Kachi Amobi II

Kachi's Commentaries

The Biblical 40-Year Exodus and its Connection to the Igbo Understanding Of 𝘜𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘶 (Morning Time)

Welcome back.
In the previous commentary, we looked into the morning greeting "𝘜𝘯𝘶 𝘈𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘴ị𝘬𝘸𝘢" (did you all survive the night?), and how it emerged from events linked to the ninth plague of Egypt circa 1146 BC.

Today, we will unravel another biblical reality that is encoded within the word "𝘜𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘶" meaning morning in Igbo.

Historical and Theological Context of the word 𝘜𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘶

Our context today picks up where we left off — the Pre-Exodus to Exodus era of Hebrew history. This period happens to be a foundational phase of Hebrew history, as events in this era shape the entire understanding and existence of the Hebrew people, whether in Judea or Alaigbo.

After YHVH punishes the Egyptians (and Israelites) in the ninth plague and strikes down Egypt's firstborns in the final plague, the Israelites are allowed to leave their captivity.

The journey to the Promised Land is actually a few weeks at most — Egypt and Canaan are neighbouring territories — but this brief trip later morphs into a 40-year interregnum in the wilderness during which YHVH reorganises Israel theologically, spiritually, and structurally.

A few reasons for this 40-year wait are necessarily spelt out:

Firstly, the Israelites who left Egypt — especially the older generation — are still subservient to Egypt's deities, despite all the consuming wonders YHVH has shown to them during the ten plagues of Egypt.
If the group was immediately allowed to enter Canaan, the new nation would have quickly become a mini-Egypt, which would have been an unforgivable disaster in God's sight.

Furthermore, their minds and psyches had become weakened by slavery and their numbers were disorganised; they stood no chance against any nation if there were to be hostilities.

For these reasons and more, a trip of a few weeks became a long stay in the wilderness.

In this wilderness/exodus era, YHVH institutionalises the Sabbath. The Sabbath is today marked as a compulsory day of rest in Igbo tradition, during which no work must be done.

Also, in this space of time, God gives the Israelites the foundational laws of Judaism — dietary laws, purity laws, etc — which he cautions them not to forget. In Alaigbo today, the religious teachings of YHVH in the wilderness now form the core of pure Igbo tradition known as 𝘖𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘢.

But aside from the above, the Israelites also needed sustenance. While camped in the wilderness, they had no territory of theirs. And if they were to till the soil and wait for harvest, they would be much distracted from their religious learning.

So to bypass this logistical encumbrance, YHVH sent down manna every morning — direct heavenly sustenance from Father to children — for 40 good years.

This 4-decade miracle would establish in their consciousness the need for picking up, gathering, or collecting their daily sustenance every morning.

Quite naturally, an epoch-making event like this could not have passed without leaving a mark — the very idea of morning time became tied to the reality of picking, gathering up, and collecting which in the Igbo language is known as Tutu! Hence, the word for morning, 𝘜𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘶.

Of further interest is the fact that the Igbo word Tutu is rendered strikingly close to the exact word for gathering/picking up in ancient Egyptian, which is Twtw. This further reinforces the understanding that the Israelites/Igbo people of that era were Egyptian-influenced in their expression.

So, from the Exodus era of Hebrew history, the Igbo people got, amongst several things, their word for morning time being 𝘜𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘶 — the word emerging from the idea of the morning time being the time for gathering and collecting their daily sustenance.

By Kachi Amobi

Short Notes on the Igbo Clans Part 2

By Kachi Amobi

Anioma

Ika

Westernmost territory of Igboland. Thence, you cross into Edo/Idu. The Ika have had a close mingling with Edo such that some have developed identity crises. But many hold on tight to their Igbo heritage.

Aniocha/Oshimili

Igbo groups also found in Anioma who have very good rapport with the Igbos of other states. In this area, you find the Asaba people who in earlier times were very brutish in claiming stretches of the Niger River closest to their community. They are however much adapted to civility today.

Here also, you find Oko kingdom (just opposite Onitsha across the river) where Christianity would have taken root if it didn't happen in Onitsha. The missionaries considered both for a while but ultimately decided to settle at Onitsha.

Igbanke

Home of the international artiste, Rema. The area is Igboland but currently carved into Edo state. They are under the Ika grouping.

