Thread by @Nnadede_1

The disappearance of many cultural values in the country can be traced to the colonial era when colonial masters acculturated the people by bringing in foreign cultures. When the colonial masters left,foreign culture became part of the people.

The god's And goddesses In Igboland

The first god/goddess is ALA also known as Ani, Ale, Ana,is the female Alusi (deity) of the Earth,Morality,Death,Creativity and Fertility in Igbo Odinani.
She is the most important Alusi in the Igbo pantheon. Ala is the Earth goddess of igbo people.

Ala is considered the highest Alusi in the Igbo pantheon and was the first Alusi created by Chukwu, God almighty.
Ala's husband is Amadioha, the sky god. She is also involved in judging human actions and is in charge of Igbo law and customs known as 'Omenala'.

Anyanwu.
Anya - Eye
Anwu - Light or Sun,
Anyanwu: The Eye of Light
Some people call it Anya Oku meaning Eyes of the Fire or Eye of the Light.
Anyanwu is Sun Goddess,
A Chukwu’s Eye of Light,
A messenger. Visionary and Worker.
She is carrying two staff which is Fire and Light.

D sun is a symbol of both physical & spiritual awakening.
Its no coincidence that Alaigbo(Igboland)was referred to as the land of the rising sun. Many of the most enlightening spiritual teachings and examples in all of Africa had been found in that land in what's now SE Nigeria.

EKWENSU is an Alusi (Deity) of Bargains, A Trickster and A God of War in Igboland. Alusi of bargains, chaos, and change, he is well known as a Tortoise for his cunning ways. He is fond of breaking rules, boasting, and playing tricks on both humans and gods.

Many people mistake him as Ajo Mmuo (Devill or Evil Spirit) cos the white missionaries that invaded our land mistook Ekwensu as Satan. When they couldn't defeat us they tried to know what kind of power our ancestors had that killed their British armies when the Igbo people...

refuse to surrender and to be colonized by them. It was after the missionaries demonized it and our people destroyed it that was when they defeated us.

Ekwensu is simply a God of War, very Crafty at trade and negotiations, he is often invoked for guidance in difficult...

mercantile situations. His Companion is Ogbunabali which means (He kills at night) a traditional Ikwerre Death deity. which kills his victims in the night, these are usually criminals or those who have committed an unspeakable taboo.

Most Business people love to consult him so that nobody will betray each other and go scot free.

Ekwensu is the father of all magics, his tricky lifestyle is the reason he is called a Tortoise, when he is at war with your people, you may not believe it cos he seems to be...

playful and laughs a lot. The shield signifies Protection in as much as he is Tricky, Ekwensu don't play with those who call upon him, a cry of help can make him over do things he is capable of killing a whole of people once you mention who your enemies are .

Due to his massive vengeance, Ekwensu is well feared and avoided, only summoned when the situation is more than the people can handle. He doesn't harm or affiliate pains nor cause trouble to people like Ajo mmuo(Devil or Evil Spirit). He acts only when summoned.

IDEMILI also known as Eke Mili (meaning Python of the Sea) is a River or Sea Goddess of people of Nnobi in Anambra state in Igboland. Some igbos call it mami water.
There is a story that says that when a child is born in Idemili, the short python crawls to the place where the...

baby is kept and curls around the child harmlessly to the admiration of the parents of the little child. It was also gathered that the visit of the snake to people’s homes could mean different thing as the snake is said to have the power to bring good or bad tidings.

The Queen Of The 7th Heaven - she is known as Nne Ele.
The Manifestations Of Guardians Is Not A Western Creation. The westerners Invented The Idea Of A Single Guardian,By Kicking Out Mama From The Trinity Of Life Because Our Ancestors Believed In "Ba ALA nce". Which is pronounced

as "Enu Na Ani Bu Ofu". (Light And Darkness Are One). Azu na Iru Are One. (As Above So Below)
Our Ancestors Overstood That Human Nature Will Always Need Guardian. It Is The Guardians We Manifestated That They Call Alusi. Guardians Are Libraries. No One Has Ever Grew Out Of Guards

No Matter Any Age, You'll Always Need Guardians. That's Why We Have So Many Guardians In Afa Eri Ka. Amadioha Is A Guardian. Ani Is A Guardian. Chi Is Guardian. Ikenga Is Guardian. Nne Ele is also a Guardian.
We Have So Many. All Over Afa Eri Ka Is Full Of Guardians.

