THE WAY WE WERE

When a child is three years old it is given a lavish ritual ceremony known as Ima Nzu by his namesake. This is a very important ritual for both the child and the parents. The Ogbo [Namesake] ritual is one of many Bende Igbo traditionals, and it is only practiced by the Bende Igbos. This ritual establishes a very important issue at an early stage of a child’s life. Ogbo ritual is like a will, made by the parents for the future care of their child in case of death, misfortune or any unexpected eventuality. This tradition is similar to an adoption except for a few differences. Ogbo is more like a guardian. It is an agreement between parents and whomever they choose to name their child. Ogbo will never move away from his parents’ village to make a new home at his ogbos’ village. Ogbo is not an adoption. Ogbo does not have to be an immediate family member. He or she could be an outsider, from another village, town or even another county. He must be someone with good conduct who commands respect in his community. However, everyone may not qualify to get ogbo. For example, a person with tainted background, a common criminal, or a thief will find it difficult to find parents willing to name their child after him. Every Bende Igbo male and female has ogbo. It is our traditional requirement. There is no limit as to what ogbo can do for ogboya [his or her namesake]. In these modern days, what ogbo could do for ogboya has been extended to include paying for school fees, starting business, paying for a dowry, building a house for ogboya, and even including ogbo in a will. The importance of ogbo is underscored by an old Bende Igbo adage that says Ebe nwanta n’akwa akwa n’atu aka, ma nneya n’ nnaya  anoghi ya ogboya no. [Which means, where a child cries and points his finger, if his mother and father  are not there, then his namesake is].

           

Ima ogbo nzu is a traditional ceremony through which an older ogbo officially accepts the responsibility of ogbo and asserts his authority over a child who is his namesake. It is through this ceremony that the older ogbo establishes his influence over a child. This is an expensive ritual ceremony which includes many gifts from the older ogbo to the child. The gifts are regulated by our tradition according to gender. If a child is a male he must receive the following items: Nzu, akpa, ndi, oji, ego, mayi, aji. [Kaolin, Bag, Yams, Kola nut, Cowries, Palm wine, Traditional cloth]. However, if the child is a female, she must receive the following items: Nzu, akpa, ndi, oji, mayi, olokpo. [Beads] The ritual performance starts when the older ogbo picks up the child.

 

He will then face East and throw the child up in the air seven times, catching him each time. As he throws him up he will say, ogbom Ee! [my namesake Ee!] and the crowd would respond Iya! [yes!]. He must repeat the saying seven times and the crowd must respond seven times. At the completion of seven throws, the older ogbo, while still facing east and holding the child, begins by thanking the god of ogbo. He tells the child things that he wishes the child to be and that when he grows up, the child must live up to the expectations of the Bende Igbos, and those of his parents. He blesses the child and admonishes him to be an Igbo. He challenges the child to live up to the standards of his parents and his namesake. After this ritual of wishing, he hands the child over to one of the parents, thus freeing his hands. Then he bends down and picks up aji, unfolds it and ties the aji around the child’s waist in a fashion denoting strength and readiness. The end tie of aji must point to his right-hand side. He continues by picking up Akpa, hanging it on the child’s neck with the belt resting on the child’s left shoulder and passing through his right arm-pit so that the body of Akpa rests on the aji tie. Then he rubs with his right thumb on Nzu and marks seven even strokes on the child’s forehead. After dressing the child, he picks him up again, facing east, and looks directly into the child’s eyes, calling him by name and standing him up on the ground. At this time, the terrified child usually hurries to the parents, crying and scared from the up-and-down movements to which he has been subjected.

           

The father of the child then gets up from his seat, and pours Agbo mayi [a traditional Bende Igbo wine cup], picking up Oji ugo [a rare white kola nut that has seven equal parts or pieces]. He breaks oji ugo into its seven equal pieces. With oji ugo in his right hand and agbo mayi in his left hand, he advances to the center of the circle where Ofo [Igbo god of wish] is already positioned. As he approaches, he must stop within two to three feet in front of the Ofo god. Our tradition mandates that no man shall stoop nor stand over Ofo, while pouring libation. As he stands facing Ofo god, he starts his libation speech by saying, Obasi bu lelu, Obasi bu lala, Ndichie, Nnanna anyi ha unu biko bianu gworu oji taa. Biko unu bia nuru mayi [God in heavens, God on earth, Our great grandfathers, please come, take and eat these kola nuts. Please come, take and drink wine]. Ihe oma bu ihe madu n’elele anya [It is only good and beautiful things or events, that humans gather to watch]. He continues Obu kwanu ndi ghe vuruvuru y’ezuo ndanda [It is only when yams are tenderized that ants get a share].

 

Ihe anyi zukoru n’ekperu bu ka Egbe beru, Ugo eberu. Nke siri ibe ya ebela nku kwa ya [As we gather here, our prayer is live and let live. May the Hawk rest on the same branch with the Eagle. However, anyone of them that objects to the idea of unity, may its wings be clipped and broken]. At this statement the crowd responds Éewoo! [That is correct]. Ikwu l’ibe, Bende, Ama l’ezi, Ndichie unu biko bianu gozie ihe anyi na eme [Relatives, Bende, County-men, Our village, Our elders, please come and bless what we are doing]. Then he concludes with a final request from the ancestors and god of ogbo, asking them to come and place their stamp of approval on this ritual ceremony and for the protection of his child and the namesake. He then once more summons his ancestors to rise to this occasion and drink. He first throws all the seven pieces of anya-oji-ugo in his right hand on the Ofo god. Then he interchanges agbo mayi, returning it to his right hand while traditionally pouring the entire contents of agbo mayi on the Ofo god. This last act marks the official beginning of the celebration of eating and drinking. Those attending this ritual are served mayi ngwo [raffia wine]. All the oji used for this ritual will be shared according to our traditional rule. However, Ndi, Ego, Olokpo and Aji are personal properties of the child. These items must be kept or invested by the parents for future accounts to the child. The parent must prepare enough food to feed those who are participating in the ceremony. The parents are required to provide additional mayi ngwo, utara ndi, ofo ose du alughulu [raffia wine, yam-foo-foo, pepper-soup that is rich in meat].

           

This ritual is just the beginning of a lifelong relationship between an adult and a child, and between parents and whomever they have chosen to be their child’s namesake.