Igbo language and culture are the fastest fading culture in Nigeria. It's shameful sometimes to see Igbo elders (even titled men wearing read caps), handed a cup of wine and a plate of kola nuts only for them to start reciting Shakespearean poetry and English hymns. Traditional supplications are deep traditional prayers elders give in an event. A supplication is done mostly in proverbs and God is adored in various powerful names as you hear Father Ejike Mbaka do in most of his songs. So there's nothing pagan about supplications.

Here I have adapted a typical supplication in a way that will suit both Christians and non-Christians yet remain deeply traditional. Hope this will help - Godwin C. Nwaogwugwu

Chi kere uwa (God the Creator), my hands are clean,
He who carries nothing, breaks nothing
Yet I am not infallible, and not beyond reproach
Show us whom to avoid today
A mind is like a sack of secrecy, each man bears his.
All lizards lie prostrate; no one knows which one does so for stomach ache

Oche –ndu (Protector of life), what we don’t know shall not know us
He who plans no evil, and harbors no evil, shall have no evil befall him
Make our paths straight, and our ways incorrigible
Our hair shall turn gray with wisdom and not by sickness
Our children, grand-children and great grand children shall burry us in a ripped old-age
The arrows of our enemies shall hit a stone wall

Mmiri na ezuru oha (Shower of blessings), today I sue for peace in our lives
Let there be no wars
May the Eagle and the Kite perch on the same tree in peace
May the one that despises the other provide it a place to perch
From Eke-nta (first market day) to Nkwo-ukwu (last market day) our baskets shall be filled with good harvests
On the Orie-ukwu market day we shall drink with the elders with pride
Onwa na etiri oha (A shining moon), your grace is in abundance and will be sufficient for us

Oku na eri aja (Consuming Fire), I feel your roar in the skies
With your lightening fight our battles ahead
We shall go in peace and come back in peace
An egg shall never break a palm kernel
Rain can never wash out the spots of a Leopard
No matter the storm, a tortoise can never be rain-soaked
Whom shall we be afraid?

Ochi-agha (The commander), a planned war does not take a cripple by surprise
But a baby that keeps her mother awake, shall also remain awake
A Rat that dances in the rain with a Lizard will go home wet
A toad does not run in the day for nothing, today we come to you for a reason
Bless our gathering, arrest our enemies, but spare their lives
May their plans, spells and curses rained on us fall into the deep sea

Chi na aza ekpere (God that answers prayers), we lift our cups and say, may your will always prevail…

Iseeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!...... (Amen)

Interesting.

Interesting write up.

So the Ibo's use the word iseeeeeee? Could it be the Ibo's migrated from Benin?

HungerBAD:
Interesting write up.

So the Ibo's use the word iseeeeeee? Could it be the Ibo's migrated from Benin?

Interestingly, I am wont to think that it is the other way round.

However, the inflections or pronunciation of the Igbo 'ise' and Bini 'ise' are a bit different. Binis also use the word 'uku' for 'great', same as the Igbo word, 'ukwu' for great. I.e. Igbo Ukwu, Isele Ukwu etc.

bigfrancis21:


Interestingly, I am wont to think that it is the other way round.

However, the inflections or pronunciation of the Igbo 'ise' and Bini 'ise' are a bit different. Binis also use the word 'uku' for 'great', same as the Igbo word, 'ukwu' for great. I.e. Igbo Ukwu, Isele Ukwu etc.

The other way round?since they share some cultural resemblance, they might be related.

Is there a definite origin of the Ibo race? where are the ibo's from?

HungerBAD:


The other way round?since they share some cultural resemblance, they might be related.

Is there a definite origin of the Ibo race? where are the ibo's from?

Where are the binis from? Elaborate please.

bigfrancis21:


Where are the binis from? Elaborate please.

We can't use a question to answer a question right?

But, i read the Bini's are from Ife. This has been disputed by the Bini's themselves, but that is what most history books says.

So where are the ibo's from? please not the we are JEWS from Israel answer. They must come from somewhere in Africa.

Btw i am not Bini.

exposureworld:
Igbo language and culture are the fastest fading culture in Nigeria.

Nah, how many times do we have to heard this? Igbo culture isn't fading as much as is it becoming secular and 'gentrified'.

HungerBAD:

We can't use a question to answer a question right?
But, i read the Bini's are from Ife. This has been disputed by the Bini's themselves, but that is what most history books says.
So where are the ibo's from? please not the we are JEWS from Israel answer. They must come from somewhere in Africa.
Btw i am not Bini.

The Igbo are from an ancient wave of migrations from around 6000 to 2000 years ago. The Edo people are not Ife, although their paramount rulership may have come from/been influenced by Ise. Ise, Isẹ and Aṣe seem to be related so it might be an ancient incantation that isn't necessarily from any group that exists as an ethnic/political entity now.

We have to be careful with segmentation for political purposes and tribal purposes. It's almost like the grouping of some African countries by the USA as 'Middle East and North Africa' (MENA) rather than simply Africa. That's for political/ trade convenience.

What we know as 'Edo' , and 'Delta' states today were the Former Bendel State, which was also the former Mid-Western region. In that political territory you have some Igbo communities such as Asaba, Ani-ocha, Agbor , Ugwashi-ukwu , etc. Igbo dialects called 'Olu onye' almost vary every few miles you travel. There was an attempt to harmonize the Igbo language by some Igbo scholars into a central Igbo language called 'Igbo Izugbe' , that project was either abandoned or didn't go too far. Igbo is an incomplete language, some objects never had Igbo names till Igbo scholars attempted to give them names in the 80's such as:

University' - Mahadum ,
Sicience (Ogbara Igbo ghari),
Professor - ( okacha mara)
Car - (ugbo-ala)
Airplane - (ugbo-elu) . Interetsingly 'ugbo' is a boat. etc

Iseee which was popularly adopted by the central igbo project to mean Amen has original words in local dialects that vary from community to community. In most dialects you will rather hear people use such words as 'Ihiaaa' , 'Ihiiii', ahiiiii, eyeeee, amiii, , 'eeeee', Mhummmm, etc. These words more of signify unifying acceptance or agreement of a supplication than the Christian 'Amen'

I will leave this topic to Authorities in Igbo Language, before I cause more confusion. I am not one. I only try to document interesting Igbo traditions for my own personal use. I will like to learn from experts.

- Godwin Nwaogwugwu