WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AKPANG AND YAM, IGEDE-AGBA?

*AKPANG DOES NOT HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH YAM IGEDE HISTORY.

LET ME GO STRAIGHT TO ADDRESS THIS PROBING QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN ON THE LIPS OF MANY PERSONS BOTH IGEDE AND NON-IGEDE ALIKE. AKPANG DOES NOT HAVE ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH IGEDE-AGBA FESTIVAL, AKPANG CANNOT EVEN BE REFERRED TO AS ONE OF THE DEITIES TO WHOM LIBATIONS WERE OFFERED FOR A PEACEFUL IGEDE-AGBA FESTIVAL EVEN IN THE TRADITIONAL IGEDE SOCIETY.

BEFORE THE ADVENT OF CHRISTIANITY, AKPANG WAS TO THE IGEDE MAN WHO CHRIST WAS TO THE HEBREW. AKPANG WAS THE GOD OF SERENITY AND JUSTICE. AKPANG REFUTED ANY SACRIFICES WITH HUMAN BLOOD, AKPANG WAS THE REFUGE FOR THE DEFENSELESS, AKPANG WOULD NOT ALLOW A BROTHER TO SNITCH ON A WEAKER BROTHER BY CASTING A SPELL TO DEPRIVE HIM OF GOOD YIELDS IN THE FARM. AKPANG FORBIDED ADULTERY, WITCHERY AND EVEN FORNICATION ETC. BUT AKPANG WAS NOT THE GOD OF YAM.

MOST OF THESE QUESTIONS AND SEEMINGLY CONTRADICTING MYTHS ARE STILL HERE WITH US BECAUSE OUR CULTURE AND TRADITIONS ARE GREATLY SHROUDED IN SECRECY. IN 2017, I BEGAN TO LOOK FOR AKPANG RITUALIST IN COMMUNITIES WHERE AKPANG WAS STILL IN FORCE. ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES WHERE I GOT PEOPLE WHO DARE OPEN UP TO ME ON CERTAIN PRACTICES PERTAINING TO AKPANG WAS OJU. IT TOOK GREAT PERSUASIVE SKILLS TO HAVE THEM THOUGH. EVENTUALLY, THEY WOULD NEITHER GIVE ME THEIR PROPER NAMES NOR AGREE TO TAKE PICTURES WITH ME. CERTAIN THINGS WERE NEVER TO BE SAID TO AN NONMEMBER, IT WOULD BREACH THE OATH OF SECRECY AND IT PORTENDS GRAVE DANGER TO BOTH THE STORYTELLERS AND THE HEARERS.

THE RELATIONSHIP THAT AKPANG HAD WITH YAM WAS THAT AS THE INTERCEDING DEITY BETWEEN OHE OLUHYE AND OLIGEDE, IT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLEANSING OF THE LAND TO PREPARE THE LAND FOR HARVEST AND TO FORESTALL ANY DISASTER AS ANOTHER SEASON BEGINS. AGAIN, AKPANG WAS ONLY A GOD THAT INTERCEDED ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE AND NOT A GOD OF YAM. IN THAT SEASON, PEOPLE WHOSE RELATIVE HAD FALLEN (STRUCK DEAD) IN ATTEMPT TO BEWITCH SOMEONE WOULD BE MADE TO PROVIDE ITEMS FOR SACRIFICE, THE RITUAL ROUTE (OGWU) WOULD BE DEMARCATED ROUND EVERY VILLAGE AS HEDGE AND SACRIFICES WOULD BE OFFERED ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE AFTER WHICH THE LAND WOULD BE DECLARED FREE FOR HARVEST.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN THE PREMODIAL IGEDE SOCIETY, YAM WAS THE ONLY CROP THAT THE PEOPLE PLANTED. UHI WHICH IS THE SEASON OF ACUTE HUNGER WOULD BEGIN ONCE THE BARN WAS EXHAUSTED. PEOPLE WOULD THEN TURN TO HUNTING AND IN DIRE SITUATIONS, PEOPLE FED ON UGBOLE (FOOD MADE WITH ANTHILL SOIL) CASSAVA IS A MODERN CROP THAT THE IGBO MISSIONARIES INTRODUCED TO IGEDE PEOPLE SO ARE THE OTHER VARIETIES OF CROP.

