Welcome
My Name is Chinazaekpere Ekeoma and we are here to help join the two half of Africa together through teaching and spiritual works via our almost lost traditional African spirituality.
This way we help both the Africans at homes and Africans in Diaspora to reconnect with their ancestral homeland, our African traditions and culture.
Our work is to restore our ancient Tradition and cultural heritage in its purest form through observing its sacred ordinances and restoring holy settings such as ancient shrines, thereby laying an everlasting foundation for generations of African children yet unborn.
Prof Chinua Achebe
Bringing Odinani Igbo to the world stage cannot be discussed without first acknowledging the likes of Professor Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe (Known as Chinua Achebe). He is a prominent Igbo son and one of the few Igbos from the present day Nigeria to bring Odinani Igbo to the world stage, especially via his novel “Things Fall Apart” in the late 1950s that gained worldwide attention.
South African writer and Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer called him the “father of modern African literature” in 2007 when she was among the judges to award him the Man Booker International Prize in honour of his literary career. At Odinani Igbo, we acknowledge this great icon as we attempt teaching of Odinani Igbo, which is the ways our forefathers and foremothers lived peacefully with one another and with Nature and its accompanying natural forces.
IGBO COSMOLOGY
As stated above, each of the four Igbo days are mapped to the four elements of Creation and Nature.
The first day is called Eke – The Igbo god of the Eke market day is also associated with the spirit/deity of the Sun or fire (Anyanwu/Oku) element. As one of the four cardinal points, it is associated with the EAST. A male child born this day is normally given names such as Okeke, Nweke and a female child Born on this day is normally given names such as Mgbeke.
The second day is called Orie/Oye – The Igbo goddess of the Orie/Oye market day is also associated with the spirit/deity of the Water (Mmiri) element. As one of the four cardinal points, it is associated with the WEST. A male child born this day is normally given names such as Okorie, Okoye, Nwoye, Nworie and a female child Born on this day is is normally given names such Mgboye or Mgborie.
The third day is called Afo/Afor – The Igbo goddess of the Afo/Afor market day is also associated with the spirit/deity of the Land/Earth (Ani/Ala) element. As one of the four cardinal points, it is associated with the NORTH. A male child born this day is normally given names such as Okafor, Nwafor and a female child Born on this day is normally given names such Mgbafor.
The fourth day is called Nkwo – The Igbo god of the Nkwo market day is also associated with the spirit/deity of the Air (Ikuku) element. As one of the four cardinal points, it is associated with the SOUTH. A male child born this day is normally given names such as Okonkwo, Nwankwo and a female child Born on this day is normally given names such Mgbenkwo.
Igbo Pantheon (gods)
Igbo is one of the major tribes in the present day Nigeria. The Igbos practices Polytheism—the belief in more than one god [just like the Greeks]. The Igbo gods were so many and controlled different spheres of human life.
The Igbo people in their way of life called Odinani which was common practice before the colonization era and Christian missionaries invasion of their land believed that there is one creator, God, also called Chineke or Chukwu (Chi Ukwu). The creator cannot be approaced directly but can be approached through numerous other deities and spirits. The major ones includes igwekala, Ala/Ani, Ikenga, Anyanwu, Idemmili, anwu, Amadioha, njoku ji, and Ogbanabali.
There is also the belief that ancestors protect their living descendants and are responsible for rain, harvest, health and children. Shrines, called Mbari, are made in honour of the earth spirit and contain tableaux of painted earth. Other shrines keep wooden figures representing ancestors and patrons. The evidence of these shrines, oracle houses and traditional priest in the villages still emphasizes the Igbo people’s beliefs.