Journal of African Traditional Religion and Philosophy (JATREP) Volume 1, Number 1, 2017, pp. 61-72

Philosophical Evaluation of the Concept of Death in Igbo Traditional World-View

Anetoh, Bonaventure Chike (Ph.D) Department of Philosophy And Religious Studies, Tansian University, Umunya [email protected]

Abstract Death is one of the fundamental facts of human existence. The issues of life and death seem to elude every effort at an exact explanation. This explains why there are many theories on the origin of life and passing away of earthly life. Various cultures and groups of people have different explanations and stories concerning the origin of life and passing away of earthly life. Many scholars and philosophers have explained death in various ways. For the traditional Igbos, death brings about separation from the living, but not total destruction of life. The basic questions are: What actually is the origin of death? How does a traditional Igbo man conceive death? Does one continue to live in another form after death? Do the dead have any relationship with the living? What is the fate of man after death? This study examines the concept of death in Igbo traditional world-view and discovers that, for the traditional Igbos, the dead still have relationship with the living. Hence, it could be said that, for the traditional Igbos, death is not the end of life. The traditional Igbos have varied means of keeping in contact with the dead. This study concludes that though varied attempts have been made to explain death as well as the condition of the dead, human reason may not be able to understand death in its entirety. However, this does not prevent scholars from developing meaningful ideas on death. Such ideas throw more light on the concept of death. Nevertheless, death remains a reality that awaits every human at different times and in different ways.

Keywords: Life, Death, World-view, Sacred.

Introduction The reality of death is one of the major issues that baffle man. Man becomes confused and afraid whenever death is mentioned. Various attempts have been made by various scholars, groups of people and cultures to understand death and its intricacies. It seems that

ISSN: 2630-712X (Print), 2630-7138 (Online) Published by Association of African Traditional Religion and Philosophy Scholars (AATREPS) 61 62 Anetoh, Bonaventure Chike (Ph.D) the more people try to understand the concept of death, the more confused they become. Death is certain and it awaits everybody. It is unavoidable. However, the time and mode of its occurrence remain unknown. More often than not, it happens contrary to people's expectations. It is a common factor, cutting across all classes of people. It neither respects wealth nor position. The rich, the poor, the highly placed, the lowly placed, the leaders, the followers etc. experience death. Whenever it is remembered, people feel uneasy. Whenever it comes especially to the dear ones, people are very sad and sorrowful. Different scholars and groups of people or cultures have different conceptions of death. This is as a result of the fact that death is a fundamental reality of human existence. The basic questions are: What actually is the origin of death? Does one continue to live in any form after death? Do the dead have any relationship with the living? What is the fate of man after death? Does a dead person later come back to life? Is death the end of life? What is the nature of life after death? These and other related questions are given serious attention in this study. The traditional Igbos have a peculiar understanding of death. Given the fact that life and death are polar concepts, it becomes necessary to start this study by examining briefly the concept of life in Igbo traditional world-view. It ought to be noted that death is possible because there is life, and as such, one can only talk of death in the context of life.

The Concept of Life in Igbo Traditional World-View The idea of death presupposes the idea of life. It is only a living person that can experience death. A good understanding of what life means enables one to properly appreciate the meaning of death. This is as a result of the fact that death could be said to be the termination of earthly life. However, before examining the concept of life in traditional Igbo world-view, there is need to first of all address a very fundamental issue in the topic of our discussion in this study; and this pertains to the identity of the Igbo people. Obviously, since the study focuses on the traditional Igbo world-view, a good understanding of the identity of the Igbo people is very essential. It ought to be noted that 'Igbo' is one of the major tribes in Nigeria, occupying the southern part of Nigeria. Precisely, Igbos originally inhabit the following states of Nigeria: Imo, Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebony, Some parts of Rivers and Delta states. According to Celestine A. Mbaegbu: With the thirty-six states in Nigeria and Abuja Federal Capital today, this territory (Igbo land) in the West includes parts of Delta state namely, parts of Aboh, Asaba and Agbo. While in the East, the heart of the Igbo world includes Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Imo states and parts of Rivers and parts of Akwa-Ibom states. The chief river is the Lordly Niger. Next, we have the other three main waterways: the Anambra, the Cross River and the Imo.1 Philosophical Evaluation of the Concept of Death in Igbo Traditional World-View 63

