The Ogbunasa deity is an ancient religious god of Umueri people in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State. Its exact origin is lost in history but it is linked to the Igbo people who practiced heathenism as a medium of reaching the supreme God.
The Igbo culture is well celebrated in the southeastern parts of modern Nigeria I a country with an estimated population of over 200 million people, and the Igbo are the third largest ethnic group only after the Hausa mainly in the north and the Yoruba who occupy the southwest.
Ogbunasa deity is located in the heart of Umueri Village which forms part of the larger Umueri clan. It has a house where the priest and other adherents worship the deity for and on behalf of the community. The annual festival to mark the end of the year is held in pomp and pageantry and is held in solemn as feats are celebrated with the new yam which represents fertility and long life. Indigenes of Umeri come from far and near to join those at home in worshipping their ancestors.
Some of the items used in the festival include yam, coconut, kola nut, native gin, goat and sometimes cow as the case may be. Others include sacred leaves and plants which are only known to the priesthood. The priesthood is hereditary and domiciled in a particular family from Umueri.
However, the deity seems to be neglected and abandoned as those ordained by ancient tradition to administer the worship processes are withdrawing from its service as they claimed are now ‘born again’, that is, repented and converted to Christianity.
The community elders have been appealing to that particular family for over four decades refused for but bluntly to take over their function for fear of their life. They claimed that since their father, Williams Eze, who turned a catechist in the 1960’s declined they will not soil their hands and feet in fetish service. The children of late Catechist Williams also believed that they have been suffering untold persecution from members of the community and suspected that spiritual forces have been unleashed against t hem and could have led to the death of their brothers.
Today, many of the children of Williams have fled the community for their dear lives. Even the next in line of the priest succession, Williams Apostle Bartholomew, is said to be on the run to avoid taking over the priesthood of Ogbunasa.
The situation on ground is ancient tradition versus Christianity which is strongly assuming the religious worship in Igbo land.