Understanding Agwu In Igbo Cosmology – What Is Agwụ In Odinani Na Omenani Igbo?

The spiritual importance and meaning of Agwụ in Igbo cosmology is a fundamental aspect of Odinani na Omenani Igbo – an aspect that has been misunderstood by the ofeke (uninitiated) in the local and global discussion of Igbo spirituality. 

In this article, I will sufficiently shed deserved light on Agwụ in Igbo cosmology, pointing to its reserved position in our understanding of creation and the universe, while providing ample literature on the wisdom of Ndị Gboo, our ancestors, who placed Agwụ at the apex of our interaction with the creator (Chi Ukwu), standing side by side with our reverence of CHI.

In Odinani na Omenani Igbo, there are a few foundational divinities, Alusi (deities), and Mmụọ (spirits) that Ndi Igbo interface with, as one begins his life’s journey, both physical and spiritual. The Chi, Agwụ, and Ndị Ịchie are at the foundation of this experience. In a previous article, we have duly explained the Igbo understanding of CHI, and in this educative piece, we will explain Agwụ, by drawing on the wisdom of some of the Igbo sages, Ndị Dibịa, and philosophers, who have gone ahead of us to prepare a world-standard blueprint for our understanding of the divinity which is Agwụ. 

Agwụ in its simplest meaning in the English language, would mean Supreme Divine Intelligence – the source of all knowledge and wisdom that drives the universe. An Igbo man/woman who is possessed by Agwụ, is gifted with extraordinary intuition, knowledge, and wisdom – this can lead to creativity in various fields, inventions in various fields, prophesy, divination, healing, and many other gifts that earn people the title of Genius.

In his book ‘After God is Dibia‘, renowned Igbo Dibịa, Professor John Anenechukwu Umeh, said that on the night of his formal induction to Dibịa, an older Dibịa told him that the complete name for Agwụ was ‘Agwụ Isi Ora/Oha‘, which means ‘Agwụ, the head of all that exists (except Chi Ukwu). ‘Agwụ Isi Ora‘ will later face dialectical distortion, and would be called ‘Agwụ Nshi Ora/Oha‘, and with time will be shortened to ‘Agwụ Nshi‘, and then Agwụ Nsi. I will touch on the distortions later in this piece.

To define Agwụ, its spiritual function, and its place in creation, I will start with a story of how Agwụ got its powers and position in society, given by Chi Ukwu (creator). It is well known the ancient Igbo were wise to embed our folklore with the real stories of our creation and cosmology as a people. This story as told by John Anenechukwu Umeh in his book ‘After God is Dibia‘ is one of such powerful folklore that carries the essence of Agwụ in Igbo spirituality:

It was said that in the early days of the earth, there was an atmospheric situation of Chi efo efo, chi eji eji, which means the absence of complete day and complete night, without demarcation between day and night. It was a sort of nondescript, non-defined atmospheric/environmental situation. The sun did not shine, the moon did not shine, and yet there was no utter darkness. Nothing demarcated the day and the night. 

Chi Ukwu (the creator) assembled all his creations at his Mbala Obi Chi Ukwu (the open space ground around Chi Ukwu‘s Obi, a sacred building) and showed them all Four Long Baskets that had their contents hidden. Then Chi Ukwu invited all the spirits, deities, human beings, animals, birds, and every other creature made by Chi Ukwu showed them the four carefully camouflaged long baskets, and told all present that whoever could decipher the contents would be named the Isi Ora/Oha – the head of the universe/society. He/she would be placed at the head of society and would be blessed with knowledge and wisdom to cure illness, foretell the past, present, and future; enlightenment, and solve other problems. He or she would become the channel through which Chi Ukwu makes available all knowledge and wisdom to man (mmadu) and society for use as messengers and children of Chi Ukwu. 