These are the 4 ELE-ments In CHI.
The Names Igbo Gave The 4 Elements Also Explains The Stages Of Human Consciousness Or Mastery. Nkwo Is Nkwu. Not Everyone Knows How To Climb This Tree Or Knows All The Things The Tree Is Used For. Nkwu Is The Tree Of Life. Nkwo Is Oxygen.

Oxygen Is Life. Oxygen is a chemical element with symbol O and atomic number 8. The Reflection Of 4 Is 4. 4 X 4 = 16 = 07 = 8. 4 + 4 = 8.
Igbo Name For The Bird Falcon Is Agu-Nkwo Or Just Nkwo. Nkwo Is The Bird Associated With The Sun Of Auset (Asato). HERU / HORUS.

The Sun is in The Trinity Of Life. Igbo Word For 8 Is Asato. Asaa Ato Gives You IRI. In Roman Numeral, 10 Is X. That Is The Symbol Of Oma. Oma's Symbol Is Shaped Like The 4 Elements. It Creates X. The X Is The Key To The Highest Level Of Intelligence. (Nkwo).

Njoku ji:
Ifejioku, ihejioku, Aha Njoku or Ahia Njoku Is the guardian deity of the yam for the Igbo people. In many parts of igboland, rituals are made in honor of the yam deity known as ifejioku. In some parts of igboland, children who were dedicated to the service of the...

deity were named njoku. Such children were expected to be prosperous when they become adult.

She Is 0. The Androgynous Mother Who Existed Before All. She Is The One Who Molded The Father. She Is ITE-OMA-ATU (Concealed Tiamat). She Is The NINE Shape Of The Universe. ITE-NA-ANI. She Is NNE ETE.(Concealed Neith). She Is OMA DEI DEI!
ITE OMA ATU
The Pot That...

Determines The Structural Plan Of The Cosmos.
ITE NA ANI
The Pot And The Earth.
NNE ETE
The Mother Net.

goddess OMA.
The Supreme Mother
( Nnete Ala Ani Ana), (Nna muru Uwa), (Afo mbu), (Aku ofu) meaning we all emerged from her as Umu afo or Umu Oma Ala igbo.(nobly cultured children of the Earth goddess).
Oma means fine, good.
Oma is known to live as the moon spirit, whose pure...

glowing light/aura relieves humanity each night with its cleansing powers.
That is why igbos are called Igbo ndi-Oma. (Meaning igbos are good people)

ABA-ANI
NNETE - The NIGHT That Comes Forth By Day.
She Is ihe nilè (everything).
She Gave Birth To Time, She Provides Our Food.
When We Sleep And Never Wake, We Are Buried In Her To Be Born Again. That is why NDI USHI Venerated Her So Well...

Infact, The Age Of ANYA ANWU Is The Age Of Nne Ete = Mother Of Eternity = Anwu Anwu

AMADIOHA also known as Amadiora, Kamalu (which is short for Kalu, Akanu), Kamanu, Kanu or Ofufe, is the Alusi (Deity) of Thunder and Lightning.
Amadioha means The man of the People or the Free will of the people.
Astrologically,his governing planet is the Sun.

Metaphysically,Amadioha represents the collective will of the people. He is often associated with Anyanwu, who is the Igbo god of the Sun. While Anyanwu is more prominent in northern Igboland,Amadioha is more prominent in the southern part.

His day is Afo, which is the third market day of the Igbo four days week.

His Skin color is red, and his symbol is a white ram. Amadioha is well known by other diety for his handsomeness and he is the fairest of all, (no wonder Ani don't joke with him,) 😉

According to Wikipedia these are Functions of Amadioha.

God of Justice-Amadioha is first and foremost known as a god of justice. He speaks through thunder, and he strikes with lightning. He creates thunder and lightning by casting “thunderstones”down to earth.

Persons judged guilty by Amadioha are either killed by lightning (which leaves a black mark on the forehead) or attacked by a swarm of bees.
The property of the victim is usually taken by the priests of Amadioha, and the body is left unburied and the victim unmourned.

god of Love, Peace and Unity- Besides justice, Amadioha is also a god of love, peace and unity, and is prayed for increase of crops, children in the home, and benevolence.

