Document Igbo Culture and Tradition for Hand down to the Unborn Generations – NAU VC

Tochukwu Ifejika Awka

The Nnamdi Azikiwe University Vice Chancellor Prof Charles Esimone has charged the Igbo race to migrate from oral tradition to proper documentation of her culture and traditions as a formidable hand-down to the unborn generation.

Prof Esimone made this call at the Maiden viva symposium of Society For The Development Of Igbo Philosophy Science And Technology (SODIPSAT) which was held on the 8th of October 2022 at Finotel Classic Hotel, Agu-Awka Anambra State.

The VC in his remarks as the special guest/Guest of honour at the symposium with the theme, MEDICO-CULTURAL EXPLORATION OF IGBO CARDINAL VALUES OF LIFE AND NAME (NDU NA AFA) stated that it is a very noble thing the society is doing and implored her to tenaciously document every tradition and culture of the Igbos for accessibility and reference for all the lovers of Igbo race here and in diaspora, research and for our unborn generations.

“The Isrealites are so passionate about its history, tradition and culture that their forebears laid down documented history, tradition and culture by scribes from generation to generation”

“I have met Nigerians born and bred outside the shores, people trying to trace their ancestral link to Igbo race and other races who love and are interested in Igbo and are disappointed to find that there are no facts in existence. The missing link is accurate documentation, what you don’t document is not there and you don’t have it. There are no antecedents on the activities of Igbo Culture.

I appreciate what Very Rev Fr Prof Bonachristus Umeogo is doing at the Igbo village and it’s gaining recognition far and wide. The university is associating with the philosophy and will give it it’s maximum support.

I thank God for the tranditional leaders that are here, it’s going to be a very robust discussion where the Gown meets the Town. And I know that the brainstorming will be remarkable to the sustenance of our culture and traditions,” he noted.

The Anambra State Governor Prof Charles Soludo, ably represented by the honourable commissioner for culture, entertainment and tourism, Mr Don Onyenji in his address noted that the link between ‘Name and Life’, is a strong one. In a name you can determine where a person is from, stories or circumstances surrounding a person, place or thing.

He said, “A name gives life and meaning to a person, place or thing. Name gives identify and defines what and who you are. So let’s strive more to preserve our identity for our generations unborn.”

At a glance, Dr Kanayo Lewis in his rendition stated that, ‘it’s not a coincidence but a reality that SODIPSAT is fronting MEDICO-CULTURAL EXPLORATION OF IGBO CARDINAL VALUES OF LIFE AND NAME (NDU NA AFA) in a resolve that the teachings, researches and public services in philosophy, science and technology will at any rate, end up in an IGBO UNIVERSITY like the Hebrew university, Tel Aviv university American university…’

“Today, we are going into the roots of the organization, constitution, development and standardization of Igbo philosophy, science and technology as it concerns the cardinal values of Life and Name(Ndu na Afa),” he said.

The symposium took the discussion format where two key resource persons mounted the podium to deliver their discourse, correlating philosophy, science and technology to the cardinal values of Life and Name (Ndu na Afa); Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Bonachristus Umeogu, Director, Igbo Village and Center for African Civilization, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka and founder, SODIPSAT and Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC Admin) Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka and founder, Life international hospital, Awka.

Very Rev Fr Prof Bonachristus, in his discourse, stated the very Igbo human existence in life and name, it is intertwined that life bleeds into name which makes both inseparable in the discourse of the Igbo race.

According to him, “The mysterious marriage between life and name in Igbo philosophy science and technology, can be seen in the pang and bang of birth; in the seed and egg of life that grew in water and blood to become a name.”

“Igbo names are not mere tags to distinguish one thing from another; but are expressions of the nature of that which they stand for. Name in Igbo philosophy, science and technology is something else. It totalizes everything a person or the place or thing stands for. Name giving in Igbo involves a ritual,whose natural, praternatural or supernatural purpose, is to produce the spirit behind the name, that is the spirit that the name refers to or represents,” he expatiated.

In conclusion, Very Rev Fr Prof Umeogu stated, ,” Life is name and name is life. In Igbo philosophy, science and technology, you can never find life without name or name without life. But always remember that in Igbo wisdom and knowledge, the mysterious marriage of life and name is a product of life before life and life after life.”

The second discussant, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu in his discourse linked the role of science and technology to the cardinal values of life and name (Ndu na Afa) from the beginning (creation) through the various stages of human endeavors to this present stage of science and technology.

“In the very beginning of creation, God made man and woman and charged them to be fruitful and multiply and this established reproduction process – reproductive system. So the first blessing of God to man is to multiple and bear fruits of his kind. And the sole reason for marriage in Igbo society is to multiply and keep their name going,” he explained.

Further in his discourse, Prof. Ikechebelu noted the requirements for fruitfulness and multiplication as good quality sperm(male seed), good quality egg(female seed) and a Conducive Reproductive Environment.

“In the quest to perpetuate the God given task of reproduction irrespective of many factors mitigating it such as male/ female infertility, inherited abnormalities such as sickle cell and birth defects, couple infertility,, male sex infertility where the male child is lacking, science and technology have evolved so much that all these things are almost a thing of the past.

“In the past and now the Igbo society has her own approach for taking care of these challenges that pose as threats to Life and Name (Ndu na Afa), but they are not devoid of their demerits. These mostly involve sex outside marriage that affect religious beliefs, poses danger of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and the demerit of lack of confidentiality,” he reiterated.

Amongst the merits of assisted conception and reproduction the Professor of obstetrics & Gynecology, Fertility Expert & Gynae Endoscopy Surgeon Ikechebelu listed are, no sex outside marriage is involved, anonymity assured, polygamy is completely avoided and age is no longer a barrier.

In conclusion, Prof. Ikechebelu admonished that no marriage should fail as a result of any form of infertility, for science and technology have really answered a lot of questions in that area.

“The success rate of assisted conception is high now using Life International Hospital Awka and Life Specialist Hospital Nnewi as case study. Since their inception in Anambra State, 2011, 412 babies (221 Males and 191 Females) have been born via IVF conception from 283 deliveries and counting,” he enthused.

While fielding question from our Correspondent, Very Rev Fr Prof Bonachristus agreed that philosophically Scientifically and technologically that his co- discussant Prof Ikechebelu’s analogy is as clear as day but begs to differ on the church angle.

“As a clergy representing the Roman Catholic church, the church is yet to come to terms with some of the technologies and ways in some assisted conception such as surrogacy. They negate the marriage sacrament. There are essential properties of marriage as stipulated in Canon 10:56; unity and dissolvability till death do part. So the seed of another in a marriage is seen as aiding disunity and dissolvability in marriage,” he noted.

Still on the interaction section, Prof Nkechinyere Nwokoye, of Igbo department and a member of the governing council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, in her contribution posited that ,although science and technology have evolved to assist in reproduction that God factor should not be undermined.

“God is still a major contributive factor in the affairs of man. No matter how hard man tries naturally or assisted to give birth, if God does not okay it, it won’t work and as a Christian I believe that whichever sex God gives is a blessing. In fact the girl child has come to be very appreciated because of the giant strides most females have attended in our society. So every sex is very important in preserving the family lineage, name or posterity,” She stated.

Prof. J.I. Brian – D Adinma Ezeani Igiligi Mmuta, Neni, Prof. Lilian O. Orogbu, the Labour Party (LP) house of representative candidate Awka South and North, Dr Kanayo Lewis among others were present at the symposium.