Table of Contents
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements xxi Introduction xxiii MORTALITY AND MORALITY: ETHNOGRAPHIC SAMPLES FROM SOME NIGERIAN GROUPS Peter-Jazzy Ezeh Introduction........................................................................................... 1 Death and Society.................................................................................. 2 As in Life, So in the Afterlife................................................................. 3 Death and Ideology............................................................................... 5 References...............................................................................................7 CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN ONITSHA TRADITIONAL BURIAL CULTURE SINCE I960 Egodi Uchendu & Chukwuemeka C. Agbo Introduction......................................................................................... 11 The Concept of Death in Onitsha ....................................................... 12 First Burial.............................................................................................14 Second Burial....................................................................................... 15 The Last Ofala Festival of the Obi of Onitsha..................................... 18 X TABLE OF CONTENTS Change in Onitsha Burial Culture........................................................18 Participant Observation .......................................................................22 Conclusion ............................................................................................24 Notes ..................................................................................................... 24 EPISTEMIC RELATIONS SURROUNDING THE CONFIRMATION OF DEATH IN NSUKKA AREA OF IGBO LAND Christian O. Agbo Introduction..........................................................................................29 The Origin of Death in Nsukka Cosmology....................................... 30 On Defining Death............................................................................... 30 Death as a Metaphor............................................................................ 31 Modern Medicine and Confirmation of Death.................................. 32 Nsukka People and Confirmation of Death........................................ 33 Conclusion.............................................................................................36 References..............................................................................................36 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NIGERIA AND THE UK IN CHANGING ATTITUDES TO DEATH AND DYING Emmanuel Udezue Introduction..........................................................................................39 Current situation in the UK.................................................................39 Current Situation in Nigeria................................................................40 Pressure for Change in the UK............................................................ 41 References............................................................................................. 43 DYING, DEATH AND THE POLITICS OF AFTER-DEATH IN AFRICA STUDIES OF SOME NIGERIAN COMMUNITIES xi COMMUNING WITH THE DEAD THEATRE IN BURIAL DIRGES AND RITUALS OF THE PEOPLE OF NNENTU NGWA Kelechi Stellamaris Ogbonna Introduction.........................................................................................47 Death in Igbo Cosmology................................................................... 48 Communing with the Dead.................................................................50 Burial In Nnentu Ngwa ....................................................................... 51 The Ceremony: Announcement of Death...........................................51 Preliminary Burial Rites...................................................................... 52 Burial Proper........................................................................................53 Rituals, Rites and Dirges...................................................................... 53 Theatre in Burial Dirges and Rituals................................................... 55 Conclusion ...........................................................................................56 References.............................................................................................56 IGBA ONYIMA PERFORMANCE EXAMINING THE CONTEXT OF DEATH AND CELEBRATION OF LIFE AMONG THE MBAISE-IGBO OF SOUTHEAST NIGERIA Onyemuchara Casmir Enyeribe Introduction..........................................................................................59 A Note on Mbaise................................................................................. 61 Contextualizing the Performance of Death and Celebration of Life . 63 Processes of Igba Onyima.....................................................................64 The Performance and Sharing of Items.............................................65 Okwukwu (Celebration of Life at Death)............................................ 66 xii TABLE OF CONTENTS Implications of Igba Onyima and Okwukwu in Contemporary Society 67 Conclusion 68 References 69 Interviews 69 ESIABA IROBI’S THE FRONDED CIRCLE AND THE MYTHOLOGICAL PHENOMENON OF DEATH IN IGBO COSMOLOGY Chisimdi Udoka Ihentuge & Kelechi Stellamaris Ogbonna Introduction 71 Death in Igbo Cosmology 72 Synopsis of The Fronded Circle 73 The Fronded Circle and the Phenomenon of Death in Igbo Cosmology 74 Conclusion 78 References 80 AW KA CONDOLENCE REGISTER AND THE POLITICS OF RECIPROCITY V. C. Okeke & C. O. Abakare Introduction 83 The Concepts 84 Condolence 85 Register 85 Testimony 85 Death 85 DYING, DEATH AND THE POLITICS OF AFTER-DEATH IN AFRICA STUDIES OF SOME NIGERIAN COMMUNITIES Death in the Awka Context..................................................................86 Awka Burial Rites and Ceremonies..................................................... 87 Awka Condolence and the Condolence Register............................... 90 Awka Condolence Register as a Living Testimony of the Life of the Dead..................................................................................................... 91 Conclusion ........................................................................................... 92 References.............................................................................................92 GRAVE DIGGING (IJA ILI) AND SOCIAL SOLIDARITY AMONG THE NAWFIA IGBO OF SOUTHEAST NIGERIA Titus Ugochukwu Ugwu Introduction......................................................................................... 95 Theoretical Perspective........................................................................ 96 Methodology........................................................................................ 99 Findings.............................................................................................. 101 Conclusion ......................................................................................... 103 References........................................................................................... 103 THE CHURCH AND TRADITIONAL ‘SECOND’ BURIAL RITES IN POSTCOLONIAL IGBOLAND: A STUDY OF NGWA AND MBAISE PEOPLES OF EASTERN NIGERIA Ihediwa Nkemjika Chitnee & Bright Chiazam Alozie Introduction....................................................................................... 107 The Ngwa and Mbaise of Southeastern Nigeria................................ 108 Deaths and Burials in Ngwa and Mbaise..........................................Ill The Funeral and Funeral Rites in Ngwa and Mbaise......................... 114 xiv table of contents Conclusion.......................................................................................... 117 References............................................................................................118 TRANSITION AND CHANGE IN AFRICAN FUNERAL: AN OVERVIEW OF WIDOWHOOD PRACTICES IN IGBO COMMUNITY Nkeiruka Catherine Okananwa Introduction........................................................................................ 121 Categories of Widows.........................................................................122 Overview of Widowhood Practices...................................................123 Widowhood Practices In Nigeria.......................................................123 Transition And Change In Igbo Widowhood Practices................... 124 The Influence of Christian Religion on the Widowhood Practices . 127 Conclusion .......................................................................................... 128 References............................................................................................129 THE MONETISATION OF DEATH AND FUNERAL IN IGBO SOCIETY Chinedu Nnaemeka Mbalisi & Stephen Chukwuma Alumona Introduction........................................................................................ 131 Conceptual framework and Perspectives........................................... 133 Igbo World View................................................................................. 133 Death....................................................................................................135 Burial Ceremonials .............................................................................136 Rite of passage..................................................................................... 136 Ancestors.............................................................................................137