These states of Nigeria that make up the Igbo land occupy roughly the same geographical region. Obviously, Igbos share a common world-view. The term 'Igbo' is not only a name for an ethnic group in Nigeria, it is also a language group. Hence, Igbo people speak Igbo language. The traditional Igbos have a peculiar understanding of life. The way they conceive life influences their conception of death. Igbos believe that life is sacred and that it comes from the Supreme Being (Chi-ukwu). A traditional Igbo man appreciates life and thanks the Supreme Being (Chi-ukwu) every morning during the breaking of morning kola (Iwa oji ututu) for the gift of life, and at the same time prays for long life and good health. Thanksgiving for the gift of life, and petition for long life as well as good health form essential aspects of the prayer of an average Igbo man. There are names that portray the importance of life in Igbo traditional world-view, viz., 'Ndukaku' (life is greater than wealth), 'Ndubueze' (life is king), 'Ndubuisi' (life is the most important thing or the greatest thing) etc. These names and other related ones bring out very clearly the value of life in Igbo world-view. It is obvious that the traditional Igbos have high regard for life because of its sacredness. The traditional Igbos abhor willful destruction of life. Hence, it is a taboo to destroy the life of an unborn child. Any form of abortion is reprehensible in Igbo land. The unborn child is already part of the living. Also, marriage without children is detestable in Igbo culture. A traditional Igbo man who is childless tends to marry another wife in order to raise children for the continuity of his linage. Igbo people answer such names as 'Obiefuna', 'Obiechina'etc. These names signify the desire for the continuity of one's linage. A new born baby is happily welcomed and is always celebrated. Any form of destruction of life is an abomination in Igbo land. Thus, suicide, murder, euthanasia etc are not morally permissible. In most places in Igbo land, a person who commits suicide is not given a decent burial. This is because of the fact that one has no right to take away one's life, and this stems from the fact that life is sacred. Also, due to the high regard for life, Igbos perform elaborate burial ceremonies for the dead. The dead has right to decent burial, and it is believed that the dead may harass the living if such is not given. In the words of Chukwuemeka Bernard Nze: A dead man has rights in Igbo culture; he is entitled to fairly comprehensive burial rights. The living are obliged to accord him their last respect and glorification. The dead expect and often demand and force the fulfillment of this obligation. Failure on the part of the living to award this deserved price induces harassement of the living by the dead.2 However, those who lived bad life are denied of decent burial. This is attributed to the high regard the Igbos have for life. In this, one easily observes the connectedness between life and death in Igbo world-view. 64 Anetoh, Bonaventure Chike (Ph.D)

