. Baloyi, L. & Makobe-Rabothata (2014). The African concept of death: A cultural implication . Na L.T.B Jackson, D. Meiring, F.J.R. Van Dr Vijer, E.S. Idemoudia & W.K. Gabrnya Jr. (Odz.). Toward sustainable development through nurturing diversity: Proceedings from the 21st international congress of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology. E nwetara na

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https:scholarworks.gvsu.edu/iaccp-papers/119 n’ụbọchị 1/08/2020. Edo, S. (2019). Death in Igbo African Ontology. CXIA, 3, 22- 28. Hutton, R. (2009). Blood and mistletoe: The history of the Druids in Britain . New Haven: Yale University press. Kirwen, M. C. (Ed.). (2008). African cultural domains . Nairobi: Mias Books. Mbiti, J. S. (1975). Introduction to African religion. Nairobi: East African Educational Publishers Ltd. Okebalama, C. N. (2003). Mkpọlite agụmagụ ọnụ Igbo . Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd. Okpoku, K. A. (1978). West African traditional religion. Accra: FEP International Private Ltd. Taylor, J. V. (2001). Christian presence and African religions. Nairobi: Action Publishers. Thrane, S. (2010). Hindu end of life: Dying, dying suffering and karma. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 12 (6), 337-342.

Mgbakwụnye N’abụ ndị a, e depụtara n’Igbo Izugbeahịrị ndị agaghị ekwecha nghọta. Abụ n’onwe ya dị n’aka ekpe, ebe nkọwa ndị e nyere ụfọdụ ahịrị dị n’aka nri. ABỤ 1 Ọgụụ: Onye o mere dibe ee” Maka nə botụrụ bụ ihe nkụwa — Maka na Ololo bụ ihe nkụwa.

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Bọtụrụ kụwaa nə ọ na-ashwa eshi nə ndozite”— Ololo kụwaa, ọ na-ahịa ahụ na ndozita. Nkwe: Onye o mere dibe ee” Maka nə botụrụ bụ ihe nkụwa — Maka na Ololo bụ ihe nkụwa. Bọtụrụ kụwaa nə ọ na-ashwa eshi nə ndozite— Ololo kụwaa, ọ na-ahịa ahụ na ndozita.

ABỤ 2. Ọgụụ: Ọnwụ ee, anə m ajụ — Ọnwụ e, ana m ajụ Gị nə onye ji-ebi? — Gị na onye ga-ebi? Nkwe: Ọnwụ ee, anə m ajụ — Ọnwụ e, ana m ajụ Gị nə onye ji-ebi? — Gị na onye ga-ebi? Ọgụụ: Ọnwụ ee, ị jọrọ njọ Gị nə onye ji-ebi? — Gị na onye ga-ebi? Nkwe: Ọnwụ ee, anə m ajụ — Ọnwụ e, ana m ajụ Gị nə onye ji-ebi? — Gị na onye ga-ebi? ABỤ3 Ọgụụ: Ọnụrụ mkpu ọnwụ — Ọnụrụ mkpu ọnwụ Vərə nkata — Buru nkata Jee Ọnịcha mgbere — Gawa ahịa n’Ọnịcha Nkwe : Ọnụrụ mkpu ọnwụ — Ọnụrụ mkpu ọnwụ Vərə nkata — Buru nkata Jee Ọnịcha mgbere — Gawa ahịa n’Ọnịcha Ọ zətara ya ribe oo — Ọ zụtara ya riwe o

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Ọ nwerə onye onye ajigə anwụ? — O nwere onye agaghị anwụ? ABỤ4 Ọgụụ: Ọnwụ emee anyị arụ oo! Ọnwụ emee anyị arụ oo! O zuru ọ gbalaga Nkwe: Ọnwụ emee anyị arụ oo! Ọnwụ emee anyị arụ oo! O zuru ọ gbalaga ABỤ 5 Ọgụụ: Iwe iwe ee! Nkwe: Iwe! Ọgụụ: Iwe iwe ee! Nkwe: Iwe! Ọgụụ: Iwe ọ na-ewe unu? Nkwe: E ee iwe na-ewe anyị o Nɛ anyị ahwụgụ nwanne anyị o — Na anyị ahụghị nwanne anyị o Mɛ anyị amagə obodo o jere — Ma anyị amaghị obodo ọ gara ABỤ 6 Ọgụụ: Ọnwụ ị marə — Ọnwụ ị mara I vərə ego — I buru ego Hafə nwanne m — Hapụ nwanne m Ka ọ dịrị anyị ọ — Ka ọ dịrị anyị o.

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Ọnwụ ị marə — Ọnwụ ị mara I vərə ego — I buru ego Hafə nwanne m — Hapụ nwanne m Ka ọ dịrị anyị ndụ ọ — Ka ọ dịrị anyị ndụ o. Nkwe: Ọnwụ ị marə — Ọnwụ ị mara I vərə ego — I buru ego Hafə nwanne m — Hapụ nwanne m Ka ọ dịrị anyị ọ — Ka ọ dịrị anyị o. Ọnwụ ị marə — Ọnwụ ị mara I vərə ego — I buru ego Hafə nwanne m — Hapụ nwanne m Ka ọ dịrị anyị ndụ ọ — Ka ọ dịrị anyị o. ABỤ 7 Ọgụụ: Ọkwambe Ọkwambe Ọkwambe — Obe akwa obe akwa obe akwa Nkwe: Onye nwərə o zuru ike — Onye nwụrụ o zuru ike Ọgụụ: Ọkwambe — Obe akwa Nkwe : Onye nwərə o zuru ike — Onye nwụrụ o zuru ike ABỤ 8 Ọgụụ: Dibe dibe dibe Ndidi ka mma Onye o mere ya dibe oo Ndidi ka mma Nkwe: Dibe dibe dibe