After Chi Ukwu had given his instructions, there was a great stampede to reach and guess the contents of the Four Long Baskets. All the spirits, deities, humans, animals, and other created beings failed, except Agwu who requested permission to go into the room and see what could be done. Once inside the room, Agwụ transformed into a rat and visited the first basket gnawing at it with its sharp teeth, and then paused to listen. The second basket anxiously enquired of the first one: Èké nne m Èké nna m onye na eli gị ife n’afọ?  meaning “My mother’s Èké, My Father’s Èké, who is trying to eat what you have inside your stomach?” He replied, “I don’t know.” Agwụ in rat’s form noted that the name of the first basket was Èké.

Then Agwụ moved on to the second basket and administered similar sharp bites on it. Then the third basket asked the second, who was trying to remove what she has inside her stomach and in the process addressed her as Oye Nne m Oye Nna m. Agwụ took note of the second basket’s name as Oye. Agwụ then moved to the next basket and administered sharp bites, and in the course of the usual question and answer learned that the name of the third basket was Àfọ̀. The rat (eshishi/efifi Agwu) moved on to the last long basket and administered its bouts of sharp gnaws, and one of the baskets asked ‘Nkwọ nne m Nkwọ nna m, onye na-ata gị alu a? (My mother’s Nkwọ My father’s Nkwọ, who is biting you so sharply?).

Like the rest, Nkwọ gave the usual “I don’t know” answer. In annoyance, Nkwọ expressed that she hoped that that was not a sign of things to come; that they, the Afịa naano Ubosi naano (four markets, four days) would be made to face incessant harassment from unknown sources. Nkwọ then quickly added that Chi Ukwu knows the best and that their function was merely to wait and go into action as ordered by their Creator. Agwụ, temporarily disguised as Oke the rat, ascertained their names and also that they were classified as Afịa naano ubosi naano (four markets (in) four days) constituting Izu/Ofu Izu, i.e., the Igbo traditional/indigenous one week made up of four days. 

In the story, Agwụ returned to Chi Ukwu (the Supreme Being) and told Chi Ukwu that he/she was ready with the answer. Chi Ukwu thereupon summoned all of creation in the universe, to hear Agwụ‘s findings. Agwụ got up and paid homage and obeisance to Chi Ukwu, the creator of all, and after that informed every being gathered that the content of the four long baskets is: Èké, Oye/Óriè, Àfọ̀, and Nkwọ, in that descending order of seniority, and that they make up the Afia naano ubosi naano. Chi Ukwu, then declared Agwụ to be known as Agwụ Isi Ora/Oha, for being able to decipher the names of what he created and concealed in the four long baskets.

Agwụ was also conferred with powers, knowledge, wisdom, and potencies and abilities second only to that which Chi Ukwu possessed. And whoever Agwụ possesses, automatically receives these gifts. Chi Ukwu gave Agwụ ‘Kpakpankpa Agwụ‘, the ability of ‘Spiritual Propelling’. Whoever is found worthy and becomes blessed with Agwụ‘s spiritual possession, is infused with that pure and sacred spirit, and conferred with great knowledge, wisdom, and potent powers second only to that of Chi Ukwu, the benevolent creator. And this means that Agwụ is a divine tool used by the almighty Chi Ukwu for imparting knowledge, wisdom, and power to man.

In this light, Chi Ukwu acts through Agwụ, and Agwụ acts through the Dibịa. In his submission, John Annenechukwu Umeh likened Agwụ to the Holy Spirit, stating that Agwụ is an inseparable part of Chi Ukwu‘s traditional trinity. However, I believe that the likening of Agwụ to the Holy Spirit was for his generation, which were mostly adamant Christians, to accept Agwụ after it was thrown in a negative light. This means that Agwụ cannot be defined as just the Holy Spirit – that would be an incomplete definition in today’s world, where Ndi Igbo can now proudly teach and practice Odinala na Omenala, with young and educated Igbo men and women providing better definitions and understanding of our worldview.

Proof that Agwụ is part of the creator (Chi Ukwu) can be found in a famous saying of a very popular Ora-Eri (Oha-Eshi) Dibịa, named Ugo Dibịa. John Anenechukwu Umeh captured it thus:

Ofeke je bulu nkwu Agwụ, ọ si na ya ebulugo Agwụ.

