Curiousity Memoirs

By Jude Obuseh  “ Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” Chinua Achebe To the modern Igbo person, Ekwensu is the Igbo word for the Devil. He isn't just a lookalike of Satan, but Satan himself, merely called by a local name. Much like how a cup is referred to as "iko," Ekwensu is seen as the epitome of evil, the antithesis of Chukwu, the supreme God. He represents every imaginable form of wickedness, from the trivial to the downright hideous.  Interestingly, this view is a recent development that has gained popularity in modern interpretations. Originally, Ekwensu was not the chief of evil, the daring rival to Chukwu destined to roast in hell with the humans he possessed on earth.  According to the book "The Ekwensu Semantics and the Igbo Christian Theolinguistics" by P-J Ezeh, the original Igbo usage of Ekwensu did not connote evil. Ekwensu was a god, one among the many worshipped in Igbol...

By Jude Obuseh In Igbo cosmology, Ekwensu is a significant figure, often misinterpreted through the lens of modern religious teachings. 🌌 Ekwensu, designated as the god of bargains, stands as one of the sons of the creator in Igbo mythology, known as Chi-Ukwu, Chukwu, or Chineke. However, contrary to popular belief, Ekwensu is not synonymous with the devil as portrayed in contemporary Christianity. The European incursion into Africa brought with it the imposition of foreign religious ideologies onto indigenous beliefs. 🌍 Upon encountering Igbo cosmology, which lacked the concept of a devil, European missionaries sought to fill this perceived theological void. Aware of the resilience of the Igbo people and their resistance to colonization, they strategically equated Ekwensu with the Christian devil to instill fear and facilitate conversion. Traditionally, Ekwensu held a distinct role in Igbo society. 🛡️ The ancient Igbo invoked his spirit in times of war or when engaging ...