I'm interested in hearing the various folktales that exist in various parts of Nigeria. At the same time, I'll share the ones that I know.

Please, feel free to contribute.

One story that I find really interesting is that of Eringa.

In the Owere axis in Igboland, there is a song that goes:

Eringa gba mgba
Eringa gba mgba
Eringa gba mgba kama di ya ka ya igba

Meaning

Eringa could wrestle
Eringa could wrestle
But her husband was stronger.

The song discusses a female wrestler, named Eringa, who was the best wrestler in her community. She was so strong that she flipped all the strong men in her community and even those in neighboring communities. However, her only weakness was her husband who was the only man that could overturn her.

I sometimes wonder if Eringa actually existed, but I think her story is used to support the belief that a woman is always subservient to her husband.

Another interesting story is that of Nwokonkwo the giant.

My grandmother told me the story of Nwokonwo, and I can remember it so clearly.

Nwokonkwo is said to be a man who lived in the 30s. Standing at 11 feet tall, he was the tallest man in all of Igboland. He was so tall that he towered over trees and could not even fit in his house.
When the British heard of Nwokonkwo, they were determined to meet him and take him back to England and put him on display. However, for this reason, Nwokonkwo ran away from his community and settled in some far-away remote land. Since then, he was never heard of again.

odumchi: One story that I find really interesting is that of Eringa.

In the Owere axis in Igboland, there is a song that goes:

Eringa gba mgba
Eringa gba mgba
Eringa gba mgba kama di ya ka ya igba

Meaning

Eringa could wrestle
Eringa could wrestle
But her husband was stronger.

The song discusses a female wrestler, named Eringa, who was the best wrestler in her community. She was so strong that she flipped all the strong men in her community and even those in neighboring communities. However, her only weakness was her husband who was the only man that could overturn her.

I sometimes wonder if Eringa actually existed, but I think her story is used to support the belief that a woman is always subservient to her husband.

I think Sunny bobo sang about Eringa in one of his songs.

Another one is Ala Nwanyi Asaba

I don't know how old this belief is, but there is a common saying that the secret to wealth and riches lies in the bosoms of an Asaba woman.

Legend has it that a man onced sucked the bosoms of an Asaba woman and was granted instant wealth. I'm sure that people don't believe this but this story is just passed along for fun.

A comedy film has even been made on this topic.

afam4eva:
I think Sunny bobo sang about Eringa in one of his songs.

Ah, yes he did.

Are there any stories about the gods of traditional religions? Ive read one about Shango and Ikenga are their others

Crayola1: Are there any stories about the gods of traditional religions? Ive read one about Shango and Ikenga are their others

Yes, there are many. I'll post them ASAP.

Thanks

Crayola, I discovered this:

http://www.oraifite.com/bed-time-story/

This site is basically an encyclopedia of Igbo folklore. However, I'll continue to search for religiously-orientated folklore.

Here's one story I saw about Ikenga:

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. He was 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 belowed 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. [11]

That story is very interesting. I find it amazing how such stories were passed along generations without compromising their rich detail.

Is there one that explains how Ikenga was made a deity?

[img]http://igbocybershrine.files./2011/09/ikenga.jpg%3Fw%3D538[/img]

I'm not sure, I can't find the book that excerpt came out of

It seems to be a great book.

Ndi Ichie Akwa Mythology and Folklore Origins of the Igbos

This is the book but how to get a copy seems impossible

is Ikenga the great warrior a well-made film?

An Exploration of Edda Folklores: Function and Literary Paradigm

Folktale narration is a way of spending leisure in the evenings when work has been done. People especially children gather around bonfire or sit in the rightness of a full moon to listen to a good story teller. Infact, it is a taboo to tell stories in the mornings and afternoons when people are supposed to be at work. Acceptable as this taboos is, they are only Useful in discouraging laziness and encouraging community productivity.

http://www.scharticles.com/an-exploration-of-edda-folklores-function-and-literary-paradigm/