Igbo Calendar for This Year | View Today’s Market Day and Igbo Month 

This Igbo Calendar is the most complete and accurate, carrying the correct spelling of the Igbo market days, and the Igbo 13-month Lunar Calendar, with their respective names.

The Igbo Calendar is different from the Gregorian Calendar, as it is unique and adapted to Odinala na Omenala – the culture, beliefs, and spirituality of the Igbo people. The Igbo Calendar comprises four market days, namely Èké, Óriè, Àfọ̀, Nkwọ. These four market days make up the Igbo week – Izu. The four market days/names in the Igbo calendar are not just four exact days. We have Eke Ukwu and Eke Nta for instance – meaning ‘Big Eke’ and ‘Small Eke’. In this ‘Big’ and ‘Small’ identity, each of the Igbo market days appears twice in an 8-day cycle. 

The Onwa (Igbo month) in the Igbo Calendar is therefore made up of 7 Izu (weeks), with 4 having the big market days, and 3 having the small market days – all of which make up 28 days before the appearance of the new moon.  

The BIG WEEK (Izu) appears in the following order: 

• Èké Ukwu
• Óriè Ukwu
• Àfọ̀ Ukwu
• Nkwọ Ukwu

The SMALL WEEK (Izu) appears in the following order: 

• Èké Nta
• Óriè Nta
• Àfọ̀ Nta
• Nkwọ Nta

The demarcation between the Ukwu and Nta of each market day in the Igbo calendar is not known by many Ndi Igbo. What many of the modern Igbo people know is the parent-name of each market day, and not its particular child-name – Ukwu or Nta. However, those in our villages who have not been torn away from our culture, know and keep the different market days. 

Months (Onwa) In The Igbo Calendar

The Igbo calendar is made of 13 Lunar Months, by the Nri Igbo calendar. These 13 months all follow the moon cycle. Each month has a total of about 28 days, till the appearance of the new moon. In our experience and study of the moon’s cycle, we have realized that the moon appears earlier than the 28th day in some months, and in other months delayed till around the 32nd day. The months in the Igbo Calendar known as Onwa (which is also the name of the moon) all have their Igbo names, which are different from the names of the months in the Gregorian calendar.

Here are the names of the months in the Igbo Calendar, their meanings, and the approximated dates they fall into:

The Igbo Calendar strictly follows mother nature, and so it is interpreted only when the moon (Onwa) acts – appears and disappears. The Igbo cosmology is subject to the cosmos, and as such we cannot predict for nature – we cannot determine for Mother Nature on what particular date the moon should appear, disappear, and reappear. We can only approximate based on past sightings of the moon.

The yearly announcement of the Igbo Lunar Calendar is known as Igu Aro. It is a ritual performed every year in Nri, in today’s Anambra State. Igu Aro is done in February, and according to an author and authority in Omenana na Odinanan Nri, all the Lunar Months in the Igbo calendar approximate 29.53059 days (29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3 seconds).

According to the authors of the book ‘Omenana Na Odinana Nri’, Chukwudi Nwokoye and Chizoba Chukwurah, for some lunar calendars, the first day of the month is the day when the eclipsed moon appears in a particular zone. Many other lunar calendars are based on the first sighting of a lunar crescent. The Igbo Calendar just like most Lunar Calendar of the world is based on the 13 lunar months of 28 days each, plus one extra day known as a year and a day. 

The Igbo market days that make up the Igbo calendar are all Alusi (deities) and have been said to have their originating shrines in Nri. According to the custodians of Odinana na Omenana Nri, Eze Nri introduced these four deities in Igboland, hence Nri priests (ezemmuo/aka ji ofo) traveled all over Igboland consecrating the alters/shrines of these deities – namely Èké, Óriè, Àfọ̀, Nkwọ.

According to Chukwudi Nwokoye and Chizoba Chukwurah, the authors of the book ‘Omenana Na Odinana Nri’, the proclamation of the Igbo Lunar Calendar from year to year is the prerogative of Eze Nri, being the custodian of Igbo culture and Tradition and the keeper of the ancestral ofo of the Igbo (of that region of Igboland).

