It was around mid-day, our attention was rivetted on a royal fortress – the ‘Òlógbóò-Àtá’ (Palace of the Ata-Igala) Ídá. Situated on the summit of a cliff, the palace overlooks the River Niger – which Igala native speakers call ‘Òhìmìnì fufu,’ as it makes its way southward, heading progressively to the Atlantic Ocean into which it empties its watery baggage. Behind the Ọdọgọ Cliff, which stands at a towering height shy of 190 feet […]
Welcome back, Ki-gala.com
Welcome back, ki-gala.com We are awfully sorry to announce that our Igala studies website, https://www.ki-gala.com, is back on the Internet. We had some technical issues but are glad to say we have put that behind us. You, our esteemed visitors, are welcome back to the website. While on break, certain happenings have taken place around the world and our nation. On the international scene, the Ukrainian war still lingers and has precipitated hikes in food […]
The Psychology of African Royal Cognomens
Merriam Webster Dictionary (1828) defines ‘cognomen’ as a “distinguishing nickname or epithet.” In several cultures of the world, boys that have just attained puberty are likely to seek attention, particularly from their female counterparts. Their innate AGM (Attention-Getting Mechanism) triggers the adolescence crushes that they exhibit, including taking ego-massaging nick-names. An excited teenage boy is wont to declare: “Òmi àkpòlì” (I, the tempest). Another may take the appellation of “Ọ̀kákwū” (Hippopotamus) or “Ọ̀nyẹ̀” (Crocodile). All […]
Ócho Festival: Origin, Facts and Features
Ócho Festival celebration dates back to the Middle Ages when Àtá Ìdoko Agánápojè – father of Àtá Áyẹ́gbà, founder of the ruling Third Igala Dynasty in Central Nigeria – was out hunting one day and lost his way in the bush. His followers searched everywhere but could not find him “till nearly nightfall.” The following day, he sent a message to his wives and retainers, saying: “It is not right that nothing should be done to mark the occasion, or that […]
Culture: Feast of the First Fruits
Since ancient times, the Igala race have routinely offered the ‘First Fruits’ of their farm-work as a sacrifice to their ancestors during the Égwú Festival. Similarly, the ancient Greek, Roman and Hebrew were known to present, through a priest, the ‘First Fruits’ of their agricultural yields. This practice underscores their commitment to ancestor veneration as a cardinal principle of the Igala Traditional Religion (ITR), which the call Ògwùchẹ́kwọ̀.