Ònye choba Agwụ, Ojebe na Chi Ukwu. 

Maka na Agwụ bụ na Chi Ukwu ka ọ dị.

This means that “When the ignoramus carries away Agwụ‘s icon, he/she would boast of having carried away Agwụ. Whoever seeks Agwụ, must go to Chi Ukwu (the creator), for Agwụ is part and parcel of Chi Ukwu.”

In Igbo land, among those who practice the ancient Odinani na Omenani (Spirituality, tradition, and culture), Agwụ is responsible for the gift of prophecy and vision. Agwụ can be hereditary or brand new in a person. We have Agwụ from ‘be nna maọbụ Obala nna‘ (father’s family or father’s lineage), the Agwu from ‘be nne maọbụ Obala nne‘ (mother’s family or mother’s lineage).

In some other cases, the divine gifts of Agwụ are not transferred from one’s ancestors who were once gifted Ndị Dibịa/people but manifest for the first time in a chosen person. But this last set of possession by Agwụ happens “when the spiritual hierarchy carries out major spiritual realignment but becoming of age, they take to whatever medium that appeals to them most” according to Nwankwo Nnabuchi, in his book ‘In Defense Of Igbo Spirituality‘.  

For as long as we have lived here on earth, our ancestors believed and affirmed the effectiveness and continued possession of our enlightened ones by Agwụ. In an adage, they assert:

Ọ nwero onye ọ bụla ga-abụ mmadụ Agwụ nadi (anaghị ama/aha-ama), meaning that ‘There is nobody who would be mmadu, the enlightened human being, who is not possessed by the Holy spirit Agwụ‘.

Umeh defined Agwụ as Agwụ, Agwu, Agwu, which means the Endless Agwụ OR the Everlasting Agwụ, emphasizing that the name of Agwụ comes from the fact that Agwụ is the Spirit of Endlessness. In this regard, Agwụ is seen as the same as ancient Egyptian Osiris, as revealed in the Book Of The Dead, that Osiris was the supreme King of eternity and the ruler of everlastingness.

In this regard, Agwụ is the supreme king of society and eternity and the ruler of everlastingness, and so is called Agwụ Isi Ora. This compares very well with the position in Ìgbò land where Agwụ is inter alia, Aka Ogeli, which in Igbo afa language means Nne-Chi-Ukwu-Nwanyị, often shortened to Nne Nwanyị (the old Lady of Chi Ukwu, i.e., the Divine Lady Mother Spirit). Hence Agwụ is referred to as Nne Agwụ which would fully mean Mother Holy Spirit, the Supreme Queen of society and eternity, and ruler of everlastingness.

Nne Agwụ in Igbo cosmology is the totality of Agwụ, that is, the original and complete Mother Holy Spirit subsuming the completeness of the three major divisions of Ebo Agwu, which are Agwụ Mmili, Agwụ Dibia, and Agwụ Nkita. Whoever is possessed by Nne Agwụ is automatically given the knowledge of the three, i.e., the completeness of Abia (knowledge and wisdom); and so he or she would perform and answer to the holistic work and divine call to Dibịa-hood. 

Agwụ is also the God of light (Anwụ), called Ose Obala, in the Afa language – a Creator (Supreme Being) whose Eye is the Sun (Anyanwụ). In some cases, the ancient Igbo referred to Agwụ as Anyanwụ, the Sun God. As Ose Obala, Agwụ is seen also as Osiris in ancient Egyptian mythology. According to Umeh, Ugo Dibịa, the knowledgeable Oraeri/Ohaeshi Dibịa said “As long as the sun exists in the universe, Dibịa must exist and function with potency”.

As the God of light, Agwụ is a fundamental part of Uche Chi Ukwu, the universal mind or the universal consciousness of Chi Ukwu, which Ndi Igbo shortened to UCHE – which is the completeness of the awareness of What Was, What Is, and What Will Be. And because Agwụ possesses, guides, directs, and aids the Dibịa (or gifted individual), he or she has an extraordinary Uche/Supermind which is the fundamental and the first and most original Afa Divination.