Ukwuani

The tribal name for a group of communities who are deeply integrated into the Olu riverine culture. They are populous and have a territory that stretches deep into Bayelsa state, with royal and ancestral ties connecting them to the Nembe people who paid homage to the Aboh throne in times past.

The king of Aboh (Ọnọnaeze Obị Ọssaị) was so popular and powerful in the early 1800s that he was widely known as the King of the Igbos. This influence was tied to the fact that he could block the entire trade going up or down the Niger River at any point around Aboh with more than 200 canoes armed to the hilt. The Ijaws feared him greatly.

Aboh's prominence and by extension Ukwani's, would later decline in the following centuries.

Kachi Amobi

Short Notes on the Igbo Clans Part 1

Abia State

Ngwa
Linked to the Mbaise clan in neighbouring Imo state, who they consider the remaining part of their general migratory group.

Abiriba/Ohafia/Arochukwu
Abiriba and Ohafia, alongside Abam and Edda (now in Ebonyi state), formed an alliance of warrior-raiders who sacked communities and took captives and loot. Arochukwu, their sibling community and religious capital, handled the business end of the dealings.

Ndoki
An Igbo group who are a convergence of several populations. A part of the history links to Ngwa, another part links to Oguta, as well as other places in the Igbo hinterland.

Anambra State

Onitsha
Foremost riverside town in older times and today an economic powerhouse of the entire Igboland. Onitsha, along with neighbouring communities, Obosi and Ogidi, made up what we can call the triad of troubles. They fought long wars, on and off, for decades. Christianity quenched the tendency to make war.

Awka
Masters of the metalworks who attained renown far beyond the borders of Igboland. By precolonial Igboland, their organisation had already begun to show noticeable advancement in comparison to their neighbours. They were also well travelled and tended to pick up foreign trends way before any other community.

Omambala
An expansive grouping of related clans and dialects forming a sizeable part of the Igbo central area. From Aguleri, spreading out to Nsugbe, Nando, Anam, into Ayamelum LGA, stretching out further and incorporating Ogbunike, Nteje, Awkuzu, etc into a Greater Omambala cultural complex.

Umunri/Njikoka
Umunri houses the spiritual communities of Nawfia, Enugu Ukwu, Agukwu Nri, etc, and is also part of the Igbo cultural and traditional centre. Further outwards, the lineages of Nimo, Eziowelle, Abagana, etc, are bound to the Umunri cluster in an overall classification known as Njikoka.

And many others.

By Kachi Amobi

Clans and Dialects in Igboland, as presented by Igbo Voices 📸

Kachi's Commentaries

𝘜𝘯𝘶 𝘈𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘴ị𝘬𝘸𝘢: How YHVH's Judgment Birthed A Peculiar Morning Greeting Amongst The Igbo People

Welcome back.
In the last commentary, we talked about the historical founding of the title Olịsa, and its emergence within the Pre-Exodus era/ten plagues of Egypt circa 1146 BC.

During the plagues, YHVH would execute judgment on the occult superpower Egypt. From river god Hapi to sun god Ra, none was spared - not the economy, not the gods, nothing; to the effect of stunning the neighbouring nations of that era.

The title Olịsa (fully, O lịsị ha in Modern Igbo — approaching 𝘏𝘶 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘮 in Old Hebrew), which means "He who has devoured/consumed them" was thereafter coined by the Israelites of that era as a memorial of these events Pre-Exodus. Today, their descendants number the communities in most of Central Igboland.

But beyond the general knowledge usually recounted in connection to the ten plagues, there is a lesser known scenario within the 9th plague that holds great significance for all Israelites (Alaigbo/Judea) — even if the two groups have vastly differing perceptions on how this specific event played out.

For the Igbo, they have no direct memory of the event in question. The only evidence that it was indeed a key part of their history is a culturally coded enquiry in the morning.
For the Jews, the full knowledge of it is recorded and accessible on request.

So what happened during the 9th plague, and how does it connect to the discussion?

In biblical account (Exodus 10:21-29), it is recorded that a profound darkness falls upon Egypt such that no Egyptian can rise from where he sits. No means of lighting, either by fire or any other derivation, works for three days. But the Israelites can see and therefore go about their activities without any hitches.

That's all the text says.

