Inter-group Relations in Africa: The Amurri-Ugbawka Groups, to 1983 Religious Relations: The Nnechukwu Phenomenon In an article entitled, The Niger Delta States and their Neighbours, to 1800, some years ago, E.J. Alagoa gave two reasons for the success of the Aro traders in Igboland. The first was the protective influence of the oracle,at Arochukwu; the second reason had to do with the activities of the Abam, Edda, Ohafia, Abiriba and other mercenaries, who supported the Aro commercial operations. Beyond the Aro oracle, Alagoa reckoned with the influence of other oracles in Igbo hinterland. The closest rival to the Arochukwu oracle, he added, was probably the Agbala oracle at Awka(Alagoa 1976:361-2). Scholars on Igbo studies should, however, do well to reckon with the pervading influences of other oracles in Igboland before, during and after colonial rule. Worthy of mention here are the Igwe-ka-Ala; (a king who is higher/greater than the land,) (Basden 1983:246) of Umunoha near Owerri and Nnechukwu (God’s mother) of Amurri near Enugu. The latter of these two oracles is the subject of this section of the study. Writing in 1936, Mr. Beaumont (the Assistant District O fficer based at Agbani) desc ribed Nnechukwu as Agbala juju. According to him, for many years the town (Amurri) was famous for its AGBALA juju (Milgov 1936). But his assertion was a misnomer as the town never had any relationship with the Agbala oracle said to be located at Ezi, Awka, and was believed to be the daughter of the Aro Long Juju (Basden1983). On the contrary, “Nnechukwu Ukpabi” is believed to trace its origin to Arochukwu. According to one informant during a field trip, it was not yet known the particular locality in Arochukwu from where this oracle originated and the time it got settled in Amurri (Nweke 2009). What is, however, important is that this oracle took on the name Nnechukwu to distinguish itself from the nature and operations the Arochukwu oracle (Nweke). The Nnechukwu deity is situated at the Enuagu village of Amurri. It is from here that it operates. During the pre-colonial and colonial times, said a source, the influence of this oracle loomed large enough all over Nkanu land and beyond (Uwadiegwu 2009). People with diverse social, economic and political problems that required solutions normally consulted the oracle. Issues bordering on protection from the hands of the enemies, healing of diseases, difficulties in child-bearing and land arbitration were brought to the attention of the oracle from parts of the Nkanu clan for solutions. In time past, continued the source, Nnechukwu was reputed to be a true god to which people made petitions for good and vengeance (Atu 2009). Cases, the source maintained, which had defied arbitration by the elders in local communities, were referred to the deity for resolutions (Atu 2009) This probably was one way by which the deity became famous within and outside its locality. Apart from arbitrating on thorny issues , Nnechukwu was particularly believed to have waded into issues bordering on child-bearing. This again was where the oracle distinguished itself as a miracle worker. Couples with difficulties in child-bearing, an informant disclosed, normally consulted the oracle from parts of Nkanu and beyond. Before the oracle, the couple would make petitions and pledges (of their volition) regarding what to be done in appreciation of the gods magnanimity, should they be given a child (Nweke 2009). One of such pledges was the naming of the child after the oracle. Thus, when a child, whose parents had consulted the oracle was born, he/she would normally be dedicated, and named after it, according to the Igbo market day. If, for instance, the child was born on Afor market day, he would be named “Nwafo-Nnechukwu”;if born on Eke day, he/she became, Nweke-Nnechukwu , and so forth (Edemba 2009). In Ugbawka, cases of men and women with such names abound and such people are known to have been dedicated to the Nnechukwu oracle (Edemba 2009). However, beginning from the immediate post-civil war years of 1970-1978, there appeared to have occurred some occasions of change and conflict in the oracles role in the affairs of men and women. With the introduction of the new wave of Pentecostal radicalism in Nigeria, Amurri was “inv aded” by a new wave of uncompromising Christian believers, whose activities, by extension, affected the influence of the oracle beginning from the 1970s. At the start of the movement between 1970 and 1973, the new men and women, variously described as the born-agains, Ndi-uka-akwa (people of the crying Church, apparently because of their mode of preachi ng and praying) and/or S.U. (the Scripture Union Group), were rejected by the orthodox Churches and the Nkanu communities (Ani 2009). Nevertheless, with the zeal, resilience and persistence on the part of the members of these groups drawn from different towns in Nkanu, the Nkanu Christian Union (N.C.U) was born in 1976, with the aim of evangelising Nkanuland (Nwafor 2009). Earlier in 1974, the Ugbawka Christian Union (UCU) was established, with the intent of evangelising Ugbawka town. The activities of these non- denominational groups and the emergence of the new Pentecostal churches in parts of Nkanu land and Amurri, in particular, had their impact on the Nkanu clan. These Christian groups, said one witness, no doubt, led to a relative decline in the influence of the Nnechukwu oracle in the social circles In the political circles. It is, however, a known fact that prominent Nigerian politicians still patronise the oracle for protection and fortune-telling (Agwu 2009)
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 10:46:35 +0000
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