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Ndidi ka mma Onye o mere ya dibe oo Ndidi ka mma ABỤ 9: Ọgụụ: Ka m biribe ndụ — Ka m kporiwe ndụ Nə amagə m oge ọnwụ m oo — Na amaghị m oge ọnwụ m oo Nkwe: Ka m biribe ndụ — Ka m kporiwe ndụ Nə amagə m oge ọnwụ m oo — Na amaghị m oge ọnwụ m oo ABỤ 10: Ọgụụ: Ọnwụ ọnwụ ọnwụ Ọ bụ gənəbɛ anyị mere ọnwụ? — Ọ bụ gịnị ka anyị mere ọnwụ? Onye nne Nkwe: Ọnwụ Ọgụụ: Onye nna Nkwe: Ọnwụ Ọgụụ: Okorobịa Nkwe: Ọnwụ Ọgụụ: Oke mmadụ — Onye ukwu Nkwe: Ọnwụ Ọgụụ: Agbọgọbịa — Agbọghọbịa Nkwe: Ọnwụ Ọgụụ: Nwa a mərə nta — Nwa a mụrụ taa.

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Nkwe: Ọnwụ. Ọgụụ: Ọnwụ e… NkweMmadụ niile: Ọ bụ gənə bə anyị mere ọnwụ e? — Ọ bụ gịnị ka anyị mere ọnwụ? ABỤ 11: Ọgụụ: Ọ kpara akụ ribe akụ ya o! Ọ kpara akụ ribe akụ ya o! Obi adəgə ụwa mma chaa chaa—Obi adịghị ụwa mma ma ọlị Ọnwụ ajụgə ese ego —Ọnwụ ajụghị maka ego Bịa gburə — Bịa gbuwe Mgbe nwata kpara akụ Vərə ọnụ laa — Buru ọnụ laa mmụọ Onye iro evərəakụ — Onye iro eburu akụ Biribe ndụ — Kporiwe ndụ Nkwe: Ọ kpara akụ ribe akụ ya o! Ọ kpara akụ ribe akụ ya o! Obi adəgə ụwa mma chaa chaa —Obi adịghị ụwa mma ma ọlị Ọnwụ ajụgə ese ego —Ọnwụ ajụghị maka ego Bịa gburə — Bịa gbuwe Mgbe nwata kpara akụ Vərə ọnụ laa — Buru ọnụ laa mmụọ Onye iro evərə akụ — Onye iro eburu akụ Biribe ndụ — Kporiwe ndụ

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Abụ 12 Ogụụ: Alə nwe mmadụ liile e — Ala nwe mmadụ niile Nkwe: Alə nwe mmadụ — Ala nwe mmadụ Ogụụ: Alənwe mmadụ liile e — Ala nwe mmadụ niile Nkwe : Alənwe mmadụ — Ala nwe mmadụ Ogụụ : Ịrərə ụlọ elu— Ị rụrụ ụlọ elu Nɛ ọbụ ala nwe gị o — Na ọ bụ ala nwe gị o Nkwe: Alənwe mmadụ Ogụụ: Ị rərə ụlọ alə— Ị rụrụ ụlọ elu Nɛ ọ bụ ala nwe gị o — Na ọ bụ ala nwe gị o Nkwe: Alə nwe mmadụ Ogụụ : Ị mụtarə ụmụ — Ị mụtara ụmụ Nɛ ọ bụ ala nwe gị o — Na ọ bụ ala nwe gị o Nkwe: Alə nwe mmadụ Ogụụ: Alə nwe mmadụ liile e Nkwe: Alə nwe mmadụ ABỤ 13 Ogụụ: Ọ kwa mụ nɛ nwanne m — Ọ kwa mụ na nwanne m Nọrọ n’ụlọ Mɛ ọnwụ ekwegə m — Ma ọnwụ ekwegə m Marə obi ye — Mara obi ya Nkwe: Ọnwụ lee Marə obi ya —Mara obi ya Ọnwụ lee

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Marə obi ya — Mara obi ya Ọnwụ lee Marə obi ya —Mara obi ya Ọnwụ ekwegə m mara obi ya—Ọnwụ ekwegə m mara obi ya

ABỤ14 Ọgụụ: Udu kwe kwe kwe Nkwe: Udu kwe kwe kwe Ọgụụ: Ọnwụ bụ ọ nọyima o gbee — Ọnwụ bụ ọ nakọta, o gbuo. Nkwe: Udu kwe kwe kwe Ọgụụ: Onye ọzọ nọyịma ọ nwụọ—Onye ọzọ nọkata ọ nwụọ

Nkwe: Udu kwe kwe kwe Ọgụụ: Mɛ mụ ọzọ nọyịma m nwụọ — Ma mụ onwe m nọkata m nwụọ Nkwe: Udu kwe kwe kwe ABỤ15 Ọgụụ: Anyị bịarə akwamozu — Anyị bịara akwamozu Ọnwụ anəgə akwa onwo ya — Ozu anaghị akwa onwe ya Nkwe: Anyị bịarə akwamozu — Anyị bịara akwamozu Ọnwụ anəgə akwa onwo ya —Ozu anaghị akwa onwe ya Onye nwere nwanne jidome ya—Onye nwere nwanne lekọta ya

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