The Igala people believe that there are three different realms the human spirit will occupy in their existence; life after birth, adult life, and life after death. The ancestral spirits are very important to the people of the mortal world. It is the goal of the Igala people to maintain a balanced relationship with their ancestors by honouring them through rituals and offerings. If properly honoured, the ancestors will offer blessings and protection to the living. Ancestral spirits interact with the living in various ways. The spirits can be reincarnated as babies, or be called upon through masquerades.
In Igala cosmology, a human is not left to decide their destiny. It is believed that before a person is born, their destiny is decided by a choice they make before the creator, Ojo in the spirit world. When a person dies, it is very important that their body is treated with the proper ritual practices to ensure that they will make it to the spirit world; this is accomplished through a burial ceremony that has three stages. The first stage of the burial ceremony is called Egwu omi omi eji -When the body is placed into the grave. The second stage is the ceremony that takes place after the deceased is buried, called ubi eche. The third stage is Akwu eche, meaning the last shedding of tears. The third stage is where the Oloja masquerade is performed to say goodbye to the deceased