AKPANG LONG PREDATES IGEDE-AGBA WHICH ONLY STARTED IN PRE-INDEPENDENCE SOCIETY, MORE PRECISELY AROUND 1957. LIKE MOST OTHER NORTHERN KINGDOMS AND MY SPECIFIC RAIN CIRCLE, YAM HARVEST BEGINS MID AUGUST IN IGEDE KINGDOM. THE GROUP DESIGNATED THE FIRST IHIGILE MARKET IN SEPTEMBER TO CELEBRATE IGEDE-AGBA AND CHOSE YAM AS THE CHIEF FOOD FOR THE FESTIVAL. THAT WAY, HARVEST OF YAM AND THE FESTIVAL BECAME CLOSELY ASSOCIATED BY THE PEOPLE.

TO CONTROL HUNGER AND WITH IMPROVED FARMING TECHNICS, SMART FARMERS BEGAN TO HARVEST YAM IN JULY AND EVEN WITHOUT THE NORMAL CLEANSING, SOON, AKPANG WOULD THEN BE A TOOL TO CONTROL FARMERS IN ORDER TO HAVE A UNIFORM HARVEST. AKPANG RITUALISTS WHO BECAME BEGRUDGED BY THE WAY THEY WERE FORCEFULLY INITIATED WOULD GRUDGINGLY DELAY CLEANSING TO SNITCH ON PERCEIVED COMPETITORS. LET'S SAVE THE MODE OF INITIATION INTO THIS SOCIETY FOR ANOTHER DAY. TO CURB THIS HABIT, THE THEN IGEDE TRADITIONAL COUNCIL FIXED MID AUGUST FOR AKPANG CLEANSING AND COMMENCEMENT OF HARVEST CITING THE NEED TO ALLOW PEOPLE ETAT YAM TO PREPARE THEIR BODY SYSTEM AHEAD OF THE FROLICS OF THE FESTIVAL.

HOWEVER, WITH INCREASED CIVILIZATION AND SURGE IN INTERSTATE TRADE, YAMS FROM THE SOUTHWEST OF NIGERIA BEGAN TO SURFACE IN IGEDE MARKET EARLIER THAN THE PERIOD OF CLEANSING, TO BE TUNE WITH THIS REALITY, IGEDE TRADITIONAL COUNCIL UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF LATE ADUTU, HRH, IKANDE IDIKWU PRONOUNCED JULY

15 AS DEADLINE FOR CLEANSING. THOUGH THIS COULD NOT BE ENFORCED IN ALL COMMUNITIES UNTIL THE TOLL OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION FINALLY CAME ON THE PRACTICE OF AKPANG, THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF MAJOR MARKETS WERE MADE TO DO THEIR CLEANSING EARLY TO MEET UP WITH THE DEADLINE. THAT WAY, AKPANG BECAME MORE DISTANT FROM IGEDE-AGBA AND COULD EVEN RARELY BEEN SEEN AS A PRE-FESTIVAL RITE.

THE ONLY DEITY THAT COULD BE SEEN TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YAM IN TRADITIONAL IGEDE SOCIETY IS EBI. EBI WAS THE GODDESS OF MYSTERIOUS FORTUNE AMONGST TRADITIONAL IGEDE PEOPLE. PEOPLE THAT HAD UNUSUAL FARM YIELDS WERE MADE TO MAKE SACRIFICES TO EBI AND OTHER BLAMED THEIR POOR YIELD ON UNSATISFACTORY PRACTICE OF EBI GODDESS. EBI WAS HOWEVER MORE OF A MATRILINIAL GODDESS THAT FLASHED FORTUNE TO OFFSPRINGS OF SELECTED LINEAGEES.

TO BE CONTINUED...

THIS IS RECEIVED HISTORY; THIS IS NOT MYTH.