During this period, Eze Nri proclaims and ushers at the beginning of Igbo planting season… Igu Aro is also the time that Eze Nri predicts what the weather holds for the farming year. In obedience to this directive by ‘Chukwu’. During the Igu Aro of each year, the Eze Nri gives out yam seedlings to heads of various Igbo Igbo communities to plant and feed their families/kindred.

During the Igu Aro delegates from Igbo settlements under the Nri hegemony gathered in the Eze Nri palace to pay tribute/homage and join in the Igu Aro for that year. The Eze Nri will then announce the New Year. He will give his blessings on the fertility of the yam planting for that year. When the British banned the Nri system in 1911 during the reign of Eze Nri Obalike, Igu Aro lost its wider ritual and political significance. 

According to the book ‘Omenana Na Odinana Nri’, the preparation for the Igu Aro lasts for almost a month. The Eze Nri and his council Nzemabua/Orunzenano decide the day the Igu Aro for the Igbo Calendar will take place – this is done in collaboration with the various Eze Mmuo OR Akajiofo of Nri, based on the moon phases/cycles. EzeNri emissaries (priests) announce it to all the towns under the Nri hegemony and influence. The Nzemabua/Orunzenano consult the Dibia Afia (diviner) to determine if there is any area of the festival that may likely confuse the people. Sacrifices and rituals are performed to impede ‘ekwensu’ and ‘akalogoli’ spirits from causing confusion. 

In their book ‘Omenana Na Odinana Nri’, Chukwudi Nwokoye and Chizoba Chukwurah in describing the preparations for the Igu Aro, wrote that the Eze Nri sounds his gong morning and evening calling on Chukwu Okike, greeting ‘Ndi Ichie Ukwu’ and ‘Ndi Ichie Nta’. While appealing for the success of the Igu Aro. The royal musicians begin to sound the ufie four market week (Izu Ino) or 16 market days before the festival, from dusk till dawn.

---

Frequently Asked Questions About The Igbo Calendar

The Igbo calendar is a traditional lunar calendar system that has been in use by Ndi Igbo for centuries. This unique calendar, with its months and days, may not be widely known or documented as other calendars. However, there are certain questions that the modern Igbo person may commonly ask about it for better understanding. Here are some of the frequently asked questions about the Igbo calendar:

What Is The Igbo Calendar?

The Igbo calendar is a unique system through which Ndi Igbo count their days and months, in a four-day weekly rotation that culminates in a 28-day lunar cycle. This means that the Igbo month is dependent on the cycle of the moon, with the four Igbo market days making up an Izu (week).

How Does The Igbo Calendar Work?

The Igbo calendar is made up of four market days, namely Èké, Óriè, Àfọ̀, Nkwọ. These four market days make up the Igbo week – Izu. Seven (7) of these Izu make up an Onwa (Month), and the Igbo Calendar has 13 Onwa (months).

What Are The Names Of The Months In The Igbo Calendar?

The names of the months in the Igbo calendar are: (1) Onwa Mbu, (2) Onwa Abuo, (3) Onwa Ife Eke, (4) Onwa Ano, (5) Onwa Agwu, (6) Onwa Ifejioku, (7) Onwa Alom Chi, (8) Onwa Ilo Mmuo, (9) Onwa Ana, (10) Onwa Okike, (11) Onwa Ajana, (12) Onwa Ede Ajana, (13) Onwa Uzo Alusi     

How Is The Igbo Calendar Different From The Gregorian Calendar?

The Igbo Calendar and the Gregorian calendar are slightly different in the number of months but show a great difference in the number of days that make up a week. The Igbo calendar uses 4 days for a week (called Izu), while the Gregorian Calendar has a 7 days week structure. The Igbo calendar has 7 weeks that makeup one month, while the Gregorian Calendar has 4 weeks that make up one month. 

The Igbo Calendar has a 13-month lunar cycle, while the Gregorian Calendar has a 12-month cycle. The names of the days and months in the Igbo Calendar are dedicated to deities, and traditional and spiritual observances in the Igbo society, while the days and months Gregorian Calendar are dedicated to European gods and goddesses. 

 

What Cultural Or Religious Events Are Associated With The Igbo Calendar?

