The Maw-Afia: Spirit of the Deceased in Onitsha and Riverside Towns January 24, 2025 by Chuka The “Maw-Afia” – The spirit of a deceased man appearing to his friends, observed in Onitsha, Asaba, and other riverside towns. All spirits (maws [mmụọ]) are believed to rise from the ground.G. T. Basden (1921). Among the Ibos of Nigeria.