The ancient Igbo people revered and feared many gods. These gods
were not just the protectors of the people but acted as a unifying factor for
different village groups. These loosely united villages resulted in war,
skirmishes and raid rarely occurring among the various village groups. It is
worthy to note that the Igbos were the first to practice a form of democracy in
the area now known as Nigeria. The people contributed in making decisions guiding day to day activities of the village groups. For such collective decisions
to hold sway, oracles and deities in igboland played a vital role.
There were four renowned oracles in ancient Igboland, their
say superseded those of men and gods alike. These four are; Agballa Oracle at
Awka, The Igweke Oracle at Umunora, The Amadioha oracle at Ozuzu and the most
famous of the four, The Ibini Okpabe or Long Juju of Arochukwu. These four
oracles were so feared that a declaration of verdict against an offender by
their priests brought shameful and painful death. Though the potency of these four oracles cannot be over emphasized, however the Ibini Opkabe of Arochukwu
was the most sought after. Seekers from as far as the delta regions came to her
cave for answers to their misfortunes, atonement, blessings and solutions.
To understand the central role Ibini Opkabe played in the
lives of the Igbos we must look at the community that housed it.
The Aros are situated on the west bank of Cross river near Itu.
Tradition has it that non-Igbos were once the lords of the area until a revolt
from Igbo settlers defeated and took the lands from their land lords. It was
also believed the Oracle Ibini Opkabe played a central role in the coming to
power of the Igbo settlers and their subsequent progress. The Arochukwu
(meaning voice of God) drew the name from strong affinity to fetish ways, of
which the oracle Ibini Okpabe was central.
The Oracle’s rise to success and prestige across the whole
Igboland was attributed to a lot of factors. The Oracle had worshippers not
just on the doors of its cave at Arochukwu but towards the borders of the then
Igbo lands. Having adherents littered everywhere encouraged the need for agents
who acted as a bridge to the Oracle. Since the Oracle presided over so many
cases a day it became necessary to reserve an appointment and hope the case
will be considered. This effective chain of agents came in handy in making such
reservations. It did not take long before these men began to spread the tale of
the oracle to areas yet entered, this they did because they profited financially
as middle men. These agents could be called the first missionaries in Igboland.
Another reason for the Ibini Opkabe’s exceeding success among
the other oracles was its quick penalty. Unlike the other three, Ibini Okpabe not
only pronounces one guilty but effects punishment immediately. Two dissenters
that went before the Oracle already know one will make it out alive while the other
an instant death. This alone raised the Oracle higher in the minds of Igbos and
the near Deltans. The Aros were great people who flourished in trade. There were
markets flourishing in the west banks of the Cross river at this time. Executed
judgments usually completed the day’s gossip in these markets. Visitors
marveled at such stories, became accustomed to the supernatural happenings prompting
them to tell the stories of the Oracle in their own lands. As the fame spread
so did the adherents of the Oracle. Another thing to note is the believe Ibini
Opkabe reserved the power to bless or curse the land. More yields were believed
to occur when the Oracle is at peace with the land and the opposite became an
end when it is angered.
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