Brief Review of the Ideas of Some Scholars on the Concept of Death The concept 'Death' has been explained by many scholars in various ways. The analysis of the ideas of some scholars and philosophers on the concept of death demonstrates the fact that the concept of death has been approached from different perspectives. Besides, it enables one to appreciate the distinct and unique understanding of death by the traditional Igbos. An ancient philosopher, Plato sees the human body as a prison for the soul. Thus, the soul seeks for separation from the body such that it would go back to the world of forms. From Plato's perspective, death is something good, because it enables the soul to go back to its ideal state. The soul, which is the 'form' of the body, desires for this separation so as to go back to the world of forms. Martin Heidegger examines the concept of death from existential perspective. Heidegger describes death as the possibility that limits man's earthly possibilities. According to him, “death is the possibility of the absolute impossibility of Dasein”3. Heidegger sees death as the most personal and the most intimate of man's possibilities. It brings man's earthly possibilities to an end. Prior to death, man is not defined, but rather is open to many possibilities. It is death that defines man, and enables man to understand 'Being'. Thus, man is a being unto death. This portrays the inevitability of death in Heideggerian philosophy. Analyzing Heidegger's idea of death, Filiz Peach states: Heidegger's analysis of death is not concerned with how people feel when they are about to die nor with death as a biological event. Its focus is on the existential significance which this certain 'yet-to-come' death has to human life, i.e. to being- in-the-world. For Heidegger, understanding the phenomenon of death involves grasping the Being of as a whole. If is understood existentially as a possibility, then it becomes clear that Dasein's authentic Being in its totality is 'Being-towards- death'. Through facing death, understands what it means to be. This reflective process is the crux of Heidegger's analysis of death.4 One wonders how death would enable Dasein to understand the meaning of 'Being'. This stems from the fact that death terminates man's earthly existence. Another scholar that examines the concept of death is Jean Paul Sartre. Sartre argues “that death, far from being my peculiar possibility, is a contingent fact which as such on principle escapes me and originally becomes my facticity.”5 Sartre is an existentialist philosopher, and an advocate of freedom as well as responsibility. For him, one has to make choices in life, and one's choices define one's essence. One can also choose to die. Commenting on Sartre's concept of death, Shawn M. Hatjes states: “Sartre sees death as a choice. We have the power or responsibility to choose whether to end our lives at any moment.”6 Sartre conceives death as something that is fundamentally personal. Thus, one can die one's own death. Death is a reality that ought to be acknowledged. On his own part, Karl Jaspers argues that one's 'Dasein' perishes at death but one's true Philosophical Evaluation of the Concept of Death in Igbo Traditional World-View 65 self (Existenz) is fundamentally deathless. However, deathlessness does not imply immortality. Jaspers describes death as the most important 'boundary situation'. Jaspers distinguishes between two different meanings of death. Death is perceived as either the ceasing of existence as an objective fact or as a specific boundary situation. Put simply, the fact of death is very different from death as a boundary situation. Facing one's own death is a specific boundary situation and it is transient and has to come to an end. Despite the end of one's empirical being, Existenz itself is not subject to death. As Existenz we are concerned with the significance of death and how we relate to it. We know that we have to face up to nothingness as there is no return for Dasein and we have to come to terms with this.7 Karl Jaspers emphasizes the personal dimension of death, and reiterates the fact that death brings to an end one's (Dasein's) empirical or bodily existence, though one's true self (Existenz) remains deathless. An African scholar, John S. Mbiti conceives death as “a departure and not a complete annihilation of a person.” From Mbiti's perspective, death does not bring about the total destruction of the person. Thus, everything about the human person does not end with death. This conception of death seems to be rooted in the belief of traditional Africans that the dead still participates in the activities of the living.8 John S. Mbiti's view articulates the concept of death in traditional African world-view. This would be given a very serious attention in the later part of this study. The above scholars examined death from different perspectives. It is obvious that their ideas enrich our understanding of death. There are many other scholars that examine the concept of death. The reviewed ones portray the fact that different scholars have different conceptions of death. Many scholars have given attention to death because of the fact that death is a basic fact of human earthly existence. Let us at this juncture pay particular attention to the concept of death in Igbo traditional world-view.

The Concept of Death in Igbo Traditional World-View As already pointed out in this study, 'Igbo' is one of the ethnic groups in Nigeria. Just like every other group of people, the Igbo people have given good attention to the concept of death. One of the most important aspects of any discourse on death is its origin. The origin of death has bordered man in every age. This is because of the fact that death is not something pleasant to man. Igbos have myth on the origin of death. C. O. Obiego articulated the myth on the origin of death thus: At the beginning of things when there was nothing, neither man nor animals nor plants nor heaven nor earth, nothing indeed, nothing was, only one very powerful person was and his name was Chukwu. Then He came and created both the water below, animals and everything as we see it today. Afterwards, Chineke created man, man was the head of all things, but Chineke and Ala own man. After a long 66 Anetoh, Bonaventure Chike (Ph.D)