Whilst the effect of this plague is deeply profound to the Egyptian mind, there is something extra going on within the camp of the Israelites concurrently — the details of which produce a powerful intersection between Igbo identity and Jewish history.

● The Extra Information

While the Egyptians were terrorised by the plague of darkness and remained immobilised for days, Hebrew folklore teaches that YHVH uses this period to carry out a great purge within the communities of the Israelites.

To this effect, the darkness of the ninth plague is, in fact, partly a cover, so the Egyptians cannot see the punitive action of God against the Israelites.

In that interval of days, for every night breaking into a new morning, YHVH eliminates Israelites who had been damaged beyond repair by Egyptian lifestyle. These numbers include those who were too deep into the worship of Egyptian gods, those who had become accustomed to the absurdity of their existence in Egypt, those who had come to love Egypt more than their promised homeland, those who held onto Egypt because they had become men of status and recognition, etc

To explain summarily, those who had lost touch with their Hebrew heritage and consequently developed identity crises were calmly slain by YHVH every new day. In some narrations, the number is as high as 4 in 5 people, making up a staggering 80% of Israelites in total. It was a great purge hidden from the Egyptians by the plague of darkness.

The reason for this purge is simple. The Israelites HAD TO BE united in their will to leave Egypt. There couldn't be readily waiting saboteurs in the midst. There couldn't be unwilling stragglers. There couldn't be a carryover of Egyptian idolatry into the Promised Land. There also couldn't be any unwilling Israelites left behind in Egypt, or else the Exodus (movement of the people) would have been a failure.

So, YHVH judging this number of unwilling Israelites to be saboteurs of the covenant and "Israelites who were wicked at heart," (according to Jewish tradition) He eliminated them during the plague of darkness and their remains were buried in Egypt.

This event, however, etched an indelible mark on the mind of the Hebrews of that era and is (interestingly) still recounted by the Jews today within the contexts of moral and religious instruction.
Essentially, one group (the Jews) kept the story while the other (the Igbos) kept the cultural reflex.

During the event in question, members of the Israelite communities would enquire of their neighbours if the members of their household had all emerged safely from the night.
Even after the plague, the fear of going in for the night and not emerging by morning stuck with the people for a long time afterwards. In this manner, the regular morning greeting (Ịbọgo/Boker Tov) became supplanted by a reflexive morning enquiry.

In conclusion, after the Israelites witnessed the destruction of Egypt's "great" gods, the surviving and willing Israelites would give YHVH the glorious title, Olịsa.
But the great purge of that era, carried out by YHVH Himself, would leave a sober remnant in the hearts of the people — which in today's context is rendered as the area-specific morning greeting "Unu Aputasịkwa" - 𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦?

By Kachi Amobi

Kachi's Commentaries

Olisa (O lisi ha): An Israelite Title for God

A few commentaries ago, we looked into the traditional title Ezechitoke Abiama Ura and its origins in early Israelite history.
Previous to that, we had investigated and established the historical background of the title Osebuluwa (which is sometimes wrongly confused with Olisa).

Following in that vein, we now consider the title Olisa and its origins in the Biblical-era history circa 1446 BC.

Continuing from our last point of reference — the Exodus/Conquest era — we resume flight.

The Exodus/Conquest Era

This era in Hebrew history details the movement of the Israelites from Egypt and the subsequent Conquest of Canaan 40 years later.

Having crossed the Jordan River on dry land (to the shock of the watching Canaanite communities), the Israelites (or Igbos if you like) were now faced with the prospect of battling the Canaanite city of Jericho.

It is in this first engagement (the Battle of Jericho) that God Himself appears as a military leader holding a drawn sword. Joshua 5:14 records the LORD saying, "...as Captain of the Host of the Lord am I now come."

The LORD was present and ready to PERSONALLY see to the conquering of Canaan and handing over of the land — Abraham's inheritance — to the Israelites. A high-priority event, especially one linked directly to Father Abiama, needed God Himself on ground!

This epoch-making appearance of God as physical military leader is today coded into Igbo tradition as Ezechitoke Abiama Ura — The military leader who handed over the inheritance of Abraham of Ur.

The Conquest of Canaan was, however, the concluding part of a three-part series that began in Egypt 40 years earlier. The sequence of events was: Pre-Exodus, Exodus, then Conquest.

