Henry Ajudua's Obiship: Read How the Iba Nitchi Rite and Practices of the Enuani People are Conducted.

- Emeka Esogbue

Recently, the splendor of Obiship culture of Asaba, Ibusa, Okpanam, Illah and Okwe - Enuani communities of Anioma has been unveiled to global lovers of culture.

The five communities named above have a culture of what Anioma historians have come to know as "Multiple Obi System"

The Multiple Obi System is a stage of aristocratic civilization obtained in the socio-anthropological conduct of the people and is practiced in the Enuani communities of Asaba, Ibusa, Okpanam, Illah, and Okwe.

Beyond the five Oshimili settlements, the civilization is an organized culture on the scale of Anioma social innovation; actually, a system of social development which once segregated the nobility from the commoners.

This system of Obiship is not known to exist anywhere. As a result, this Enuani culture has developed via the people's collaborative efforts. As we hear of the Aztec civilizations and Efik civilizations, we hear of Anioma civilization in the sense of Multiple Obi Systems.

The fattening room practice, which keeps women and teenage girls away from their friends, social activities, and other tasks, is determined by one of the Efik civilizations. But this discourse is about the Iba Nitchi of the Anioma people.

Since the Henry Ajudua's Obiship ceremony and ongoing initiation rites, curiosity on the Obiship system of the Ibusa, Asaba, Okpanam, Illah and Okwe has been aroused among cultural enthusiasts with attention channeled to the age-long practice of the people.

Many individuals have asked to see an outline of the definition of the Iba Nitchi ceremony of obiship.

The second step of the ceremonies of the obiship, known as Iba Nitchi, demands the applicant to spend twenty-one days in a form of cultural solitary confinement.

The Iba Nitchi Obiship rite may take different forms in different Enuani communities, but in general, the rite involves isolating the victim for 21 days, keeping him alone with the exception of a trusted helper who will prepare food and other necessities for him. A female must have reached the menopausal stage in certain instances, however a male may also serve as such an assistant.

He will be given instructions on how to follow certain regulations by the specific Obi who will welcome him into the Itchi. Such cultural norms will not be discussed because they are outside the scope of this discussion.

Itchi's main purpose is to purify his soul and get ready to travel to Udoh Ground, where he will return as Obi after carrying out certain rites in the middle of the night. It is expected that the candidate will not shave his hair, cut his nails or meet a woman.

In the belief of the people, not everyone returns from the Udoh ground because it is a very sacred ground. This is the reason the candidate for the obliging must leave himself in a clean spiritual state.

In many Enuani communities, the customary instrument used to accompany the candidate to the Udoh ground is the Usheh. The Ushe is heard on the ground for the first time, and then it is raised till the community's yearly festival is announced.

The Usheh itself is a male (bass) and female (treble). It is when the Obi dies that this Usheh will be broken. However, it is important to note that although the rite has been preserved in full in five of these Enuani communities, it has also been diluted in a few of them.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Obi Dr. Henry Ajudua II for igniting public interest and presenting the long-standing Enuani Obiship culture to the globe.