time, death entered the world and began killing men. Men sent a messenger to Him asking Him whether the dead could be restored to life and sent back to their homes. They chose a dog as their messenger. The dog however, did not go straight to Him; rather he dallied on the way. The toad had however, overheard the message and he wanted (wished) to punish mankind. He overtook the dog and reached Chineke first. He said that he had been sent by men to say that after death, they had no desire at all to return to the world. Chineke declared that He would respect men's wishes and when the dog arrived to Chineke with the true message, Chineke refused to alter His decision. Thus, human being may be born again, he cannot return with the same body and the same personality.9 Two things are very obvious in the above-narrated myth on the origin of death. The first is that everything in the world owes its origin to the Supreme Being (Chi-ukwu). The second is the fact that death is something detestable to the Igbos. This explained why dog, which is a fast-running animal, was sent to deliver a message to the Supreme Being. It ought to be noted that the veracity of this myth cannot be demonstrated. Many questions can be asked: How can human beings choose dog to be their messenger? How can dog and toad communicate to the Supreme Being? Why did toad decide to punish man? How can toad understand human language? How was the Supreme Being unable to know the true message? These questions are very fundamental and philosophical. It thus becomes obvious that the myth on the origin of death cannot pass the test of human rationality. However, it is the common myth among the traditional Igbos on the origin of death. The traditional Igbo people believe that death does not just occur. More often than not, it must be caused by one particular thing or person. However, this does not nullify the existence of natural death. Igbo people try to seek for the cause of death when one dies. Elaborating on this, Charles Okeke states: The people believe that death is a natural rhythm of life, yet every human death is thought to have some external causes. This is why at any death, the relatives would want to know the cause of the death of their member. They would go to any length to ascertain the 'what' (ness) and not the 'how' (ness) of the death. This includes going to a medicine man for investigation.10 The practice of going to a medicine man to ascertain the cause of one's death is very common among the traditional Igbos. This is rooted in the belief that some wicked people can use charms to terminate the lives of their enemies. It is believed that medicine men can harness the hidden and mystical powers in nature, and such can be used to terminate the earthly lives of people. For the traditional Igbo people, death does not bring about complete separation from the living. The dead can be approached through libations and prayers. The dead still participate in the activities of the living. Charles Okeke buttresses this point thus: It is pertinent to know that among the people of the central Igbo, there is a belief that those who lived good life while on earth and died a natural death, and thereafter, Philosophical Evaluation of the Concept of Death in Igbo Traditional World-View 67

accorded a befitting burial, normally partake in the offerings with their kiths and kin who are still living; those are regarded as ancestors…. It is believed that the ancestors are much more in active relationship with the living, receiving individually or collectively their sacrifices and homage. It is also believed that the ancestors are able to influence the lives and activities of their relations on earth, hence they can bring fortune or misfortune on them and at the same time protect them against the evil machinations of the wicked people, depending on how the living regard and remember them.11 Due to this intervention in the activities of the living, the dead are always remembered by the living. A traditional Igbo man breaks kola nut every morning, and in the course of that, prayer is offered to the Supreme Being. Both the living and the dead are invited to participate in the kola nut. The ancestors are given special invitation to be part of the event. This goes a long way to demonstrate the fact that the dead still participate in the activities of the living. The dead is said to have power over the living. This explains why Igbo people give the dead befitting burial because it is believed that their spirits continue to haunt the living if they are denied of befitting burial. The Igbo people make sincere effort to carry out the wishes of the dead. Attesting to this, Oliver A. Onwubiko states: Therefore it can be seen why the religion of many African communities is world- affirming. For example, the Igbos express it most profoundly in the powers of the ancestors—the dead—to punish and haunt the living if proper burial is not given them. That the dead are quite awake in the spirit world is often manifested in the fear that drives the Igbo to obey and carry out the last wishes of the dead. This seems to be a common feature in the burial rites of most African communities.12 It becomes very obvious that for the traditional Igbos, death is not the end of life though it brings about separation from the living. Life continues after death, though in a quite different form. However, this does not prevent the Igbos to mourn their dead. They elaborately mourn their dead, especially those who lived good lives. In the words of Emmanuel M.P. Edeh: “Even though the Igbos mourn their dead with grief and extend sympathy, as do other people, they are well aware that death is not an end but a transition. If a person dies, he is born into another life completely different from the one he had. This is the case with the ancestors.”13 Thus, the traditional Igbo people believe that the dead person can come to life again. This is commonly known as reincarnation. According to Kanu Ikechukwu Anthony, “This idea of reincarnation is born from the Igbo-African concept of death and afterlife. For the Igbo-African, death is not the end of life; it is rather the beginning of another phase of life after the termination of the physical phase of the existence of human life.14 Thus, Igbo people normally talk of 'Ogbanje' or 'Ino uwa'. There is the belief that the spirit of a dead person can come to life again through another person. Their idea that human beings can come back to life after death is basic to their conception of reality. The argument is this: if human beings after passing away from this visible world can come back after a certain period has elapsed and be 68 Anetoh, Bonaventure Chike (Ph.D)

