Odinani, also known as Odinala, Omenala, Odinana, and Omenana, is the traditional cultural belief and practice of the Igbo people of south east and Igbo people of south south Nigeria. These terms, as used here in the Igbo language, are synonymous with the traditional Igbo "religious system" which was not considered separate from the social norms of ancient or traditional Igbo societies. Theocratic in nature, spirituality played a huge role in their everyday lives. Although it has largely been syncretised with Catholicism, the indigenous belief system remains in strong effect among the rural, village and diaspora populations of the Igbo. Odinani can be found in Haitian Voodoo, Obeah, Santeria and even Candomblé. Odinani is a pantheistic and polytheistic faith, having a strong central deity at its head. All things spring from this deity. Although a pantheon of other gods and spirits, these being Ala, Amadiọha, Anyanwụ, Ekwensu, Ikenga, exists in the belief system, as it does in many other Traditional African religions, the lesser deities prevalent in Odinani serve as helpers or elements of Chukwu, the central deity.
The Igbo people are an ethnic group found in Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea. Their primary origin is found in modern day Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States, while others can be found in the Niger Delta and Cross-Rivers. The Igbo people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa.
Junkanoo is a festival that was originated during the period of African chattel slavery in British American colonies. It is practiced most notably in The Bahamas, Jamaica and Belize, and historically in North Carolina and Miami, where there are significant settlements of West Indian people during the post-emancipation era. In the present day, there are considerable variations in performance and spelling, but there are the shared elements of masquerade, drumming, dance, and parading.
Illah is a small town located on the bank of the River Niger, in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria. It is situated on a table-land, some twenty-five kilometres north of Asaba, the State capital. Illah is one of the Ibo-speaking towns in Delta State, whose people belong to the Western Igbo Ethnic group who are often referred to as Anioma people or Delta Igbos.
Nnewi is a commercial and industrial city in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. It is the second largest city in Anambra state after Onitsha. Nnewi as a metropolitan area has two local government area, which are Nnewi North and Nnewi South, all centred around the Nnewi town. Even Ekwusigo local government area is now part of Nnewi urban area, as urbanization continues to spread from Nnewi to neighbouring communities. The Nnewi town which is the only town in Nnewi North, comprises four villages: Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and Nnewichi. Nnewi had been the centre of economics and commerce, being at a time the fastest growing industrial city east of the Niger, being the home of many industries such as The Ibeto Group, the Chicason Group, Cutix Cables, amongst others. The first indigenous car manufacturing plant in Nigeria is located in the city while the first wholly Made-in-Nigeria motorcycle, the 'NASENI M1' was manufactured in Nnewi.
Mbaise is a region in Imo State in southeastern Nigeria. In the heart of Igboland, the region includes several towns and cities. The population is composed of indigenous clans, connected by intermarriage. With a population density of over 1,000 people per square kilometer, Mbaise is West Africa's most densely-populated area; its 2006 population was 611,204.
Arondizuogu (Aro-ndizuogu) is a town inhabited by the Aro people, an Igbo subgroup in Imo State of Nigeria. The Arondizuogu community is believed to have migrated from Arochukwu in the present Abia State to their current settlements in Imo State, which include the Okigwe, Ideato North and Onuimo local governments.
Ubakala is a large town in Umuahia South Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia State, Nigeria. It is one of the major ancient clans of Umuahia. A popular market for which it is known is the Apumiri Market. Umuahia South Local Government Area Headquarters is located at Apumiri as well. Ubakala is situated southwards of Umuahia main township. Its well defined boundaries geographically places it at the North of Ntigha.
The Kingdom of Nri was a medieval polity located in what is now Nigeria. The kingdom existed as a sphere of religious and political influence over a significant part of what is known today as Igboland prior to expansion, and was administered by a priest-king called an Eze Nri. The Eze Nri managed trade and diplomacy on behalf of the Nri people, a subgroup of the Igbo-speaking people, and possessed divine authority in religious matters.
Njoku Ji is the guardian deity of the yam for the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. In parts of Igboland there are still annual rituals in honor of the yam deity known as Ifejioku. In some parts children who were dedicated to the service of the deity were named Njoku. As adults, such children were expected to become prosperous yam farmers which made them into nobility.
Arusi are spirits that are worshipped and served in the Igbo religion. There are many different kinds of Arusi and each has its own purpose and function.
Igbo culture are the customs, practices and traditions of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. It consists of ancient practices as well as new concepts added into the Igbo culture either by cultural evolution or by outside influence. These customs and traditions include the Igbo people's visual art, music and dance forms, as well as their attire, cuisine and language dialects. Because of their various subgroups, the variety of their culture is heightened further.
The Igbo calendar is the traditional calendar system of the Igbo people from present-day Nigeria. The calendar has 13 months in a year (Afọ), 7 weeks in a month (Ọnwa), and 4 days of Igbo market days in a week (Izu) plus an extra day at the end of the year, in the last month. The name of these months was reported by Onwuejeogwu (1981).
The New Yam Festival of the Igbo people is an annual cultural festival by the Igbo people that is held at the end of the rainy season in early August.
Njoku is a surname of Igbo origin. The name is associated with true born sons of wealthy yam farmers in pre-colonial Igbo society. It may refer to:
The Waawa clan of Northern Igboland, also referred to as Ndi Waawa, Wawa People, are a unique sub-group of the Igbo people in Enugu and Ebonyi State, Nigeria, consisting of several communities, who all speak a unique dialect of Igbo called Waawa. The most notable among these are the Agbaja and Ngwo which consist of peoples between the wooded lands of Awka to the rocky valleys of Enugu. The Agbaja are made up of communities in present-day Ngwo clan, Udi, Ezeagu, Umulokpa, Igbo-Etiti, Oji River, greater Awgu, Aninri and Enugu East Local Government Areas. Other notable parts of the Waawa clan include Nkanu, Nsukka, Abia, Nike, Agbani, Owo, and other communities in Enugu State. The Waawa are most notably associated with Chief Onyeama's people from Eke, who was the paramount ruler of Agbaja in the early 20th century.
The Ikeji festival is an annual four-day festival held by the Igbo people of Arondizuogu, in Imo state, Nigeria, between the months of March and April to celebrate the harvest of new yams and the Igbo culture. It is arguably the largest masquerade parade in West Africa. The inception of the Ikeji festival dates back five centuries and is an Igbo festival which unites all Igbo race across the globe as they return to the south-eastern regions of Nigeria to witness and partake in the festival. The festival is marked with the display of numerous masquerades dancing around the villages, music, and practice of the Igbo traditional religion.
Ndoro is a town in Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. It is about 16 km southeast from the state capital, Umuahia and is located along the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road.
Benjamin Benedict Apugo is a Nigerian politician, philanthropist and entrepreneur in the oil field, he is a founding father of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 and a current Board of Trustees Member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) party. He is from Ibeku in Abia State, Nigeria. In 2007, Apugo contested for the National Chairman under PDP, his then political party. In 2020, he emerged winner of Business Hallmark's Outstanding Political Leadership Award for the year 2020.
