Retracing the igbo religion and belief - Chimaobi Okoroafor - Bog

The Igboland located in the southern part of Nigeria believes in one supreme god called Chukwu Abiama or Chineke which means God who created all things. The concept of chukwu (the supreme god) was largely propagated by the Aros of Arochukwu in Eastern Niger Delta in the 18th century due to their operating of the Ibini ukpabi oracle. The Igbo's believe that the supreme God who cannot be seen or reached directly could be approached through other lesser gods or spirits called arusi or agbara which are in form of natural objects. Dibia and High Priests are the mouth piece of the god's and are the mystic mediators between the human world and the spirit world and act as healers, scribes, teachers, diviners and advisors of people in the community. The Igbo's believe that their ancestors live in the spirit world where they can be contacted. Below the arusis are the minor and more general spirits known as mmuo loosely defined by their perceived malevolent or benign nature. These minor spirits are not venerated and are sometimes considered the lost souls of the deadSome of the Igbo religion still practiced today includes harvest ceremonies such as new yam festival, ekpe, ekpo and mmanwu.