born again, there must have been a place where they remained within that period. That place could not have been this visible world; otherwise they would still be continuously visible to the living and not have passed away. It must be a place completely from this material world in terms of imperceptibility to the senses and, as such, must be an entirely different world of its own, a world where the human beings who have left this material world remain until they are able to be reincarnated. Hence there must be two worlds in existence, the visible world and the world unseen, that is, ani muo.15 Despite the fact that Igbos believe in reincarnation, an average traditional Igbo man fears death and does not want to die. This may be as a result of the fact that an Igbo man is uncertain of his fate in the world of the spirit. The world of the spirit can either be a place of suffering or happiness. Hence, Igbo people say that 'Iperipe ndu ka iperipe onwu mma' (scrabs of life is better than scrabs of death). This demonstrates the fact that Igbo people value life more than death. Also, Igbo people say: 'Kama m ga-anwu ka m doniba, uwa bu ndoni ndoni (instead of death, let me continue to struggle for life is all about struggle). This explains why Igbo people struggle to continue living even when life is unbearable. A traditional Igbo man does not like to take away life. It is a taboo for one to commit suicide or murder in Igboland. Furthermore, it ought to be noted that there are different types of death in Igbo land. Charles Okeke identifies three types of death among the traditional Igbos thus: With regard to death (ọnwụ) the Igbo distinguish three types of death, namely natural death (ọnwụ chi), bad/shameful death (ọnwụ ọjọọ) and death brought about by a human agent (ọnwụ akamerụ). Natural death is any death that occurs in ripe age as a natural conclusion to life, or results from sickness judged normally by the traditional society. This is a kind of death every traditional Igbo looks forward to. This kind of death is regarded as a blessing from God and a reward for fidelity to tradition (ọmenala). A person who died as a result of natural death (ọnwụ chi) is given a befitting burial with full funeral rites according to Igbo custom and tradition (Okafor, 1996). Bad/shameful death (ọnwụ ọjọọ) is a death resulting from sickness like the small pox, or distention of the abdomen, or death at specific periods such as women during childbirth (Okafor, 1996). This type of death is regarded as bad death. It is believed to be a punishment from God or the gods for some unexpiated crime such as public or occult, committed by the deceased. This type of death also includes death that results from abortion, drowning, lightning, murder, fire, suicide and so on. The victims of this type of death are not given any burial or funeral. In most cases, they are thrown into the bad bush (ajọ ọfịa). Death brought about by a human agent (ọnwụ akamerụ) is death caused by human agency like poisoning, deliberate murder, manslaughter or abortion.16 It seems to the researcher that the third type of death is the most common death among the Igbos. They always attribute death to one thing or the other. This explains why the Igbo people normally consult the medicine man in order to ascertain the cause of one's death. Philosophical Evaluation of the Concept of Death in Igbo Traditional World-View 69

However, whatever may be the cause of death, it is always a great loss among the Igbos. Thus, Chukwuemeka Bernard Nze notes that: “Death is a loss and it is an inevitable loss but for the Igbo what mitigates this loss is good life and good death.”17 It is obvious for the Igbos that death is inevitable, but what matters is whether one dies good death or bad death. An average Igbo man aspires to die good death, and avoids bringing shame to his immediate family and relations. A good death is always followed by an elaborate burial ceremony. It is only those who died good death that are invited to participate in the activities of the living. Those who died bad death are not always invited to participate in such activities.