The Pre-Exodus period precisely holds the key to understanding the traditional Igbo title Olisa.

Contextual Origin of the title Olisa

41 years before the Conquest of Canaan, the Israelites were yet in slavery, under the bo***ge of Egypt.
Now, to properly illustrate: Egypt was the political, economic, religious, and occult superpower of the entire world at that time. Egypt was a living wonder and a feared spectacle before all nations.
It is in this same Egypt that the Israelites found themselves bearing the brunt of slavery with no chance of escape whatsoever.

Added to the above, the Israelites, having stayed centuries in Egypt, had become deeply corrupted spiritually - they now served, revered, and feared the occult powers of their masters' gods.

Something had to be done. The Israelites were due to leave Egypt, but they couldn't carry the fear, reverence, and worship of Egypt's gods into the Promised Land. So, a re-education was set in motion by YHVH.

To re-educate the Israelites, YHVH, the Eternal God, commenced an illustrative step-by-step destruction of the great world-power Egypt — its political power, its economy, and particularly its occult powers and gods.

Before the eyes of the Igbo ancestors, YHVH brought His judgment to bear.
First, He destroyed Hapi and Osiris, who were connected to the great Nile River.
Next, Chukwu Abiama disgraced the goddess Heqet.

After that, God disgraced the deity known as Geb. Next, He descended on Hathor and Apis, and after that, Sekhmet and Isis.
From one deity to the next, God coolly and intentionally dished out a severe thrashing while the people watched.

Moving forward, he demolished the gods Nut and Set and ensured nothing green was left in the land of Egypt.

For the last illustration, YHVH dealt a reeling blow to the most powerful deity of them all: Ra, the sun god. For 3 days, YHVH held back the light of the sun over Egypt and every other light they tried to use. Egypt, the supreme power of its time, was brought to a standstill.

After this was completed, Chukwu Abiama remembered the pride of Pharaoh, who thought himself a man-god. In the dead of the night, YHVH went through all of Egypt, and every house that had not smeared the blood of the lamb on its doorpost had its firstborn son slain.

With the slaying of the Egyptian heir to the throne, Pharaoh was reduced to what he really was: a mere mortal whose son could be taken in a second.

All of this happened right before the eyes of the Israelites, who had feared the gods of Egypt. The destruction of their masters' gods was total and complete, and awestruck nations far and wide recounted the ordeal long after it had passed.

The world superpower, the occult capital of the universe, Egypt, was reduced to dust, ashes, and mourning.

In their amazement, the Israelites declared that the God of their fathers had devoured — not just defeated, but DEVOURED — all the gods of Egypt. From river god to sky god, all were conquered and deconstructed wholly and thoroughly.

The Igbo ancestors, being firsthand witnesses to this, would carry on a recognition of this great event for millennia to come. They would remember their God as the ULTIMATE CONQUEROR and instructively encode His identity into Igbo tradition as Olịsa (fully, O lịsị ha or O lịsị ha ncha) — HE WHO HAS DEVOURED THE ENTIRE PANTHEON OF ANCIENT EGYPT.

by Kachi Amobi

Behind every Igbo greeting is a cultural and historical message about the people who use it.
Whether
Ịsaala Chị,
Ịbọọla Chị,
Ịputago,
Ịgbapele, etc.

All have an underlying message.

What is the morning greeting in your community?

📸 Suwakwa Igbo

Changes And Improvements To The Igbo Vocabulary 44: The Word Amen

By Kachi Amobi

For many, it would be surprising to see that the popular seal of prayers has entered our focus here. What could be the connection of Amen to the Igbo language?
Well, the connection is much more robust than one could imagine.

Amen in Hebrew comes from a root that is noted as Aleph-Mem-Nun. It is sometimes written this way ('-m-n), and it signifies firmness, certainty, steadfastness, and truth.

It is from this root ('-m-n) that the word Amen emerges, and essentially, it communicates the ideas of:
● It is so
● So be it
● May it be so.

Coming into the Igbo language, the evolution of Hebrew words has been much more expansive due to the lengthier duration of time the language has been spoken (~3600 years unbroken), to the result that one Old Hebrew word can appear split into two or three in Modern Igbo.

A consequence of the above is that in some scenarios, you may need to (re)combine two Igbo words, for example, to get one word or one unit of meaning in Modern Hebrew.

