Between Faith and Heritage: The Catholic Priest Protecting Igbo Traditional Artifacts

Father Paul Obayi. Image: thestreetjournal.org The Igbo say, “Ọnụ anaghị atụ egwu, ọ na-agwa mmadụ eziokwu”( the mouth that tells the truth does not tremble). And in Nsukka, one man dares to tell the truth about a forgotten part of Igbo identity, the truth hidden behind wooden masks, dust, and silence. Father Paul Obayi, a Catholic…

ByChinemerem Okwuchukwu3 days ago0Comments

Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor speaking at a podium during a book reading.

Biography Cultural Heritage

The Journey of Nnedi Okorafor: From Comics and Paralysis to Black Panther

Nnedi Okorafor. Source: Americanlibrariesmagazine.com The Igbo say, “Nwata bulie aka gbagbuo ozu, o mara na ọ bụ ihe dị ndụ o buliri” ( when a child lifts what he believes to be a corpse and it moves, he learns it was alive all along). That is how Nnedi Okorafor’s journey began with a love…

ByChinemerem Okwuchukwu3 days ago0Comments

Ndị Ngwa, around Aba, photographed by Northcote Thomas, c. 1913. MAA Cambridge.

Cultural Heritage Ethnohistory

Iko Mbara: Concubinage and the Social Order among the Ngwa Igbo

In the cultural life of the Ngwa Igbo, a significant Igbo sub-group in present-day Abia State, relationships between men and women have always reflected more than personal affection. They express an entire social philosophy of kinship, morality, and economic balance. Among these relationships, one of the most misunderstood yet socially structured institutions was iko…

ByIdenze Ezeme3 days ago0Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Ethnohistory

Akalaka: The Progenitor of the Ogba, Ekpeye, and Ikwerre People

A dancer Ogbukele festival, Ekpafia Igbo. Photographed by G.I. Jones The figure of Akalaka occupies a central position in the collective memory of the Igbo people of Ogba, Ekpeye, and Ikwerre peoples of present-day Rivers State, Nigeria. His story blends history, oral tradition, and ethnolinguistic continuity, linking three closely related…

ByIdenze Ezeme3 days ago0Comments

Archival black-and-white photograph showing extended Igbo family compound.

Cultural Heritage Historical Studies

Ụmụnna: The Heart of Igbo Kinship and Community

Photo: A Meeting in an Igbo Notable’s Compound, 1890s. British Museum. Nwanne di na mba, ọ bụghị onye ọzọ.(A kinsman is not a stranger). Blood ties and shared lineage define belonging more than distance or status. Among the Igbo, Ụmụnna represents one of the most sacred and enduring social institutions, a bond that transcends individuals and unites…

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 16, 20250Comments

Archival black-and-white photo of Igbo youths dancing in a village clearing.”

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Folklores Historical Studies

Egwu Onwa: Moonlight, Music, and the Spirit of Igbo Youth

Photo: Guinea fowl dancers probably from Nri. (Egwu Ụkpọ): G. T. Basden (1921). "Among the Ibos of Nigeria". p. 132. Internet Archive. Onwa gburu anyị anyị anyị e na-agba egwu( When the moon shines, we dance). Joy follows, illumination and the community thrives when the night is bright. On clear tropical nights, when the full moon (Onwa…

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 16, 20250Comments

Photo of an Igbo ancestral shrine showing ritual figures and offerings.

Anthropology and Ethnography Cultural Heritage Historical Studies ⁠Religion and Spirituality

Ibini Ukpabi: The Voice of the Gods and the Fall of a Kingdom

In the thick green heart of Arochukwu, where mist curls around ancient stones and the whispers of ancestors stir in the wind, stood the shrine of Ibini Ukpabi, the Long Juju of legend. Long before the British learned its name, the oracle’s voice carried across Igboland, settling disputes and sealing destinies. It was not merely…

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 12, 20250Comments

Historical Studies

Drums of Captivity: Slavery and Survival in Western Igboland

"Ọnwụ anaghị ama nna, ọ bụghị nke nna ya ka ọ na-akpọ" ( Death does not know who the father is; it calls whom it will). In the heart of Western Igboland, the echoes of drums once signaled both life and danger. The drums of captivity beat during festivals, masquerades, and shrines, but they…

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 10, 20250Comments

Cultural Heritage

Lagos Igbo Hangout: Celebrating Igbo Identity in the Heart of Lagos

In a bustling metropolis like Lagos, where cultures converge and identities often blur into the city’s constant motion, preserving one’s roots can be both a huge challenge and a statement of pride. For many Igbo people living in Lagos, finding a space that celebrates Igbo culture, language, and sense of belonging has long been a…

ByIdenze EzemeOctober 9, 20250Comments

Anthropology and Ethnography Historical Studies ⁠Religion and Spirituality

Guardians of the Wild: Totemism and the Hidden Ecology of Igboland

Ụwa bụ ndụ; ndụ bụ ụwa (The world is life, and life is the world). The Forest as a Living Ancestry In the time before tarred roads and concrete skylines, Igboland was a vast, breathing organism. The forest hummed with stories of spirits in trees, ancestors in rivers, and creatures that carried divine messages. To the…

ByChinemerem OkwuchukwuOctober 9, 20250Comments