INTRODUCTION
Mmonwu
is an ancestral cult of the Igbo tribe of Nigeria which gives a profound sense
of priority to the dead over the living. This particular system affirms the
belief of the Igbo people in Life after death. It posits death not in the light
of total annihilation but a bridge to a different kind of life. This system is
closely related and necessarily tied to the Igbo belief in ancestral communion.
The afterlife in Igbo tradition is the realm of the spiritual beings; however
there are two categories of spiritual being in Igbo ontological understanding:
those created as such or those that emanated and those who were once human. The
ancestral cult belongs to the second category.[1]
THE MMONWU ANCESTRAL CULT
The
mmonwu cult is an ontological association in communion with the ancestors. The Igbos
man believe the ancestors have the power to make better or worse the life of
their relations on earth; they can bring fortune or misfortune depending on how
the living relations regard them.[2] lma
mmonwu is the initiation of young boys into the masquerade cult. Among the lgbos,
the mmonwu is the representative of the ancestors, and in this patrilineal
society, it is predominantly a male cult. All initiated men are sworn to
secrecy during this ritual, and from a very early age, young boys learn the
secrets and mysteries that transform them into mature and fully integrated Igbo
men. Thus “ima mmonwu” which is a ritual entrance into the mmonwu ancestral
cult is regarded as the beginning of the manhood journey of an individual in
the Igbo culture. It is the first ticket to the process of becoming an
ancestor, because anyone who is not initiated into the ancestral cult in his
life here on earth cannot be an ancestor or associate with the ancestors in the
life after. It is therefore a mandatory ritual because it is the gateway to the
advancement to the other stages of life. For instance, after this ritual, the
fathers give their sons the first yam seedlings to start establishing themselves.
The
ima mmonwu ritual involves a series of overnight activities. It starts with the
gathering of the young men to be initiated at the village square where the
introductory rituals are done by the eldest member of the mmonwu ancestral
cult, and then they proceed to the mmonwu ancestral forest. It is forbidden for
women to come out at the village square on this night, or to tread the mmonwu
ancestral forest. This is because the mmonwu ancestral cult is highly gender
sensitive. The second part of the ritual can be conducted by any member of the
cult, while other members, as much as possible, are to be present while the
ritual takes place. Basically on the second part of the ritual, the skills and
ability to persevere under strain and stress, of the young men being initiated,
are put to the test, and most especially their courage to conquer fear is
tested. In most cases, the young men are confronted by the most dangerous of
the ancestral representatives, usually in a masquerade form. Finally the young
men are taken through a concluding ritual rite and are sworn to secrecy.
THE MMONWU ANCESTRAL CULT,
ANCESTORS AND LIFE AFTER DEATH
The
ranking in the Mmonwu ancestral cult is based on who got initiated first and
not based on age. A Seventeen years old young man who is initiated first will
rank higher that a twenty years old man. The mmonwu does not beat a person who
is initiated to the mmonwu cult because by virtue of his initiation, he has
identified with the ancestors, if in any case the mmonwu beats a person
initiated to the cult; it is regarded as a greeting. This is similar to the
ranking of the ancestors; they are ranked not by who died first, but who was
given a proper burial first. Thus, when libations are poured to the ancestors,
they are called to partake according to who was properly buried first, and in
that sequence. However, Eke, Orie, Afor, and Nkwo are regarded as the greatest
ancestors of the Igbo, and that’s why when the ancestors of the Igbos are to be
mentioned, Eke, Orie, Afor and Nkwo are first called. This system accounts for
why some elders instruct their children to bury them immediately after their
death and not to put them in mortuary.
Death,
although a dreaded event, is perceived as the beginning of a person’s deeper
relationship with all of creation, the complementing of life and the beginning
of the communication between the visible and the invisible worlds. The goal of
life is thus to become an ancestor after death. This is why it is necessary for
every dead individual to be given a proper and traditional burial, so that the
spirit may rest in peace and have a right in the land of the living dead in the
afterlife, else the person’s may be a wandering spirit, and thus won’t have the
benefits of being an ancestor. Proper burial is also for the purpose of
securing a safe passage for the dead to the afterlife.
The
ancestral cult and belief in life after death are instrumental components of
the Igbo culture, this influences the community in a high degree. The
relationship between the ancestral cult and life after death, throws light on
the phenomenon of death and its role in life. These systems of belief are all
rooted in the existence of ancestors. This basically promotes a traditional
belief that death does not presuppose a complete annihilation, thus, death is
not an end in itself. These sets of beliefs are materialized and practiced in
the mmonwu ancestral cult. Thus mmonwu is said to be a representation of the
ancestors, playing an intermediary role between the living and the dead.
CONCLUSION
The
ancestral cult has the ontological monopoly over the traditional knowledge with
regards to the meaning of life and death. They watch over the community, and
pass judgment to the evil ones. The mmonwu comes out at special times like
festive period, thereby making the ancestors partake in the celebrations of the
living. With the ancestral cults, the Igbos believe that man does not die but
rather transcends to a higher realm of life. The mmonwu is a symbol and an
embodiment of customs and traditions that is vital to the norms and conventions
of religious or social life of a community, guiding the society in a cyclical
belief through the ancestral spirits.[3]
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mbiti
J.S. African religion and philosophy,
double day company, Inc, New York 1969.
Global Journal of Arts,
Humanities and Social Sciences Vol.7,
No. 8, pp.17-23, September 2019
Chinelo
Eze, west African ancestral cults shows
the belief in life after death, 18/10/2020
https://t.guardian.ng/life/west-african-ancestral-cults-shows-the-belief-in-life-after-death/
[1] Mbiti J.S. African religion and philosophy, double day company, Inc, New York 1969, 97.
[2] Global Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Vol.7, No. 8, pp.17-23, September 2019
[3] Chinelo Eze, west African ancestral cults shows the belief in life after death,
18/10/2020 https://t.guardian.ng/life/west-african-ancestral-cults-shows-the-belief-in-life-after-death/
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