What is the significant of feather on a red cap in Igbo cultural society?
First, this is not ordinary feather but that of an eagle (Ugo)
Ugo is the chief of birds. The Igbo see ugo (eagle) as a unique creature, highly symbolical. Many names stems from it.
Ugochi
Ugomma
Ugo is priceless and beautiful bird. It is not something you see more often. Hence the Igbo adage:
"Onye hụrụ ugo ṅụrịa maka na a dịghị ahụ ugo kwa daa" (he who sees eagle should rejoice because it's not seen always)
Another adage:
"Anya hụrụ ugo jaara ugo"
(Eyes that see eagle should praise it)
Have you heard this expression:
"Ugo chi nyere m"
The shortening form is Ugochi which is now Igbo name most people bear. It's a significant name. I will explain.
What about?
"Ugo Chukwu tubere m"
Now Ugochukwu as a shortened name.
Ugo means a treasure. Dignity. Priceless. Respect.
Ugochinyere m= the treasure my chi gave me.
Ugochukwutubere m= the treasure my chi fixed on me.
Ugomma= beautiful treasure.
The English rendition isn't absolute cos the Igbo worldview cannot be express using English prism.
Have you heard the expression:
"Turu ugo"
When something good happens to you, people wish you "turu ugo".
The English equivalent is congratulations. Success.
When you are successful about something, the Igbo will tell you turu ugo.
How do you turu ugo?
In the olden days,
when a man becomes successful or achieved something, he put a feather of ugo on his hair or cap, everyone sees him and scream:
"Turu ugo!"
He has done well.
Those with dignity, self worth or regarded as straightforward people without blemish put feathers on their hats.
You don't use it as just fashion. Fixing feather on the cap doesn't mean fashion. It shows a lot— one is highly respected, has dignity, successful in a good way; not ewu na ọkụkọ wearing it.
Only feather of eagle is used cos eagle isn't just a bird in Igbo worldview.
Before one is inducted into the Nze na Ọzọ title, one must be a fullfilled man without blames. Abụba ugo (eagle feather is attached to his cap)
The same thing goes with other titles in different parts of Igbo land.
Unfortunately, things have fallen apart, everyone paused.
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This is Daniel Lawrence but in the Biafran army he was known as 'Pampas'. He is a mullato born to a British woman from Liverpool and a Biafran Ogoja father from Ikom who was a sailor.
His mother died of Malaria during her first visit to Nigeria and his father later died in a shipwreck. As an orphan he lived in Ọnịcha with his paternal uncle and worked as a young driver in his uncle's business.
When the war broke out, Pampas quickly volunteered to serve in the Biafran Army at barely 17 years of age.
He was soon fighting as a tank driver in a Panhard armoured car captured from the enemy at Ọnịcha.
At 39 years, Michael Okpara was the youngest Premier of Nigeria & the Eastern Region for six years & Igweọcha known as Port Harcourt was part of the Eastern region. He was responsible for setting up the Trans Amadi Industrial Area,
Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt& Enugwu Michelin Tyre Factory in Port Harcourt, Obudu Cattle Ranch, the Owerri shoe Industry, the Aba Textile Mill& Port Harcourt sea port expansion.
He did all these with No crude Oil revenue, but resources from palm oil, coal and limestone.
In Igweocha today's Port Harcourt, Dr. Michael Okpara’s visionary acumen blossomed in the establishment and development of a vast Trans Amadi Industrial Estate which, to this day, remains the heart beat and bulwark of industrial development in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In 1967, with the start of the War Utuk, a native of Ibibio, joined the Biafran Army and quickly rose in ranks. Utuk is said to have fought at most of the large-scale battles during the war.
When Utuk was made colonel he was put into command of the Biafran 16th Division to defend the city of Owerri from the oncoming Nigerian Army. When General Benjamin Adekunle decided to invade Aba instead of Owerri, he was pleased and decided to stay back
and let Major Timothy Onwuatuegwu handle the Nigerians. After separate battle at Aba and Umuahia Utuk did not expect the Nigerian Army to arrive. On September 17, 1968 General Benjamin Adekunle attacked Owerri.
Fortification of Waist Bead: An Untold Cultural Practise of some African Women
When I was writing about the functions and usage of waist beads, I was not in the dark regarding some fortified waist beads used for different diabolical purposes by some African women.
I have learnt some cultural practises of waist bead in some African nations. Let me take for instance, Cameroon. A lady shared with me her experience in Cameroon. It was not the first time I was hearing it.
In some of these practises, there are some fortified beads women wear—
they will never conceive no matter their promiscuous lifestyle; they will never get any infectious diseases no matter how many men they do selima nkuli nkuli with, unprotected. They can never be harmed by anyone.
Many believed the Igbo don't invest home, I decided to disprove that by pointing out businesses own by the Igbo which are situated in ala Igbo.
Some Igbo are telling me to stop that I'm risking those men and bringing their businesses to limelight.
How?
CAC registered them...
They pay tax to FIRS. Ndị ugwu already know them. The products have labels. The addresses are written. They are legal businesses.
What sort of cowardice is this? So because you are afraid of ndị ugwu, you shouldn't advertise your business? E jighị this nonsense mara ndị Igbo
Guess what?
Some of them have reached me to appreciate me for running free advert for them.
We should keep promoting our businesses. We should keep encouraging akụ ruo ụlọ. Companies spend much on ads. Now I'm advertising my brothers you're telling me I'm risking them.
Waist Bead: A Cultural Ornament for Beautification of Igbo/African Women.
Waist bead is universal in African culture. From East to West to South and North Africa, there are different versions of waist bead prior to the arrival of colonists.
It is a cultural representation of fertility, beauty, virtue in African women.
In Igbo land, waist bead formed an integral part of the Igbo culture. There were existing ones in form of copper. I saw it once from a woman who took osiahụ title in my village.
She died when I was still a kid. I knew of another woman called Mgborie Eze. She was a titled woman too in my village. She had different forms of waist beads especially the one called "jigida".