Understanding The Fusion Between Ọnụ Atụ And Ịchụ Àjà In Ìgbò Cosmology: The Spoken Word And The Sacrifice

The foundations of our society as Ndị Ìgbò was built on the core principle of ‘Ọnụ Atụ,’ which is the ‘Potent Word of Mouth’, often called ‘Onu ChiUkwu’ by Odinala adepts.

The complementary secondary principle is Ịchụ àjà, which are traditional rituals that apply the sacrificing of animals and concoction of plants as a binding agent of ‘Nkwekọrịta mmadụ na mmụọ dị na Okike’ – the agreement between humans and spirits in creation.

It is by the ‘potent word of mouth’ of Ndị mbụ na ndị egede, that we erected the pillars of our relationship with Anyanwu, Ala, Ikuku, and Mmiri.

It is this power of Ọnụ Atụ, given life by the spark of ChiUkwu which we all carry as the CHI, that the Ìgbò Dibịa uses for Ịgwọ ọrịa (healing sickness). Here he/she combines various Mgbọrọgwụ na Mkpa Akwụkwọ (roots and herbs) and Mmiri (water), from Okike, and gives it potent life by ‘Ikwubi Okwu’ (a decree and command for the Ọgwụ to be potent for the patient). In cases where the sickness is caused by a spiritual omission/commission, the Dibịa offers sacrifices of chicken or goat (as prescribed), and then finally applies the same principle of Ọnụ Atụ to commence the process of treatment. He/she tells the Deity that was appeased to stand aside or to support the patient in recovery. The Dibịa uses a mystical statement to hold the Mmụọ that was sacrificed to an oath. He/she professes: ‘Mmụọ lili ife nwata ji nwata ụgwọ’ (the spirit/deity that accepts a sacrifice from a child/person must attend to the demands of the person because it now owes the person).

The combination of Ọṅụ Atụ and Ịchụ Àjà, is seen in various other endeavors of the Ìgbò society, which draw breath from our traditional, cultural, and spiritual practices.

In a case where a woman, marries and cannot conceive in her husband’s home. She goes back to her father’s house and offers a sacrifice of Nnekwu Ọcha (white hen) to the Oda Ọmụmụ/Akwali Ọmụmụ of her father’s Obi. The father who is the Akajiofo of the family, sits before the Oda/Akwali Ọmụmụ and raises Oji to Enu (the sky), and calls on ChiUkwu, Anyanwu na Agbara, Ala na Aja Ala, Ndị Ịchie, Nne Mmiri, etc. and then asks that a child should be given to his daughter. After making pronouncements with the power of Ọnụ Atụ, he offers the Nnekwu Okuku in sacrifice to the Oda/Akwali Ọmụmụ (which is the household deity/portal in charge of fertility). He promises that if his daughter conceives and brings forth a child, she will return to offer another sacrifice in thanksgiving to Ndi ịchie and their subsequent Oda/Akwali Ọmụmụ. The daughter leaves and after a short while, she conceives and delivers a baby. Here the power of Ọnụ Atụ of her father combined with the act of Ịchụ Àjà reverberates all through Okike (creation) and manifests.

Another instance of the power of Ọnụ Atụ and Ịchụ Àjà, is seen in a case where a young man or woman is being disturbed by Ogbanje spirits and his/her Ndị otu mmili, for abandoning them and not attending to his/her Iyi Uwa (Akalaka=purpose). Here, a Dibịa Owu Mmili will take the man/woman to ‘Mmili osili were bia Uwa’ (water through which he/she reincarnated) and offer Oji, Nzu, Edo, Akwa Ọkụkọ, Uriom Okuku, Nnekwu Ọkụkọ, Okokpa Ọkụkọ, and Ewu, with other ritual materials. This time around the chicken is not killed, but thrown into the water after the Dibịa has made professions to Nne Mmili, Ndị Otú mmili, etc. to accept the sacrifices and grant the man/woman success. In this process, the Àjà (sacrifice) does not involve the slaughtering of animals but is as potent as sacrifices where animals are slaughtered. And this Ịchụ Àjà to Nne Mmiri combined with the ‘potent word of mouth’ (Ọnụ atu), when done properly, has been recorded in Ìgbò Odinala to be one of the greatest heights of Ịgọ Mmụọ in our spirituality and cosmology.

The average onlooker or stranger to Odinala will always feel that the declaration coming forth from the mouth of the Dibịa is just vain talk of ‘supposed Idol’ worshippers. But they fail to understand that the spoken words (during rituals and sacrifice) by the Dibịa (or any Ìgbò man/woman) command the attention of ChiUkwu Okike, and that all that is good and powerful in creation listens attentively, and goes to action on the declarations of the Dibịa/Onye Odinala.

Through applying these spiritual principles, we have seen a dying man, get up on his feet miraculously. We have seen a mad man/women regain their senses. We have seen divine justice being carried out on behalf of a victim of ‘Ajo Ogwu’ (bad charms). We have seen various potent medicinal herbs manufactured for the treatment of diseases and saving lives. We have seen families who owed spiritual debts appease their Ora mmụọ, and avert untimely death. We have seen families who are held back financially being liberated, with their young men attaining success levels that seemed impossible to them. We have seen the Ikenga of Ndị Ìgbò stand strong on the foundations of Ọnụ Atụ and Ịchụ Àjà laid by our ancestors, which makes us a unique race in the world.

The power of our spoken words (declarations) during Ịgọ Oji/Ofo to our respective Chi, Agwụ, Ndị ịchie, Ala, Ndi Mmiri, Alusi etc. when combined with Àjà opens a direct portal between us and the apex (summation) of creation, which is ChiUkwu Okike, the Supreme Spirit. It is on these philosophies that our noble ancestors built the wisdom, intelligence, resilience, and success of our race. It is upon Ọnụ Atụ and Ịchụ Àjà that our spirituality rests its belly. And as such, those who uphold these tenets, with clean hands/minds/bodies (guaranteed by idobe Nso), will reach phenomenal heights, for themselves and their generations unborn.

Udo dịrị ùnu ụmụ Ìgbò.

This Article was written by Chuka Nduneseokwu, a Dibịa Mmili, Odinala Researcher, and Ìgbò Philosopher.

NB: The picture attached on the right is that of the Author, after having offered a sacrifice, using Akwụkwọ Ogilisi as an alter upon which an Mmuo was invoked and sacrificed to, using the spiritual principles of Ọṅụ Atụ and Ịchụ Àjà.