ELDER ONWU SAMSON ONWU BENUE, NIGERIA.)

THE GODS OF IGEDE-AGBA WERE GODS OF CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR DAYS

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY IGEDE-AGBA CELEBRATION. I PROMISED TO BRING UP THIS TOPIC YESTERDAY BUT THAT WAS OVERTAKEN BY THE NUMEROUS EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE YESTERDAY. THIS TOPIC IS HOWEVER IMPERATIVE TODAY AS IT WILL ADDRESS THE VERY PRACTICES THAT WERE HITHERTO UNDERTAKEN ON AN IGEDE-AGBA MORNING AS THIS.

I BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT IGEDE-AGBA FESTIVAL IS A CULTURAL EVENT. THE COMMON DEFINITION OF CULTURE IS THAT IT IS THE TOTAL WAY OF LIFE OF A PEOPLE. THIS IS DISTINCT FROM RELIGION WHICH IS SEEN AS THE WORSHIP OF A SUPERIOR DEITY.

THE MEDIEVAL ERA OF IGEDE HISTORY WITNESSED A GREAT INCREASE IN THE EMERGENCE OF DEITIES AND SUPER POWERS. THESE WERE FORCES UNINANIMOUSLY SOUGHT BY COMMUNITIES AS AIDS IN THE FACE OF RISING SOCIOETHNIC RIVALRIES. THIS ERA WHICH COULD BE TRACED TO EARLY 19 CENTURIES WITNESSED GREAT TRANSBOARDER MOVEMENTS, ETHNIC MIGRATION AND RIVALY. KINGDOMS NEEDED SUPER POWERS FOR DEFENCE AGAINST EXTERNAL AGGRESSIONS, TO MAINTAIN SANITY IN SOCIETY AND TO ENHANCE PEACE AND ORDER. THIS ERA BROUGHT ABOUT DEITIES LIKE OHE-OGBADOGOGO, AKPANG, ACHUKWU, ETC. THESE DEITIES REQUIRED SACRIFICES AND APPEASEMENT JUST AS IT WAS IN EVERY OTHER AFRICAN SOCIETY. THIS DID NOT REPRESENT WHAT WOULD BE THE CULTURE OF THE IGEDE PEOPLE. THESE WERE RELIGIOUS PRACTICE, JUST LIKE CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM, SOME OF THEM WERE ACQUIRED FROM FOREIGN LANDS AND TO SERVE SPECIFIC PURPOSES IN THE LIFE OF THE IGEDE PEOPLE. OUR LITTLE UNDOING IS THE FACT WE HAVE FAILED TO SEPARATE WHAT SHOULD BE CULTURE FROM TRADITIONAL RELIGION AND IT PRACTICES IN AFRICA SOCIETIES.

WHAT'S FACT IS THAT THE IGEDE PEOPLE HAD THEIR GODS AND GODDESSES THAT THEIR WORSHIPPED IN PRE-CHRISTIANITY AGES, THE OHE OGBADOGOGO WAS CHIEF AMONG THEM. OHE-OGBADOGOGO WAS THE SUPREME DEITY TO THE ANCESTRAL IGEDE NATION. HE WAS CREDITED FOR THEIR EXISTENCE AND WELL-BEING. ON IGEDE-AGBA IN THE OLD TRADITIONAL IGEDE SOCIETY, PEOPLE WILL COOK THEIR FOODS AND TAKE A PORTION TO OFFER TO THE GODS AND LEAVE SUCH FOODS AT THE FEET OF THE EFFIGIES AND MONUMENTS OF THE GODS. THE WORSHIPPERS WOULD COLLECT ITEMS OF SACRIFICE LIKE FOWLS, SLAUGHTER THEM AND POUR THE BLOOD AND FEATHERS FOR THE GODS THEN EAT THE MEAT. THIS IS JUST AS CHRISTIANS TAKE THEIR FIRST FRUITS OF YAMS, CHICKENS AND MONEY TO CHURCH IN THE MORNING BEFORE GOING BACK TO THEIR HOUSES TO CELEBRATE IGEDE DAY TODAY. THERE WERE A HOST OF OTHER DEITIES THAT THE PEOPLE PAID OBEISANCE TO. HOWEVER, SOME OF THESE DID NOT HAVE THE COMMUNITY SPREAD. DEITIES HAVE BOTH PRODUCTIVE AND COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TENDENCIES, SOME TOOK TERRIBLE TOLLS ON THE PEOPLE AT THE SLIGHTEST CONJECTURE WHILE OTHERS WERE POSITIONED TO REPEL AND INHIBIT SUCH UNWHOLESOME CONJECTURES. IT WAS THEREFORE A PRACTICE TO INVOKE THEM AND APPEASE THEM FOR FORTIFICATIONS AND YIELDS.

