Everything You Need to Know About Ihembosi!
Our goal with this series is to help Igbo descents worldwide reconnect with their roots and gain a clearer understanding of who they are.
Do you know the name of your town and village? What kindred your family belongs to, both maternally and paternally? How did your surname come to be, and what stories shape your cultural identity?
We hope this series inspires you to explore, document, and preserve your history for generations to come. Enjoy!
Ihembosi Town Overview
Ihembosi is an Igbo community located in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. It shares borders with towns such as Ozubulu, Okija, and Ukpor.
Main Villages in Ihembosi
Ihembosi is made up of eight villages. In their order of seniority:
Umuabo
Umunakwa
Uhualo
Otukwe
Onucha
Chiekenta
Ubahu
Umuohi
Names of Deities
The principal deity recognized across Ihembosi is called Ubu. It is primordially linked to the primary water deity of the town called Ubu.
Names of Rivers
Rivers and Streams in Ihembosi include: Mmili Ubu, Mmili Ulasi.
The major river for the Ihembosi people is called Mmili Ubu. This river has great spiritual and environmental importance for them.
Main Market Day
The main market day in Ihembosi is Eke. There is a popular market square called Eke Ihembosi, and it is usually filled with bustling market activities on Eke day. Eke market day is highly revered by the people of Ihembosi, and no ceremonies (no burials or marriage ceremonies) are allowed on Eke day.
Major Festivals
Major festivals that take place in Ihembosi include:
Iri-Ji (New Yam Festival) is held annually on the last Saturday in the month of September.
Igba-Asala Festival is held annually. This festival comes before the Iri-Ji festival for the Ihembosi people. After the Asala Festival, the Iri-Ji can then be celebrated.
Ubochi Ihembosi is a day set aside every year for the people of Ihembosi to come together in celebration of their heritage.
Masquerades
In Ihembosi, the Igbo term for masquerades (Mmonwu) specifically refers to a highly revered masquerade cult called Ozoebule/Ozoebunu.
Other prominent masquerades in Ihembosi include:
Angamana (the most senior of all Ihembosi masquerades)
Odogwu d’ike
Agaba
Onyikodoro
Enyikaenyi
Aghabuokwu
Communal Taboos
Killing of Eke (python). If a person is caught killing a python, the person must give full burial rites to the python or they could be banished.
Killing of Agwo-Aka (green snake)
Incest
Stealing of yam
Cutting down another person’s plantain tree
Founder of Ihembosi Town & History
According to oral history, Ihembosi, the founder of the town, was the first son of a man named Achara Ogidi. When his father, Achara Ogidi, wanted to spread to other unoccupied lands, Ihembosi refused. He said he felt at home in the land where he was born. This made Achara Ogidi take his other sons (Okija, Ihiala, and Uli) to the areas now known by their names. The implication of this, is that the people of Ihembosi, Okija, Ihiala (especially the part called Mbosi), and Uli are ancestrally linked.
Occupation They Are Known For
The major occupation of the Ihembosi indigenes and residents is farming, especially the growing of yams.
Local Government Area
Ihembosi is a part of Ekwusigo Local Government Area, in present day Anambra State.
Did we miss any key details or get something mixed up? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
What else do you know about Ihembosi that isn’t covered here? Let us know below. Daalu!
Sources:
Chief Eze-Anyim Ofondu na Ihembosi (Obi of Eze-Anyim).
Research Credit:
Chinualumogu
