“No religion is superior”: history, culture, politics and heritage preservations of Ogwugwu Mmiri deity
Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development
ISSN: 2044-1266
Article publication date: 18 August 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The main objective of this research is to interrogate the cultural and historical significance of deities in Igbo land, using the Ogwugwu Mmiri deity in Okija as a case study. The study presents evidence that the Ogwugwu Mmiri in Okija has helped preserve the Igbo cultural heritage and traditional values, norms and precepts, which counters the narrative that Christianity undermined these aspects of Igbo society in the past.
Design/methodology/approach
The research on the Ogwugwu Mmiri deity in Okija centered its discussion on the Okija community in the present-day Anambra State, Southeastern Nigeria. The research relied on qualitative methodology through the participant observation method. Primary and secondary sources of data were used to interpret the study area. The researchers visited the research site and maintained the Covid-19 protocol during the interview sessions.
Findings
The study reveals that Africans practiced religion prior to the arrival of missionaries and challenges the prevailing notion that colonial religions erased the indigenous beliefs of the Igbo people. By examining the worship of the Ogwugwu Mmiri deity, the research observes that the community has embraced a dual religious system, where both Christian and traditional worshipers revere the deity. However, the study concludes that the deity's existence in Okija was not impacted by the government's invasion in 2004.
Originality/value
The traditions, beliefs, customs and norms of a society reflect past events and guide daily interactions with the environment. This is exemplified by the historical discourse surrounding the Ogwugwu Mmiri deity in the Okija community, where the deity's activities align with Christian beliefs and norms. The research demonstrates how young people and indigenous inhabitants protect and preserve their cultural heritage and traditions from external influences.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the management of the National Archives Enugu, especially Mrs. Omulu, for hospitality in the archival documentation of the research. Special thanks to Dr Uche Okonkwo, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History and International Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for references and commitment to reading the draft of this research. Also, the authors sincerely thank the editor and reviewers for their scholarly observations and comments. Warm regards to the authors’ Okija, Nsukka and Onitsha respondents during the fieldwork.
Citation
Isiani, M.C., Chukwudebelu, B. and Onyishi, U. (2023), "“No religion is superior”: history, culture, politics and heritage preservations of
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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