According to Ekene Okwuba, an Odinani na Omenani promoter, and philosopher, Agwụ is that aspect of us that has to do with our character as individuals. These characters lead us to live upright and stable lives. When a child is born, he/she takes some memories (encoded in the DNA) from the maternal and the paternal side respectively, forming the true character of that child as they grow. These characters encoded in the DNA are summed up as the Agwụ – ‘Agwụ Ndị Ịchie Be Nna‘ and ‘Agwụ Ndị ịchie ikwu Nne‘.

In some cases, these diverse characters begin to conflict as a person comes of age and begins to express themselves (in actions, crafts, and articulation of thoughts). Our ancestors in their wisdom and understanding of spirituality found a solution for the harmonization of these diverse characters (wisdom, crafts, thought, profession, spiritual calling, etc.). Their solution is what we call ‘Ilu Agwu‘, and for as far back as our people remember, the spiritual process of ‘Ịlụ Agwụ‘ has been effective in unifying the varying characteristics we carry in our DNA, to leading every one of us to a positive end in life.

The character, as a function of Agwụ (divine intelligence), is what forms our principles in life, and these principles in turn influence our destinies in life – who we eventually turn out to be. And when a person’s Agwụ is harmonized, they can now be able to harness the positive intuitions from the energies in the universe, being that we live in a world that is an energy field, with various vibrations passing knowledge and wisdom to us. After the Agwụ is harmonized, one can receive the right messages to help them manifest their destiny and purpose. In conclusion in Ekene Okwuba’s view, Agwụ, in practice, is the act of assembling and harmonizing the character and spirit of a person, with the sole purpose of manifesting one’s destiny without distractions, to live a fulfilled life.

Correcting The Misconceptions And Misrepresentations Of Agwu In Igbo Cosmology

Many researchers of Igbo cosmology over the years have erroneously depicted Agwụ to be what it is not, with the most popular description being that “Agwụ is the spirit of madness”. This version took off among the ofeke, who became Christians and wanted, by all means, to make Odinani/Odinana/Odinala look evil. And their over-zealousness echoed the false narrative, and to date, it remains a dominant description of Agwụ. 

Professor Isichei, one of the renowned researchers and writers on Igbo anthropology and culture defined Agwụ as an Alusi/Arusi (deity), “the divination trickster” and followed it up with the definition of Agwụ Nsi as “the spirit that gives knowledge of medical herbs, etc.” In correcting the errors in Isichei’s descriptions, Prof John Anenechukwu Umeh pointed out that Agwụ is the same as Agwụ Isi Ora/Agwu Ishi Oha/Agwu Ishi/Agwu Nsi, and therefore there was no rationale for erroneously defining them as being different beings/entities. He said that Agwụ has never been a “trickster” in any form and least of all in divination. He went further to explain that if a diviner (Dibịa) goes astray or derails in the interpretation or in passing judgment on what the divination has said, Agwụ will call to order the divination Dibịa (if he or she is a genuine Dibịa). 

Professor Onwuejeogwu in his description of Agwụ said that it is “the ambivalent supernatural force, which is associated with medicine, divination, and magic, and has a cult.” He also wrote that “All Alusi’s manifest their will through the Alusi called Agwụ that determines the fall of the diviner’s beads in Afa divination.” Professor John Anenechukwu Umeh agrees with the above definition, emphasizing that all the roles and privileges mentioned by Onwuejeogwu naturally flow from the fact that Agwụ is Isi Ora/Oha.

Onwuejeogwu, in his definition, went on to say that “Alusi/Arusi are the invisible creations of Chi Ukwu. They are considered to be supernatural beings and/or forces that are the authors of good and evil. They manipulate the hidden laws made by Chi Ukwu to produce good or evil, which they shower on the visible world of men.” Continuing, Onwuejeogwu claimed that “Agwu are ambivalent in their character – they reveal the secret of the invisible and visible world to traditional medicine men called Dibia, in the mystical code of divination called Afa, and are also responsible for mental illness.” 

