The Significance of Deities in the Contemporary Nsukka Northern Igboland

ABSTRACT The Igbo have embraced Christianity and civilization which have displaced the traditional religion in its organized form yet the traditional religious beliefs and practices still rule the minds of many Igbo Christians. One of such beliefs and practices that have survived the onslaught of the forces of change in Igboland is the belief in deities. Deities though in retreat are very much alive. The average Igbo Christian would not normally participate in the public worship of deities but would resort to deities for help when difficult life situations such as illnesses, misfortunes, deaths, barrenness, present themselves for solutions. Above all, the deities are still invoked as adjudicators on serious issue like undetected crime, land disputes, identification of witches and sorcerers. This work argues that in spite of the socio-cultural and religious transformations that have taken place in Igbo society deities which Christianity and modernity have condemned still rule the minds of the products of these agents of change. The failure of these agents of change to address the realities of the Igbo life results in ambivalent, syncretism and distorted life among the Igbo.The Okija shrine saga revealed that deities’ regime in Igboland is not yet over. This revelation in one out of so many of such practices that takes place in so many shrines all over the country at a time Christianity and civility should rule the minds of the people. Against this backdrop, this work addresses itself to the problem. This is achieved through the phenomenological approach using the tool of historical – analytical methods. This work seeks to fuse the two worlds which hitherto rule the lives of the Igbo into one single reality wherein the Igbo hold on to a single value system.