TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INTRODUCTION 0.1 Motivation 1 0.2 Research Questions 6 0.3 Relevance of the Study 9 0.4 Methodology 11 0.5 Structure of the Chapters 11

CHAPTER ONE THE OF NIGERIA AND THEIR CULTURE 1.0 Introduction to Chapter One 13 1.1 Culture 13 1.2 17 1.2.1 Brief History of the Igbo People 17 1.2.1.1 The Biafra War as a turning point 28 1.2.1.2 The Post Biafra War Igbo People 30 1.2.2 The Geography of Igbo Land 31 1.2.3 The Language and Literature of the Igbo People 32 1.2.4 The Political System of the Igbo People 36 1.2.4.1 The Nuclear and Extended Family Unit - Izu Ime Afo 39 1.2.4.2 The Kindred Meeting - Nzuko Umunna 40 1.2.4.3 The Village Meeting - Nzuko Ogbe 41 1.2.4.4 The Community Gathering - Nzuko Oha Obodo 42 1.2.4.5 Role of Women in the Ancient Igbo Political Set- Up 43 1.2.5 The Economic System of the Ancient Igbo People 44 1.2.6 The Educational System of the People 50 1.2.6.1 The Age Grade (Otu Ogbo) for Males 52 1.2.6.2 Iru Mgbede (Fattening Process) for Females 54 1.2.7 The Igbo Local Technology and Three-Dimensional Art 55 1.2.8 The Visual Art Forms of the Igbo People 58 1.2.9 The Igbo Music, Drama and other Entertainment Forms 59 1.2.10 Festivals in Pre-Colonial Igbo Land 64 1.2.10.1 The New Yam Festival - Iri Ji or Iwa Ji 65 1.3 Conclusion to Chapter One 66

CHAPTER TWO THE IGBO PHILOSOPHICAL WORLD-VIEW AND RELIGION 2.0 Introduction to Chapter Two 69 2.1 The Igbo Philosophical World-View 69 2.2 Igbo Traditional Religion 70 2.2.1 The Creed - The Beliefs of the Igbo Traditional Religion 71 2.2.1.1 Belief in a Supreme Being - Creator God 72 2.2.1.2 Belief in the Divinities or Deities 76 2.2.1.2.1 - God of the Sun 77 2.2.1.2.2 Igwe - God of the Sky 78 2.2.1.2.3 - Deity of the Earth, Morality and Fertility 78 2.2.1.2.4 Sea Goddess - Mmuo Mmiri (Mammy - Water) 79 2.2.1.2.5 Ahajioku - God of Agriculture and Yam 80 2.2.1.2.6 Agwu Nshi - God of Divination and Healing 81 2.2.1.3 The Spirit - Forces - 81 2.2.1.4 The Ancestors Ndi Ichie - The Living Dead 85 2.2.1.5 Ogwu - Medicine and Divination 90 2.2.1.5.1 Herbalism - Ogwu Mgborogwu na Mkpa Akwukwo 91 2.2.1.5.2 Magic - Ka Ima Nkea Ima Nke Ozo 92 2.2.1.5.3 Divination - Igba Afa 93 2.2.1.5.4 Sacrifices and Charms - Igba Aja na Otumokpo 94 2.2.1.5.5 Psycho-Spiritual Healing - Ime-Agwu 95 2.2.2 The Cult - Ritual Worship of the Igbo Traditional Religion 95 2.2.2.1 Individual Rituals 96 2.2.2.1.1 Morning Prayers 96 2.2.2.1.2 Individual Sacrifices - Ichu Aja 98 2.2.2.1.3 Individual Consultations 99 2.2.2.2 Family or Household Rituals 99 2.2.23 Communal Rituals 100 2.2.2.3.1 Ritual Celebration of Feasts of Deities and Spirits 100 2.2.2.3.2 Communal Purificatory Sacrifices 106 2.2.2.3.3 Communal Petitions or Thanksgiving Sacrifices 107 2.2.2.4 Rituals of Rites of Passage 108 2.2.3 Commandments and Morality in Igbo Traditional Religion 112 2.2.3.1 The Major Abomination - Nso Ani 114 2.2.3.1.1 The Behavioural Abominations 114 2.2.3.1.2 Cultic and Belief Abominations 115 2.2.3.1.3 Abnormal Occurrence Abominations 116 2.3 Conclusion to Chapter Two 117

CHAPTER THREE THE MMANWU INSTITUTION OF THE IGBO PEOPLE 3.0 Introduction to Chapter Three 121 3.1 The Meaning of Mmanwu 121 3.1.1 Mmanwu as Mask 121 3.1.2 Mmanwu as Masquerade 127 3.1.3 Mmanwu as an Igbo Religious Institution 127 3.1.3.1 Material Description of the Mmanwu Institution 128 3.1.3.2 Formal Description of Mmanwu 130 3.1.3.2.1 Mmanwu as the Appearances of the Ancestors 130 3.1.3.2.2 Mmanwu as Embodiment of Community Values/Will 131 3.1.3.2.3 Mmanwu as a Social Unifier and Entertainer 134 3.2 Conclusion to Chapter Three 136