Discussing this second definition of Agwụ by Onwuejeogwu, Anenechukwu Umeh pointed out that some of what Onwuejeogwu portrayed were not the true nature of Agwụ. He went ahead to explain that Agwụ as Atu (creation by word of mouth) is part and parcel of Chi Ukwu (the creator). Umeh also stated that the idea of Agwụ manipulating the hidden laws of Chi Ukwu to produce evil is entirely a wrong depiction, emphasizing that Agwu is what is called the Holy Spirit in the English language, and does not do evil.

This is supported by the fact that from the days of old, great Ndị Dibịa in Igboland are far removed from doing evil, even when they are provoked and pushed to the wall. The true Igbo Dibịa is equipped by Agwụ, with the knowledge of destructive forces, more deadly and precise in action, and more easily employed that the greatest nuclear weapon known to man. They possess this knowledge as the necessary balance needed for the knowledge of good and healing forces. Ife na-azo ndụ na egbukwa egbụ – that which saves also kills, and that which kills can also save. This is spiritual law – the universal principle of ‘Ogwu‘. 

More importantly, Anenechukwu Umeh stated that it is false when Agwụ is defined as being responsible for mental illness. What has led to this misrepresentation is seen in cases where Chi Ukwu blesses a person with Chi Ketalu and Ofo Agwụ (divine powers and spiritual purpose as a Dibịa), and such a person refuses to follow the path and serve as a Dibịa, or to accept his calling. Kpakpankpa Agwụ then compels compliance by visiting the person with a temporary shake-up, which appears to the Ofeke (novice) as mental illness.

In simple terms, when one who has been chosen by Agwụ refuses to heed the call, Agwụ goes ahead to disrupt their lives, as a means of calling them to order. And as we have experienced, many of those who consult Afa, are told of the reason for their condition. Once they embrace Agwụ and follow their path, they become whole – most times without taking any foreign medicine meant for mentally ill people.

In the same vein, Ayagha Agwụ can decide to shake up a candidate who is unwilling to become a Dibịa, with the intent of getting the person to take responsibility for his/her calling from Chi Ukwu. And a total ignoramus who is oblivious to the forces at play (the principle of Divine Will) would conclude that Agwụ is the spirit of Ayagha or the spirit of chaos and confusion. According to Anenechukwu Umeh, “the person being shaken up is merely being reminded by the appropriate servant of Agwụ that he or she is called upon to the high and divine service as a Dibịa; and as soon as compliance is achieved all the troubles would disappear.”

In continuing the very important work of correcting the misconceptions about Agwụ in Igbo cosmology, Igbo philosopher, Nwankwo Nnabuchi condemned those who peddle lies about the role of Agwụ in Igbo society. In his book titled “In Defense Of Igbo Belief System“, where he wrote about Agwụ, Nwankwo maintained: 

“Many religious zealots have assigned erroneous interpretations to Agwụ as a means to destroying the essentials of our link with the higher law. They call it Agwụ-Nsi. Agwụ-Nsi if interpreted means an Agwụ whose main purpose is to act as a means of poisoning man and or as an agent of destruction. Agwụ-Nsi as a name in the Igbo language according to one school of thought, is very recent indeed and was introduced as an extension of colonization. Another school of thought argues on a different footing. According to it, today’s meaning of nsi is completely at variance with what it means to our forefathers. It was a well-organized technique of giving a dog a bad name to hang it.” 

Continuing with his rebuttal, Nwankwo Nnabuchi wrote:

“It is on record that Agwụ is the tool of prophecy, of removing spell cast on people; of changing infertility to fertility, of saving a life as well as unchaining those chained; of making the deaf to hear, the blind to see and the lame to walk; of protection and security; of justice, etc. All aspects of life-saving works are ascribable to Agwụ, and it is, therefore, a misnomer to call Agwụ ‘Agwụ-Nsi’, an act that should stop forthwith.“

This act of maliciously misrepresenting the principles and beliefs as enshrined in Odinani na Omenani, has been the handy work of two sets of people within and outside of Igbo land. They are those who are utterly ignorant but chose to speak on the subject and those who deliberately misinterpret and misinform about Agwụ, a divine being who is an inseparable part of Chi Ukwu.

