| Njoku Ji | |
|---|---|
Alusi of yam |
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.
The priests of Njoku Ji performed ceremonies such as the Ihu-ji na-ama, where the priest would lead the village council of elders in roasting yams in the village square. The Ihu-ji na-ama festival acted as the beginning of the yam planting season, and in fact, no yams were allowed to be planted before this ceremony had been performed, with the consequences of planting yams early being a curse of bad luck upon the offender and his household. [1]
Ọdinani, also Omenala, Omenana, Odinana or Ọmenani, are the traditional cultural beliefs and practices of the Igbo people of south east 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 supplanted by Christianity, the indigenous belief system remains in strong effect among the rural and village populations of the Igbo, where it has at times influenced the colonial religions. 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 expressly serve as helpers or elements of Chukwu, the central deity.
In Igbo mythology, Ahia Njoku, also known as Ifejioku, Aha Njoku, is a goddess worshipped by the Igbo people of Nigeria.
Nnewi is a commercial and industrial city in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. It is the second largest and second most populated city in Anambra State located in the southern part of the state. Nnewi as a metropolis has one local government area, which is Nnewi North. Nnewi North comprises four quarters: Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and Nnewichi. 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. It is a group 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.
Umukabia is a village in the Ohuhu community of Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria. There are also several other villages in Nigeria with the same name. Umukabia comprises 3 small villages namely; Okpuala being the eldest, followed by Umuagbom and Azummiri. Within these 3 small villages are 6 compounds-For Okpuala, they comprise-Agbom Na Omurumba and Umu Eze Aguma. Azumiri is regarded as a single compound. In the case of Umuagbom, there are three compounds, namely, Umuezeocha, Ibeneze also Uhu Ukwu Na Ezegiri and Ukwu Udara. Noteworthy is that each of these compounds finds further sub-divisions, comprising family units, each headed by a patriarch, usually the oldest male member of that family unit. This oldest male is also regarded as the ultimate repository of the knowledge, cultures and traditions of the family unit and sometimes Umukabia as a whole. He performs all the rituals and ceremonies regarding the compound and seeks reciprocals with the ancestors through oracles and ritualizations. These elders or patriarchs constitute Umukabia's democratic dispensation and policy making unit, in that they collectively make and take decisions on behalf of the entire Umukabia community. Whatever decisions they make is binding across the village and even beyond to Diasporic sons and daughters of Umukabia. Umukabia's renowned market day is known as Orie Umukabia Orie. Umukabia has a major river known as Ikwu, which traverses the villages in Umuire, Umuegwu Okpula Former Eastern Nigeria Premier, Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara's village and flows into the famous Imo River basin Imo/Abia States, Nigeria.Legend has it that Umukabia sits on a large rock which has made it impossible for bore holes to be successfully dug in any part of the village for the purposes of extracting water. The village holds annual ceremonies known as Iri Ji festival and Ekpe festival which is termed as the village Christmas and holds on an Orie market day after Christmas but never on a Sunday.
Ejemekwuru is an Igbo-speaking community that sits in the North-Western part of Imo State in the southeastern region of Nigeria.
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 third of Igboland, 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.
Nnarambia is a town in Ahiara, Imo state, Nigeria. It is made up of five hamlets: Ama-obu, Amakpaka, Umuezereugwu, Umunnachi, and Ofor na Obia.
Oru na Nneude is a village in Ahiara, Imo State, Nigeria. It is divided into two sections, Oru and Nneude, the division between which was apparent as early as the late 1950s. The population of Oru is over 5,200, and Lude over 4,700.
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 (afo), 7 weeks in a month (onwa), 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.
Eluoma is a town in Amawu, Isuikwuato, Abia State of Nigeria. It is the largest town in Isuikwuato, having more than 10 distinct villages. It also occupies the largest geographical space in the whole of Isuikwuato, and has the most varied vegetation, relief and drainage. It shares boundaries with Amiyi Amaokwo, Amiyi Obilohia, Otampa, Umuasua, Umuobiala, Nnunya and Umuahia. It is a few kilometres from Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State and about 20 kilometres from Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. Eluoma people are Igbos by ethnicity and belong to what was formally called Igbo Union from which the "Central Igbo" was derived.
Osisioma Ngwa is a Local Government Area of Abia state of Nigeria. Its headquarters are located in Osisioma town.
Amadioha is the Arusi or Agbara of thunder and lightning of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. He is amongst the most popular of Igbo deities and in some parts of Igboland, he is referred to as Amadiora, Kamalu, Kamanu, or Ofufe. Astrologically, his governing planet is the Sun. His color is red, and his symbol is a white ram. 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 Eke, which is the first market day of the Igbo four-day week.
Njoku may refer to
Anam Anambra State is a community in Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria.
Otulu is a town in Oru West local government area of Imo State, Nigeria. It is located along the Owerri-Onitsha Federal Highway in Imo State. Approaching from Owerri to Onitsha one will get to Awo-Omanma, Amiri and then Otulu after which one has Mgbidi; while from Onitsha to Owerri one has Otulu after Mgbidi.
Anam Community is a mega community of eight villages strategically located in Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State, bounded by three Historic Rivers-River Anambra (Ọmambala), River Niger and River Ezichi. The famous Anambra River has its root from Ojor in Uzouwani Local Gov. of Enugu state. Umuoba Anam is the only village in Anam located in Anambra East Local Government Area.
Afiaolu is a traditional festival held annually in Nnewi around August. The Afiaolu festival commences on “Eke” day with what is traditionally described as “IWAJI” and Ikpa Nku, this heralds the availability of new yam as well as thanksgiving to God. The festival includes a variety of entertainments including performance of ceremonial rites by the Igwe (king), cultural dance by girls and masquerade dance.
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