Amadioha is also considered to be a creator god. In some traditions, human beings were made by him when...

he sent a bolt of lightning down to strike a silk cotton tree, which split and revealed a Man and a Woman. Amadioha is often shown as a husband to Ani, who is the Earth mother.
In some Igbo traditions, the pair are said to be the first 'Alusi' to have been created by Chukwu.

Amadioha is typically depicted as a fair-skinned, titled gentleman of cool temper who is the patron of “light skinned Igbos” and “men of exalted rank.” While Ani is considered to be the lawmaker of Igbo society (which is known as Odinani).

Amadioha as a personal shrine is a spirit of enterprise that brings wealth. It is also a representative of the head of the household.
the village of Ozuzu turned Amadioha/Kamalu into an oracle called Kamalu Ozuzu.
People would travel all over Igboland to visit the oracle in order

...to settle disputes and for help with crucial decisions. Parties found guilty by the oracle could be sold into slavery.

There are also some Proverbs and prayers that are associated with Amadioha, for example; “Amadioha magbukwa gi” (Amadioha will punish you)...

“Chi m le kwee – O wuru si o wuni muwa mere ihea, amadioha magbukwem” (My god please see- If it is true that I did this thing, let Amadioha Kill me.

Odinani (Igbo: ọ̀dị̀nànị̀): comprises the traditional religious practices and cultural beliefs of the Igbo people of southern Nigeria.
Odinani has monotheistic and panentheistic attributes, having a single God as the source of all things.

Although a pantheon of spirits exists,there are lesser spirits prevalent in Odinani expressly serving as elements of Chineke (or Chukwu), the supreme being or high god.
Lesser spirits known as ágbàrà or álúsí operate below the high god Chineke and are parts of him divided by...

gender in his mind. These natural forces; agbara as a divine force manifests as separate alusi in the Igbo pantheon. A concept of 'the eye of sun or god' (ányá ánwụ́) exists as a feminine solar deity which forms a part of d solar veneration among d Nri-Igbo in northern Igboland.

Odinani is anchored on the sanctity of Ani, the Earth Deity, a creation of the Supreme Creator. O di n’Ani literally means "It is anchored on the Earth Deity." Hence, Igbo philosophy is sacred, spiritual, and socioenvironmental.

Agbogho Mmuo

Mmuo is the spirit of ancestors who lived,died, and moved on to the great unknown, the other side of the realm. Hence, mmadu (human beings) must die to become mmuo (spirit being). If a man was good while alive, upon his departure he...

could become an ichie or nna-mmuo —a hallowed ancestor spirit or a saint.
Ancestor spirits are more commonly known by the collective term "Ndiichie." A respected, living elder can therefore be called ichie —a living saint. Ndiichie is also used for a group of accomplished...

and distinguished elders who uphold the morals of the society, dispense unquestionable justic, and preserve the culture of the community.
A woman who has lived a distinguished life becomes nne-mmuo. Those who have lived horrible lives, and those who committed unpardonable sins...

(ajo njo) or alu (abomination) against Ani -- the Earth Deity, become ajo mmuo (evil spirits)
The male ajo mmuo could be akaliogoli (a roguish spirit); the female counterpart could become either a mermaid (owummiri) or a bloodsucking amaosu (vampire) or some other gender-specific

...evil spirit. Some mmuo are so restless they come back to be born-again (ogbanje), not to make amends but to torment a mother, her family, and the community. [This must not be confused with the desired and celebrated "inouwa" or reincarnation.]

Ogbunabali: Literally meaning “one who kills at night” is a death deity. His name has already described his functions. He kills his victims at night. His victims are criminals and those who have commited an unspeakable taboo.

Ikenga: literally meaning “place of strength’ is a horned deity found among the Igbo people. Is one of the most powerful symbols of the Igbo people and the most common cultural artifact. Ikenga can be given as a title to men of high reputation and integrity.

Ikenga structure is mostly maintained, kept and owned by great individuals of the Igbo society.
It comprises of someone's Chi (personal god), his Ndichie (ancestors), aka Ikenga (right hand), ike (power) as well as spiritual activation through prayer and sacrifice.

Igwekala:Igwekala is a name of a masquerade that appears once in every 4yrs. But other smaller masquerades appear every December period when any community in igbo land is celebrating their masquerade festival day. Igwekala is regarded as one of d biggest masquerade in Igboland.

Every Igbo indigene should be able to have an idea of the history of igbo gods and goddess, her culture and Traditions.

Credits : Amaka Chukwunyere.