In further correcting the wrong interpretation of Nsi, Umeh in “After God Is Dibia” points to the dialectical distortions of Agwụ–Nsi or Agwụ–Nshi, stating that the word Nsi means ‘poison’ OR ‘prime-mover’ OR ‘Primer dependent’, all depending on the tone. Agwụ from time immemorial, for Ndi Igbo, has meant the “Prime-mover” or Agwụ the primer, and that is because it is pronounced the correct way. And in referring to Agwụ as the Primer, Nsi, our ancestors said that Atu (creation by word of mouth) is a divine gift from Chi Ukwu, which the Dibịa possesses. And without the divine gift of a potent mouth, Ogwu cannot be made or created.

Umeh also pointed out other Igbo words that show the ancient meaning of Nsi when properly toned: Nsi Egbe (the gunpowder), which is the prime cause or primer without which there is no way the gun can be fired. So, the correction that modern society must take as regards Agwụ Nsi is in the tonality of the pronunciations, which is that Agwụ has nothing to do with poison. Agwu Nsi, for Ndi Igbo and our cosmology, means Agwụ the prime-mover, primer, or potentiator). 

To help you fully understand the foregoing, I will provide the dictionary definitions of Prime-mover, and primer, to help dilute the explanation of what Agwụ means in Igbo cosmology:

Prime Mover: Is the initial agent that is the cause of all things OR a person or thing that is influential and has the power to originate or to create.

Primer: Is the first in time, initial, and early OR First in position, and foremost. 

From the above definitions, we can now see the wisdom of our ancestors to ascribe the title Nsi to Agwụ, which ties into the name “Agwụ Isi Ora” given to Agwụ by the creator, Chi Ukwu.  

Conclusion Of Agwu In Igbo Cosmology

Agwụ for Ndi Igbo holds great importance in our cosmology and its discussion must never be left to those who do not practice Odinana an Omenana – those who do not possess the divine knowledge and wisdom to understand and explain its philosophy, spirituality, and practice.

The Igbo race is uniquely diverse, and so also are our ways deep and mysterious. To traverse the world of the Igbo, one must have spent a considerable time being an Igbo, in truth and spirit. Concepts like Agwụ must never be left to the Ofeke, who boasts to be a researcher but has no experience with true Odinani na Omenani. He or she can be blown away by the charisma and oratory of those he/she interviews and documents their false report without a single clue as to the direction he has been sent.

This has been our experience with numerous researchers who have documented accounts regarding Agwụ over the years, and unfortunately, they documented lies, propaganda, and the testimonies of non-initiates, who know nothing of the subject. Many elders today are not knowledgeable in this thing, because of their Christian upbringing and non-chaplaincy to learn from our forefathers. Today, they are the ones researchers must go to in search of answers. What type of answers do you think you will get? Your guess is as good as mine. 

In as much this article has touched on certain aspects of Agwụ, I must confess that I did not go deep as I should have, for I too am a student of such knowledgeable sages, Ndị Dibịa, and Igbo Philosophers such as John Anenechukwu Umeh and Nwankwo Nnabuchi, whose works on Igbo spirituality have guided my learning and my pen. In due course, I would update this article with more knowledge on Agwụ as is known in Igbo Odinani na Omenani and not false narratives by those who seek to tarnish the image of our spirituality. 

This Article Was Written By Chuka Nduneseokwu, Editor-In-Chief, of Voice Of The Sun

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REFERENCE:

John Annenuchukwu Umeh (1997). ‘After God Is Dibia, Igbo Cosmology, Divination & Sacred Science In Nigeria‘. London: Karnak House.

Nwankwo Nnabuchi (1987). ‘In Defense Of Igbo Spirituality‘.  Enugwu: Life Paths Printing Press.

Ekene Okwuba (2023). Understanding Agwu In Igbo Odinani an Omenani (Interview).