Names and Expressions for 'Death' in Igbo Traditional World-View Igbo people have a peculiar understanding of death. The concept of death in Igbo traditional world-view is articulated in the names and expressions the traditional Igbos use for death. It is obvious that such names and expressions are embedded with meanings. Thus, an analysis and hermeneutics of such names and expressions unravel the understanding of death in Igbo world-view. The Igbo word for death is 'onwu'. The Igbos have many names and expressions for death such as: Onwubuariri, Onwudinjo, Onwudiwe, Onwuenwube, Onwuasoanya, Onwubiko, Onwubuya, Onwuatuegwu, Onwugbenu,Onwugbogu, Onwuli, Onwukike, Onyenyionwu, Onwuegbuchulam, Onwuamadike, Onwuamoke, Onwuemelie, Onwuasomba, Onwuegbulem, Chijionwu, Onwukwe, etc. The names 'Onwubuariri' and 'Onwubuya' are closely related. Both of them can be broken into three distinct words: 'Onwu-bu-ariri' and 'Onwu-bu-uya' respectively. They imply that death is not something pleasant, and thus underscore the painful nature of death. Death brings about painful mood. This pain goes along with shedding of tears by the relatives, friends and well-wishers of the deceased. The term, 'Onwudinjo' entails that death is bad, and this lies basically in the forceful and undesired separation which death brings about. It portrays the fact that death is detestable, and is not liked by the traditional Igbos. Another related name for death is 'Onwudiwe'. This emphasizes the deep-rooted anger that death brings about. Death of the loved one takes away happiness, and brings about sorrow. It lunches one into a mournful mood. Igbos take time to mourn for the dead. This may take various forms such as staying within one's compound for some days, shaving of hairs, putting on mourning cloth etc. Another expression for death that needs our attention in this study is 'Onwuasoanya'. It is a combination of three distinct words: Onwu-aso-anya. This implies that death does not discriminate between the rich and the poor or between the young and the old or between the sick and the healthy. In human social relationship, distinction is always made between the rich and the poor. The rich are normally given special recognitions and positions of honour in social gatherings, while the 70 Anetoh, Bonaventure Chike (Ph.D) poor are not normally recognized. Such human distinction is not respected by death. Death can leave the poor, and visit the rich despite their wealth and good medical attention available to them. Thus, death can visit both the rich and the poor alike. Closely related to 'Onwuasoanya' are: 'Onwuasomba', 'Onwuamadike' and 'Onwuamaoke'. These expressions portray the fact that death does not discriminate. 'Dike' is a great man in Igbo land. He is also an achiever and a strong person. However, death does not recognize such a man. The names 'Onwuemelie', 'Onyenyionwu' and 'Onwukike' bring out very clearly the over-whelming power of death. The Igbos see death as being stronger than all human beings, and can defeat every human being when it comes to battle. Thus, no one can wrestle with death, and come out victoriously. Death can terminate the earthly life of any human being. No human being can overcome death. Furthermore, the name 'Onwugbogu' implies that death brings all earthly struggles and battles to an end. In the course of one's earthly life, one struggles for many things, and in the course of such struggles, one engages in conflict with other human beings. Death automatically brings such conflicts to an end. In this section of the study, the researcher examines and interprets some of the Igbo names and expressions for death. For one to understand the concept of death in Igbo traditional world-view, one ought to pay particular attention to the above-listed names. They throw light to the concept of death in Igbo traditional world-view and augment one's knowledge of the concept of death in Igbo traditional world-view.

