Many people are of the opinion that we should still practice our native religion the native way. While most people of the southeastern part of Nigeria have adopted a certain kind of syncretism to their religious expression, there are still a growing number especially from the Gen Z that believe we should go bohemian with all its crudity.
This implies that they still engage in blood spilling to make sacrifices instead of sacrificing their meat eating habit and thereby making their bodies a living sacrifice. Giving to the poor and needy and defending the weak instead of spending so much enriching a fellow human being because he or she is wearing a priestly toga.
The conversation is still ongoing amongst idealists of what the neotraditional religious experience should be. There is no general consensus but when the various schools of thought; meat eating traditionalists and non meat eating traditionalists alike meet themselves, they still speak the same language and pray together.
Back to the point. Should we still do it the native way? Those ways that involve making bold marks on different parts of their body called Igbu Ichi of old and engaging in other harrowing experiences in the name of spiritualizing oneself when the Western worlds and Asia have evolved from all these and adopted meditation and abstinences as well as charity as the easy way of attaining those mind bending experiences and advanced states of mind they seek.
This paper is not meant to deride our native ways. Rather, it is an electric jolt I am giving to you, by the inspiration of our Forebears. Ka anyi nezie anya, ka agbazie ayi onu in our radical retreat into the original Igbo state of mind.
I am of the opinion that we should evolve our native religious practices and remove all the trappings and mysteries so that the common man can appreciate and be able to partake in its blessings.
The basic thing that promotes our unity as Ndigbo is our attitude towards a guest and kolanut.
There is an Igbo mystery story that has it that once upon a time, a certain family was visited by a white bearded man who asked for water but they chased him away. Another family received the white bearded man saving the bearded man further embarrassment. The new family even served him utala ji (pounded yam) and onugbu soup. After the man had eaten his fill, he again asked his benefactor if he could show him land where he can grow crops.
The happy couple excitedly took him outside and showed him a portion of land. Within the twinkle of an eye, the white bearded man transformed into a pool of water and the water, over time, became a huge lake. The family, on the other hand became very wealthy with business conglomerates.
This kind of story conditions the Igbo man to be a very hospitable man who sees the visitor as his God on a mission. The Kolanut is also revered so much so that it serves as holy communion who the head of the house or whoever is entitled to speak powerful prayers of invocation over before cutting them into pieces and sharing amongst the community. A nwuneology that guided us. Onye aghana Nwanne ya.
These are the kind of principles we should adapt as Ndigbooo. Not our crude ways, in our journey back to the nowness of time.