Coming back to Amen, the functional equivalent of this word in Modern Igbo is actually Yamee/Yamenu, which is a phrase that means so be it or may it be so - exactly how it is applied in today's communication.

Relatedly, the idea of "it is so," which is also one meaning of Amen, is in Igbo expressed as Yaamè/Yaamènu (observe the slight difference from Yamee above).

There is also another word that emerges from that root, which is noted as Emunah in Modern Hebrew. Whilst the word may not be immediately recognisable in Igbo, the underlying idea points us to its equivalent still.

Emunah, which means strong faith, refers to a kind of steadfastness that comes from being struck in so deeply that you do not wobble. This explanation brings to mind the Igbo word "ịmanye," which communicates the act of striking in securely (like a staff).

Thus, Emunah for faith in Modern Hebrew is in the Igbo language Mmanye or Ịmanye.
Example: Amanyem na okwukwe Jesu ka-ọtosị amasịlịke n'ana.

Moving on to yet other applications.
In Old Hebrew, the root ('-m-n) is also connected to the ideas of confirming/establishing and nursing.

The ideas of
Amen/Yamee as affirmation,
Emunah/Imanye as faith,
Confirmation, and
Nursing to health,

appear unrelated at first, but there exists an underlying thematic connection as we will see.

In the Modern Igbo language, the idea of establishing a position, claim, or presentation, as valid especially within official circles, is known as ịma akwukwọ. This can sound like "knowing your papers," but correctly, it refers to confirming your credentials/establishing them as true, as in, jee ka-ama akwukwọ gi.

The final act of confirmation is the application of the stamp, which in Igbo is rendered as:
● ịma stampụ,
● amamu stampụ, or
● ịmanye stampụ.

Now, we consider the idea of nursing back to health in the Igbo language. In reality, there are many ways of expressing this idea because nursing a victim can be done in a diverse number of ways.

For example, an Igbo person could say any of the following:

Nlekọta anya - which means to watch or care for the victim.
Ịgwọ ọya - which refers to curing or treating an ailment
Ịgba ọgwu - which means to administer medicine, usually by injection, etc.

All of the above are correct, depending on context.

However, our interest is narrowed to a particular expression, which is also ịma, as above.
Ịma is the most direct way of expressing "nursing" in the context of tending a wound, fever, or distention, especially by massage, compress, or casting. The word communicates the idea of "caring for" or "attending" until the body/body part reestablishes firmness, reliability, and full health.

Kachi Amobi

Names of different birds in the Igbo language. According to Suwakwa Igbo page.

Are chicks called uriom/nwashishi or uyom/ubulu 🤔

Etymology of Igbo Religious Terms

By Kachi Amobi

● Chukwu
This is from the Hebrew wording Rish K*m. Rish refers to head or leader. From Rish/Rishi, we got Chi for leading or leader. K*m means to stand. From K*m, we got Kwu to stand or or be great. Both ideas of standing and greatness are linked in Ancient Hebrew.
Hence, our leader of the greatest standing/God - Chi Ukwu or Chukwu.

● Chineke
This is from the two words Chi/Chukwu and Ke. For Chi/Chukwu (see above). Ke means to create. Keli means to prepare. Both of these words are connected to the Hebrew word Keli, which means a vessel or anything prepared.
So, Chineke - our leader (of the greatest standing) who prepares or creates.

● Mmọ nsọ
This is from the two words Mọri and Sur. Mọri means to die in Latin. Its related word is Mors, meaning death. Coming into the Igbo language in the Roman Era (~ 70 AD), it now means spirit(s), the spirit realm, death, or the dead. From Mọri we get Mmọ/Mọ in Igbo for spirit. Sur in Hebrew means to pull away from, eschew, to draw back, to avoid. From sur we get nsọ and asọ for holy or set apart in Igbo.

● Mmuọ

See above.

● Ndi nna nna ochie
Ochie is gotten from the words Rosh and Rishonim in Hebrew. Rosh means head, leader, and chiefs. Rishonim means ancient, old, ancestors. From these words, we got Ochie/Ichie in Igbo, meaning old, ancestors, ancient leaders, etc. Ochie in itself was Roshie previously, but the r dropped off.
So Nna nna ochie - our ancient fathers or ancestors.

Thanks for reading.

Kachi Amobi