According to Ndi Ichie Akwa Mythology and Folklore Origins of the Igbos, Ikenga was the son of Ngwu, and was a bold warrior and fantastic wrestler. He was reputed with the ability of flying from one Iroko tree to another.
Before I talk about the Legendary Ikenga let’s check out what the Ikenga wood carving mean among the igbos.
Ikenga (Igbo literal meaning “strength of movement”) is a horned Alusi found among the Igbo people in southeastern Nigeria. It is one of the most powerful symbols of the Igbo people and the most common cultural artifact.
These figures, ikenga (meaning ‘place of strength’), are found across Igboland and are associated with the worship of one’s right hand, aka ikenga (the Igbo believe that the right hand represents a male’s source of power, economic success and physical prowess as it is in the right that that he holds his hoe, sword and tools of workmanship).
Ikengafigures are also used to store the owner’s chi (personal god), his ndichie (ancestors) and his ike (power).
Placed in personal shrines, ikenga figures are worshiped and honoured with offerings and sacrifices before any Igbo male completes a goal. Through these sacrifices, it is hoped that the spirit of the owner’s right hand will enable him be successful in his endeavours.
Ikenga figures are found in a variety of styles, the size and form usually being an indication of owner status. There are three main types of ikenga; 1) ikenga madu (fully developed human figure with horns, seated on a stool. These include the sub-types of ‘warrior’, ‘titleholder’ and ‘community’ ikengas), 2) ikenga alusi (cylinder with horns), 3) ntu aga (small and simple found in different shapes).
IKENGA THE WARRIOR!
According to Ndi Ichie Akwa Mythology and Folklore Origins of the Igbos, Ikenga was the son of Ngwu, and was a bold warrior and fantastic wrestler. He was reputed with the ability of flying from one Iroko tree to another.
Hewas the first living man in living memory to earn the title Ogba-aka ari Oji which meant a climber of iroko tree without the aid of strings. Ikenga lead the Nkwo nation in the first and famous river of sea battle ever undertaken by any nation in the Oji country.
Mermaids came to fight for the Edo people and many Ododo warriors rode on the backs of mammoth sharks and crocodiles. Edo herbalists had the power to conjure large stones to fly and ram on the buildings of the Nkwo nations to destruction.
The war was intense and lasted one month. For the first time, the use of green foliage camouflage was introduced by Ikenga and his warriors so that they appeared as floating bushes on the seas, until they came close enough on their targets to rout the Edo and Ododo enemies.
Many of the will-o-wisps sent by Edo country were destroyed. When the Edo and Odo warriors saw that they were being defeated and were forced to retreat back to their territories they made a final desperate lunge to grab the only Ndi Ichi Akwa in Ngwu’s possession. Ikenga rallied around his father’s palace to repulse Ododo and Edo stalwarts.
Many casualties were sustained by both sides until Ikenga came face to face with the four eyed monster called Ajikwu akpu isi who had six horns.
Ajikwu akpu isi bellowed out his fearsome shriek which thundered through the jungle in repeated echos that the verdue quivered in ominous pulses. The monster roused his fierce rage by scampering round his position as a means of revving up his momentum and sharpening a deadly attacking pulse.
The vibrations burgeoned into a nauseating earthquake in the area. He mixed his excrement with urine and splashed the corrosive mixture in Ikenga’s direction. Ikenga used his ekpeke shield and in a series of athletic diving and feigning withered the ferocious onslaught.
In the same split second however Ajikwu akpu isi had charged towards Ikenga as he snorted and roared. Ikenga sprang onto an overhead tree branch like a huge cat and somersaulted round it to suspend atop on his hands like an acrobatic gymnast.
As Ajikwu akpu isi thundered underneath in his charge, but missed Ikenga’s backside by centimeters, Ikenga flung himself on the top horns of the monster. The two combatants hurtled through jungle flora and fauna in mortal battle. Ikenga mustered the last gram of strength in a titanic muscle flex as he twisted the neck of the beast which broke with such nerve shattering crack.
There were few groans and whimperings followed by death thrubs and ghostly silence pervaded the vast jungle. The Edo and Ododo warriors were stupefied by the incredible spectacle and in a momentary recovery they retreated in disarray.
Source: Wikipedia.com
Edited and Updated by: Henry Kwadwo Amoako (Ghanaian Social Scientist and Historian)