THE ACT OF POURING LIBATIONS TO DEITIES THE MORNINGS OF IGEDE-AGBA WAS NOT PART OF THE CULTURE OF IGEDE-AGBA. IT WAS A RELIGIOUS PRACTICE. SUCH PRACTICES WERE MAINLY FOR TWO REASONS – TO THANK THE GODS FOR SURVIVAL AND TO CONJURE THEM TO PROTECT THEM FROM ATTACKS IN THE COURSE OF THE CELEBRATION. SEASONS LIKE IGEDE-AGBA COMES WITH BINGES AND FROLICS, IT IS A SEASON WHEN PEOPLE EAT AND DRINK BEYOND THEIR NORMAL LOTS AND AS SUCH, PEOPLE BECOME MORE SUSCEPTIBLE AND VULNERABLE TO ATTACKS FROM FORCES WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SEASON TO VENT THEIR VISCOUS FANGS.

THESE SAME RITUALS WERE PERFORMED ON CHRISTMAS DAYS AND NEW YEAR DAYS UPON THE ARRIVAL OF CHRISTIANITY AND MODERN CIVILASATION. THOSE WHO WOULD HAVE CAUSE TO POUR LIBATIONS TO OHE OGBADOGOGO ON IGEDE DAY STILL POUR LIBATIONS TO THE SAME GODS ON CHRISTMAS DAYS AND NEW YEAR DAYS EVEN UP-TO THIS DAY. THESE RITUALS WERE ALSO DONE EVEN BEFORE BIG FUNERAL SERVICES IN THE ERA. THE IDEA WAS STILL TO APPEASE THE GODS AND SEEK THEM TO PROTECT THEM. THESE ARE HOWEVER EXTINCT PRACTICES IN THE AVERAGE IGEDE COMMUNITY TODAY.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THOSE PRACTICES DO NOT CONSTITUTE THE IDEA AND CULTURE OF IGEDE-AGBA. THE CULTURE OF IGEDE-AGBA IS THAT OF LOVE AND RECONCILIATION. THAT'S WHAT WE GET IN PRACTICES SUCH AS EPWEDII WHICH BRINGS FAMILIES TOGETHER TO DINE. THE CULTURE IS THAT OF EXCHANGE OF FOODS AND OTHER ITEMS. THE CULTURE IS THE GATHERING AT OJIYA WHERE PEOPLE DISPLAY THEIR SKILLS. THE CULTURE IS IN THE BEAUTIFUL DANCE OF IDIYA, AKATANAKA, AYITA AND OTHER FORMATIONS. THESE ARE THE CULTURES OF IGEDE-AGBA WHICH TRANSCEND RELIGION.

TODAY THE GODS AND GODDESSES NO LONGER HOLD SWAY BUT THESE CULTURE WHICH PRESERVE LOVE, HARMONY AND PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE ARE WHAT THE IGEDE PEOPLE CELEBRATE. THIS IS THE CULTURE OF IGEDE-AGBA. THE IDEA OF IGEDE-AGBA WAS NOT PREDICATED UPON ANY DEITY AND IT WOULDN'T END AT THE EXPIRATION OF ANY SUPERNATURAL POWER EITHER.

ELDER ONWU SAMSON ONWU (BENUE, NIGERIA.)