CHAPTER FOUR CHRISTIANITY IN IGBOLAND - PAST AND PRESENT 4.0 Introduction to Chapter Four 139 4.1 The Advent of Catholicism in Igboland 139 4.1.1 Antecedents to the Arrival of the First Catholic Missionaries in Igboland 141 4.1.2 The Onitsha Mission 145 4.1.3 The Missionary Assumptions of the early Missionaries 150 4.1.4 The Methodologies of the Pioneer Missionaries 153 4.1.4 Catechetical Instructions 153 4.1.4.2 Charitable Works 154 4.1.4.3 The Formation of Christian Villages 155 4.1.4.4 Education as a Tool for Evangelization 156 4.1.5 The Spread of Catholicism to other Parts of Igboland 159 4.2 The Rise of Indigenous Catholic Clergy 161 4.2.1 The First Indigenous Clergy 161 4.2.2 The Indigenous Catholic Clergy today 163 4.3 The Beginning and the present State of the Catholic Lay Apostolate in Igboland 164 4.3.1 The Lay Catholics in Igbo Land today 167 4.3.2 Statistics of the Catholic Church in Igboland 169 4.4 Conclusion to Chapter Four 171

CHAPTER FIVE MISSION THEOLOGY AND INCULTURATION IN IGBOLAND: FOCUS ON THE MMANWU INSTITUTION 5.0 Introduction to Chapter Five 173 5.1 Understanding and Ways of doing Mission before the Vatican II Council 174 5.2 Understanding and Ways of doing Mission after the Vatican II Council 181 5.2.1 Mission asMissio Dei - Mission of God 183 5.2.2 The Trinitarian Character of Mission 188 5.2.3 The Kingdom of God as the Goal of Mission 191 5.2.4 Inculturation as a special Aspect of Mission 193 5.3 Mission and Igbo Christianity today - Need for Inculturation 195 5.4 Inculturation - Meaning, Development of the Term and Its current Understanding and Use 196 5.4.1 Gospel-Culture Encounter - A quick Look through History 202 5.4.2 Inculturation in Igboland 205 5.4.2.1 Efforts at Inculturation in Igboland after Vatican II Council 211 5.4.2.1.1 Liturgical Adaptations 212 5.4.2.1.2 Title Taking 213 5.4.2.1.3 Funeral Ceremonies 215 5.4.2.1.4 Other Areas where Inculturation has been tried 218 5.4.2.2 Poignant Areas for Inculturation in Igboland today 220 5A2.3 Inculturation of Mmanwu in Igboland: Journey so far 222 5.5 Conclusion to Chapter Five 223

CHAPTER SIX THE FUTURE OF THE MMANWU INSTITUTION AMONG CHRISTIANS IN IGBOLAND 6.0 Introduction to Chapter Six 225 6.1 Mmanwu and Inculturation: Objections and Obstacles 225 6.1.1 Mmanwu as Spirits of Ancestors made Manifest 226 6.1.2 Mmanwu as possessing Supernatural and Magic Powers 231 6.1.3 Mmanwu, Occultism and Gender Segregation 235 6.2 Inculturation of the Mmanwu Institution 239 6.2.1 Paradigms of Operation 239 6.2.2 Inculturational Dialogue between the Mmanwu Institution and Christianity 243 6.2.2.1 Dialogue between Christianity and Mmanwu as the Appearance of Dead Ancestors 243 6.2.2.2 Dialogue with Mmanwu as possessing Magic Powers and being an Agent of Gender Segregation 254 6.3 Possible Way Out of the Inculturational Dialogue Impasse: A new Form of Mmanwu 256 6.3.1 Igbo Arts as found in the Mmanwu Institution 259 6.3.2 Igbo Oral Poetry (Praise Singing, Dirges, Narratives), Use of Proverbs and other Imageries of Speech (Evu Mmanwu) found in the Mmanwu Institution 260 6.3.3 Igbo Music - Music Forms, Dance Steps, Rhythms found in the Mmanwu Institution 264 6.3.4 Mmanwu Theatres in Igboland 265 6.4 The Future of the Mmanwu Institution in Igboland - Pluralistic-Form 267 6.4.1 Culturally reformed Uses of Masks in Germany 268 6.4.2 Mmanwu-Ihe Nkiri as Igbo Carnival 269 6.5 Seeing Christianity from the Perspectives of the Mmanwu Institution 271 6.6 What Christianity could learn from the Dialogue with the Mmanwu Institution of the African Traditional Religion 279 6.7 What the Mmanwu Institution of the African Traditional Religion could learn from the Dialogue with Christianity 281 6.8 Conclusion Chapter Six 282 CHAPTER SEVEN GENERAL EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION 7.1 Do Not Be Afraid 285 7.2 Theo-Ontological Evaluation 288 7.3 Christological Evaluation 289 7.4 Pneumatological Evaluation 290 7.5 Cultural Dynamism Considerations 292 7.6 Concrete Pastoral Evaluation and Considerations 294 7.7 Proposals for further Studies and Actions 296

BIBLIOGRAPHY 299

APPENDIX I - SELECTED TYPES OF IGBO MASQUERADES, MMANWU IGBO 317

APPENDIX II - SAMPLE OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE USED IN THE RESEARCH 322

APPENDIX III - IGBOLAND IN NIGERIA SKETCH 325