The term DIBỊA is one that is often met with so much mistrust, negativity, and evil connotations. This is the case for the majority of Ndi Ìgbò (especially Christians) who have been miseducated by the foreign religion and curriculums, to see everything about the Ìgbò DIBỊA to be evil, demonic, and dark.

When one says he/she needs to consult a DIBỊA, automatically that person is a diabolic person and should be avoided. But in reality, that is not the case. This generalization by our people has also been amplified by Nollywood through the negative ways in which they represent/portray the Ìgbò DIBỊA and Ìgbò spirituality.

In this article, we are going to educate you on who truly the Ìgbò DIBỊA is, and what his/her function is in the overall spirituality and health of Ndi Igbo.

Who Is A DIBỊA?

A DIBỊA in Igbo culture is a man or a woman with vast knowledge of nature and spirituality. In some cases, they are called the wise ones, great ones, the eyes of the gods, or doctors which is the literal meaning of the word DIBỊA in the Igbo language, (native doctors). In this knowledge, they are mostly, people who are divinely chosen to be DIBỊA, and sometimes it can be learned by being around or serving as apprentices to a well rich in knowledge DIBỊA.

There are several branches of being a DIBỊA, hence being a DIBỊA is a vast knowledge, and I mean as vast as when you say in English that someone is a doctor. For example, in the western world a doctor is defined as follows:

• A teacher or a learned man.
• A person who holds a doctorate.
• A physician or surgeon.
• A person licensed to practice any of the healing arts, as an osteopath, dentist, veterinarian, etc.

And the word doctor originated from an old Latin word "doctore" which means a teacher, and in English as a doctor, teacher, or learned man. In the Igbo setting, DIBỊA is a vast field of knowledge that includes:

(1) DIBỊA MGBỌRỌGWỤ NA MKPAFIFIA/AKWỤKWỌ

A Dibia which we call herbalist in the English language. These are people that specialize in discovering and treating sicknesses using roots, herbs, and natural materials. Their goal is to save lives.

(2) EZEMMỤỌ, (CHIEF PRIEST OF AN ORACLE)

They are also referred to as the mouthpiece or eyes of the gods. These are a set of people which we also refer to as DIBỊA. They serve as mediators between the people and the oracles. They offer sacrifices to the gods and the Oracle, and alert the leadership of the people when things are going bad in the society, eg: when an abominable act is perpetrated either in the secret or openly.

(3) DIBỊA OWUMMIRI

They are the mediator between the water goddesses and man. These are special sections of DIBỊAs whose works comprise reaching out to the river goddesses and gods, and helping people with issues relating to water spirits like ọgbanje and in ụwa problems. They can offer sacrifices and mediate between the person involved and the spirits in other to bring solutions.

(4) DIBỊA MGBA AFA

Which in English language can be referred to as diviners, soothsayers, fortune tellers, shamans, all kinds of seers, etc. They are specialists in every spiritual inquiry. When you approach them with your problems, what they do is consult the spirit of the ancestors which will reveal to them, the cause of the problem and what can be done for a permanent solution. Sometimes, they have limited powers in solving a particular problem, so they might direct you to a higher power or can also go in your name, and in the end, the goal is to get the solution.

(5) DIBỊA NHA MMIRI

They are rainmakers in English term. Rain doctors are the people that possess the power to control rain and wind. They can cause the wind to blow, make it rain, and can also stop the rain. They possess the natural/spiritual /scientific knowledge of doing this. They have the power to cause the wind to blow, shift rainfall from one direction to another or stop it from falling at a particular location at a particular time, (ịchụ mmiri) and some can only make rain fall, but cannot control or stop rain from falling (Ịha mmiri). There are ones that have the power to carry out both (NDỊ NA ACHỤ MA NA AHAKWA MMIRI).

I mentioned earlier that there are people who are divinely chosen by the spirit to serve them in each field, and one can also acquire this knowledge by staying close to a DIBỊA or serving as an apprentice to a DIBỊA.

Though one person, sometimes can be divinely blessed with all this knowledge in totality, I want us to have this understanding that there are differences between them. There are some DIBỊA that can only give medicines and heal sicknesses but cannot predict anything, and such people are called for that purpose only. There are some that specialize in predictions, fortune-telling, or any kind of igba afa, but they cannot heal sickness.

In rainmaking/doctoring, I know some rain doctors that can only bring rain down but cannot stop or control the rain. And there are some that have the power to control both. In the Igbo setting, all these people are recognized in their various fields.

This teaching becomes very important not for ordinary people, but for those who are serving humanity as DIBỊAS today, in our society. Few bad eggs have destroyed the legacies of our ancestors in this field. People must understand that being a DIBỊA is never a license to kill or to perpetrate all kinds of atrocities, thereby causing pain and sorrow to people. Rather, being a DIBỊA is a call to serve and save a life, to heal, teach, and uplift the people among others with every positivity.

Yes, I understand anyone that possesses the knowledge of what saves, must have the idea of what kills and how to defend one's self from evil adversaries. This is about having the knowledge of negative and positive. About balance. But the right thing is that you must be positive, hence life is involved. I urge Dibịas to guard their natural gifts securely and very well while observing their nsọ agwụ as people come close to them to tap, exploit, and harness their power and spiritual abilities.

They told you all the negative sides of the African healing process and the DIBỊA, but you never asked them about the positive sides? Do you believe that DIBỊAs or native doctors are bad due to some bad eggs among them, that are often negative in their practice, the ones who have had their AGWỤ corrupted? But you have not asked yourself who is responsible for the creation of some deadly diseases like Ebola, SARS, Lassa fever, HIV and Aids, Covid-19, etc?

African spirituality is never an evil practice the way western religion, western education, Western media, and some bad eggs amongst us have made it look. It is all about being positive and always maintaining positive vibrations.
Before western psychiatric treatment came to Africa, Africans have been treating psychiatric-related cases including the madness of all sorts.

Before western ways of health care service and delivery came to Africa, Africans have been enjoying good health, good medications through natural products, and spirituality.

Every poison has its antidote, every sickness has its cure in African ways of healing, and every problem has a remedy.

Credit: To all genuine Dibịas.

Nice writeup.

As you're trying to make peace between the miseducated ones and the traditionalists, may you never lack peace and prosperity in your life.

O ga abalu gi.