Numerous cultural and spiritual events are linked to the Igbo Calendar, and these events are unique to various regions of Igbo land. The Igbo calendar follows not just the moon cycle, but also the seasons. It starts at the end of the Gregorian month of February, when the rains are preparing to come, and the grasses are springing back to life. This signifies new beginnings. 

Other months such as Onwa Agwu are dedicated to celebrating the divine intelligence of the creator. Onwa Ifejioku is dedicated to the celebration of the Yam God, Ifejioku/Njoku. Onwa Ana is dedicated to the earth’s deity. Onwa Okike is dedicated to the creator of the universe. Every month in the Igbo Calendar has a cosmological and spiritual importance to Ndi Igbo. Read the article above to know them all. 

How Is The Igbo Calendar Used In Daily Life Or Traditional Practices?

The Igbo Calendar has a daily influence in the Igbo society. The individual market days of the Igbo Calendar are Èké, Óriè, Àfọ̀, and Nkwọ, and they are all deities that are attached to each man and woman, depending on the day you were born. The days are also attached to the reverence of one’s CHI since the day your Onwa Uwa was born will be the day you offer sacrifices to your CHI. 

These market days being deities, also have shrines and groves present in various markets across Igbo land, where sacrifices are offered to them. The market days are divided across four neighboring villages, with each village taking any of the Èké, Óriè, Àfọ̀, Nkwọ. For Example, Igbo Ukwu has Nkwọ as its market day, while Ekwulummili has Óriè market, Amichi has Èké market, and Unubi has Àfọ̀ market. 

The different markets enhance the relationship between various town and villages, and expands commerce among the Igbo people because they do not operate on the same day, and as such buyers and traders of all other towns will have to come to Nkwo Igbo Ukwu, for instance, to trade. The Eke market day is generally the day of rest in the Igbo Calendar, and as such, certain ceremonies cannot be fixed for that day. Ceremonies such as marriages and burials cannot be fixed on the Èké market day. 

Is The Igbo Calendar Still In Use Today?

The Igbo Calendar is still in use today. The market days of the Igbo calendar are at the root of all activities in Igbo land. The Igbo calendar is part and parcel of the Igbo who are back home in Igbo land. The days of the Igbo week are the primary method of counting days. The days of the Gregorian week, are used as a substitute. 

However, the months of the Igbo Calendar are not as popular as those of the Gregorian Calendar, and this is due to colonialism and the use of the Gregorian months in government, churches, schools, and in turn the general Igbo society. 

Nonetheless, the recent Igbo renaissance has seen a spike in the number of Igbo people who are interested in studying the unique months in the Igbo calendar and applying it to their daily lives. It is only a matter of time before our people return fully to the cosmic knowledge buried in our observance of the Igbo Lunar Calendar.

Are There Variations Or Regional Differences In The Igbo Calendar?

Yes, there are slight variations in the Igbo calendar when you go from region to region in Igbo land. However, these variations are specifically found in the names of the months, and the ceremonial rituals performed in these parts of Igbo land. For Example, Onwa Agwu is celebrated in Nri in June, and in Nise in August. Other parts of Igbo land might choose a different time to celebrate Agwu. But no matter what the different times of celebration and variation in the names of the months, the Igbo market days, weeks, and 13-month lunar cycle stays the same.

How Does The Igbo Calendar Align With Modern Timekeeping?

The Igbo Calendar runs parallel to modern timekeeping and does not alter it, since the Igbo follow the rising of the sun and its setting in marking the beginning and end of the day. Timekeeping in Igbo society follows the journey of the sun (Anyanwu) across the sky. Just by looking at the shadows of trees and sticks, one can tell the time of the day. Timekeeping in the Igbo Calendar does not follow the modern 24 hours in a clock, because not all days are equal, since not all years are equal. 

Are There Efforts To Preserve Or Promote The Igbo Calendar And Its Cultural Significance?

Yes, Voice Of The Sun is at the forefront of preserving and promoting the Igbo Calendar offline and online. We have designed one of the most accurate Igbo Calendar in modern times, and have fully listed and explained the names of the months in the Igbo Calendar. We are currently making sure that our Igbo calendar is used in every household, to mark the Igbo market days, and more importantly, make the Igbo lunar calendar a popular one among the young Igbo of this generation.