Philosophical Evaluation and Conclusion Attempt has been made in this study to examine the concept of death in Igbo traditional world-view. Just like every other cultural group, traditional Igbos have a peculiar understanding of death. As was demonstrated above, traditional Igbo people have many names for death. Such names were formulated as a result of experiences, and are embedded with meanings. They are very instrumental in understanding the idea of death among the traditional Igbos. However, it ought to be noted that such names for death cannot exhaust the idea of death among the traditional Igbos. Death is a fundamental reality of human existence, and so every human being ought to be conscious of it. Furthermore, traditional Igbo people have myth on the origin of death as articulated in the early part of this study. Philosophically, such myth cannot survive the test of rational investigation, and may be baseless when brought to the tribunal of reason. A critical look at such myth immediately discloses its illogicality. Also, the belief of the traditional Igbos that a dead person can reincarnate may not survive the test of rational scrutiny. However, it ought to be noted that such lies completely within the realm of belief. Obviously, life and death are polar concepts. Thus, human beings can speculate on the origin of life on earth, but may not be certain about it. It may not be possible for human reason to understand life in its entirety. The same thing is applicable to death. Human beings can speculate on the Philosophical Evaluation of the Concept of Death in Igbo Traditional World-View 71 origin of death, and may hold varied beliefs on how death originated as well as its nature, but may not be certain about them. Man can develop meaningful ideas on death. Such ideas and their possible refutations throw light to the concept of death. It seems to the researcher that what is important is not to understand the origin and the nature of death, but rather to accept it as the fundamental reality of human existence that brings to an end man's earthly struggles and possibilities. Borrowing from Martin Heidegger, man's earthly possibilities are open unto death, and it is death that renders impossible all human possibilities. Death is a reality which every human being must face at different times and in different ways. It is an impossibility for any human to avoid physical death. The issue of death agrees with the principle that whatever has a beginning must have an end. Conception marks the beginning of an individual's life on earth, but death marks the end of earthly life. It is only a living being that can experience death.

End Notes 1 Celestine C.A. Mbaegbu, Hermeneutics of God in Igbo Ontology, (Awka: Fab Anieh Nig. Ltd.,2012), p.91. 2 Chukwuemeka Bernard Nze, 'Death as a Continuum' in Ike Odimegwu (ed.) Perspectives On African Communalism, (Oxford: Trafford Publishing Ltd.,2007),p.623. 3 Martin Heidegger, Being and Time, (Oxford: Basil Blackwell publishers, 1962),p.294. 4 Filiz Peach, Death, Faith & Existentialism, https://philosophynow .org/issues/ 27/ Death-Faith,(16-09-16). 5 Jean Paul Sartre cited by Shawn M. Hatjes, Heidegger and Sartre on Death and Authenticity, https:// unlockyourmind. wordspress. Com / 2010/012 (05-10-16). 6 Shawn M. Hatjes, Heidegger and Sartre on Death and Authenticity, https:// unlockyourmind. wordspress. Com / 2010/012 (05-10-16). 7 Filiz Peach, Death, Faith & Existentialism, https://philosophynow. org/issues /27/ Death-Faith,(16-09-16). 8 John S. Mbiti cited by Charles Okeke, Belief In Life After Death In African Traditional Religion Vis-À-Vis Christian Religion: A Case Study of Central Sub- cultural Zone of Igboland, http://www.globalacademicgroup.com/ journals/appr.(09-09-16). 9 C. O. Obiego cited by Celestine C.A. Mbaegbu, Hermeneutics of God in Igbo Ontology, pp.256-257. 10 Charles Okeke, Belief In Life After Death In African Traditional Religion Vis-À-Vis Christian Religion: A Case Study of Central Sub-cultural Zone of Igboland, 72 Anetoh, Bonaventure Chike (Ph.D)

http://www.globalacademicgroup.com/journals/appr.(09-09-16). 11 Ibid. 12 Oliver A. Onwubiko, African Thought, Religion & Culture, (Enugu:Snaap Press Ltd., 1991),p.90. 13 Emmanuel M.P. Edeh, Towards an Igbo Metaphysics, (Chicago: Loyola University, 2007), p.75. 14 Kanu Ikechukwu Anthony, 'Reincarnation in Igbo- African Philosophy' in J.I.Okonkwo (ed.) Journal of Nigerian Languages and Culture, vol.15,no. 2,p.23. 15 Emmanuel M.P. Edeh, Towards an Igbo Metaphysics, pp.74-75. 16 Charles Okeke, Belief In Life After Death In African Traditional Religion Vis-À-Vis Christian Religion: A Case Study of Central Sub-cultural Zone of Igboland, http://www.globalacademicgroup.com/journals/appr.(09-09-16). 17 Chukwuemeka Bernard Nze, 'Death As A Continuum' in Ike Odimegwu (ed.) Perspectives on African Communalism, p.621.