General Questions about Igbo Culture: What is the difference between Odinani and Omenala? Omenala are customs and traditions, and Odinani is the study of the sacred sciences of nature; both inner (human nature) and outer (the world as we know it). In essence, Omenala is what is done, and Odinani is part of the reason why its … Continue reading F.A.Q
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General Questions about Igbo Culture: What is the difference between Odinani and Omenala? Omenala are customs and traditions, and Odinani is the study of the sacred sciences of nature; both inner (human nature) and outer (the world as we know it). In essence, Omenala is what is done, and Odinani is part of the reason why its … Continue reading F.A.Q
THE RETURN OF ODINANI, THE IGBO RELIGION
I really think that stopping at seeing Odinani as merely a way of life or a philosophy and stopping short of adopting the religion that is at the core of the philosophy is at best a half measure. I understand that traditional worship has virtually disappeared from most Igbo societies, but in certain communities there can still be found the lone figures who persist with the worship. So, the first thing to do for interested devotees or prospective returnees to the way of the forefathers is to study the philosophy and methodology of Odinani– the internet and ethnographical writings from old and current writers– will do . Next, they have to adopt the practices, following the examples of surviving devotees. Note, however, that aspects of the ancient faith which survive into the present time have largely been estranged from the totality of the philosophical environment which gave the faith its distinctive character and prevented the abuse widely observed in such practices as is seen today in money rituals and pervasive use of charms in Igbo communities to eliminate perceived adversaries. A good place to start may be in crafting your ikenga or household gods and spiritually preparing them for their roles as religious symbols to connect you to the long line of history that have been abandoned in the long break with the past. Then, venerating your ancestors, and subscribing to the Igbo belief in reincarnation are other practices and beliefs to adopt. Similarly, learn to pray the Igbo way, pour libation, and when you share kola nuts, do not forget to throw the ancestors their share. Those wholesome traditional values of respect for the land, the family and the dead, as well as the basic moral values such as sanctity of life, the pride of place given to blood relationships and family, clean honest living, and the weight of one’s words, among others, should not be neglected.
However, it is obvious that many of the pillars of Odinani are built on a platform of communal participation. Community is a critical element in Odinani. It is connected with the destiny of society and seeks the balance of man with cosmic elements that dominates his intellectual, emotional and physical environment. It is unlike Christianity which is vague in its social reference. Odinani seeks to control the earth, the water, the air and the sky – everything, including man, his joys, problems, and aspirations within these realms. Usually, the sway of deities and divinities are unquestioned within the geographical areas they are prevalent. Obviously, to thrive as a viable religion, Odinani requires to gain a critical mass .
A very important element in achieving this position is to treat Igbo language, which is the medium of worship and thought of Odinani, as capable of carrying modern thoughts and dealing with modern realities. Respecting and elevating the language, not paying lip service to it or wailing about the need for it, but taking steps to make it a fit and attractive vehicle for expressing modern ideas and realities is essential in making Odinala more attractive to the Igbo person, who may likely adopt the revamped religion, given the obvious failures of Western religion to explain our realities satisfactorily. Thus, though most will deny any connection with Odinani, many will readily subscribe to its easily manipulable elements of sorcery, witchcraft, charms and money rituals to achieve an existential purpose, such as satisfying a need or solving a problem. We have to make Odinani more attractive so as to win back its people; since, it’s the religion of the land and its people, no foreign religion can carry their aspirations or answer their questions about life , death and the afterlife better. To be able to come back to a relatively influential position, scholars and advocates of Odinani must first take cognizance of the factors that made Christianity attractive and Odinani to lose face. From such a study, it will then become clear which factors are still pertinent now and how differently Odinani could be repackaged or ‘re-envisioned’ to gain that attention of Igbo people, with as little as possible of the nonessential or necessary odious aspects of the faith and way of life. Nobody can ignore the unfashionable, bloody , retrogressive, fetish and devilish tags that became associated with Odinani, over time.
Above all, there is the issue of narrative. It is incontrovertible that one of the most attractive elements of Christianity and Islam to prospective converts is the extraordinary inspirational stories they sell: On the one hand, the charmingly complex tale of a God who so loved the world that he allowed his only son to die for their sins that whosoever believed in Him shall have eternal life. Islam, on the other hand, reveals the story of a simple but forbidding God who sends his final prophet, whose message has to be obeyed if one has to gain the chance of making paradise or avoiding Hell. Fortunately, Odinani is not necessarily crippled by the absence of such a unified message. This is clear from Hinduism, which thrives in India, in spite of lacking such a sexy singular message of hope and redemption– what Hinduism lack by way of unity of message, it more than made up for in philosophical writings, theological thinkers and a body of worship practices and social customs which are resilient enough to resist modern pressures and yet so total to hold the attention of worshippers and satisfactorily provide the answers they need to life’s questions.
There has to be a coherent explanation of what the Odinani religion offers to the believer who subscribes to it. In this direction, we need a prophet or prophets, poets, theologians, etc., who are intellectually equipped to compete in the diverse religious climate, where a multiplicity of religions competes for followers.
At the risk of sounding pessimistic, it should be clear that Odinani may never regain its former dominant position in Igboland. However, even mere visibility should be a worthy prize for a virtually extinct religion. This can be a viable working target for now for every lover of Odinani. A return to the roots will curb such defects in the Igbo nation such as unmitigated individualism, recourse to money rituals and other abuses of manipulable agents of Odinani spiritual essence, heartless mercantilism, utter lack of a social vision, and a palpable absence of political direction in politics and governance.
—ONAH EJIOFOR (Poet &Thinker, Lagos
