The Origin of the 4 market days in Igboland: All Igbos must read

There are four market days in the Igbo land. These market days are Eke, Orie, Afor and Nkwo. Market days in Igbo land are very significant so much so that the four market days I mentioned above are uniformly observed within every community in Igbo land. It was during the reign of Eze Nrijiofor I (1300-1390AD), the fifth Eze Nri in the line of succession that the Igbo tradition of four market days was instituted.

According to Igbo historical records, one day during the reign of Eze Nrijiofor I, four wise strangers came to visit him at his palace. When they arrived, these four men pretended to be deaf and dumb. They did not say their names or their mission to Nri kingdom.
Each of them carried nkata which literally means basket. They were taken to the visitors’ chamber by Adamma the king’s servant. Later in the evening, Eze Nrijiofor I went to see them, but they did not respond warmly to the Eze and did not acknowledge his greetings. Oji – kolanut was presented to them but they did not say anything in acceptance or rejection of the oji.

Later at night, the four wise strangers were shown where to sleep. But in the middle of the night, Eze Nrijiofor’s soothsayers sent a rat to disturb their sleep. When the rat went to the first basket that belonged to Eke and started to nibble at it, Oye woke up and said: “Eke, wake up! A rat is trying to get to your basket.” Eke woke up and the rat ran away. After a while, the rat repeated the same trick on the remaining baskets, and in the same manner, all of them revealed each other’s names.

In the morning, the Eze Nrijiofor I went to the strangers’ room to greet them and to perform the oji ututu (morning kola nut rituals.) As Adamma broke the kola nuts and the king called each of the visitors by their names-‘Eke’ ‘Oye’ ‘Afo’ and ‘Nkwo.’ The visitors who were hitherto referred to as ‘Ndi bialu ije ekwu okwu’(visitors that do not talk) were astonished when they heard their names being mentioned by Eze Nrijiofor I. They asked for water to wash their hands and faces; and took the oji that were presented to them.

After chewing the oji, they gave the King ite ano (four earthen pots) and directed him to keep the pots in front of the Nri Menri shrine outside the obu (palace) with each pots facing the sun. Eke, who was the spokesman of the visiting wise strangers, told Eze Nrijiofor I that the first pot was owned by him, Eke, the second one by Oye, the third by Afor and the last by Nkwo. He told the Eze that the four pots were sent down from Chukwu (God Almighty.)

He instructed Eze Nrijiofor I that he and his people whom he ruled should be observing those names daily as market days, during which they should be buying and selling. These market days are used in Igboland to count Izu (Igbo native week). Therefore, Eke, Oye, Afor and Nkwo (four market days) make one Izu (week) in Igbo calendar.

Eke also instructed Eze Nrijiofor I that the first name that should be given to their male and female children should contain either Eke, Oye, Afor or, Nkwo. That is why we have igbo names as Okeke or Nweke, Okoye or Nwoye, Okafor or Nwafor, and Okonkwo or Nwankwo. In the same order, female children should be given “Mgbeke’, ‘Mgboye’, ‘Mgbafor’ and ‘Mgbankwo’.

The message was preached throughout Igbo land by spiritual priests of Nri and rudimentary open market squares were set up in Igbo land. The four strangers later told Eze Nrijiofor I that they were messengers from God. Some foods were prepared for them but they did not eat them.

In the noon of that day, these wise men of Igbo tribe disappeared from the Eze Nrijiofor’s palace like angels. Their news subsequently spread throughout Igbo land and observed till date.

When a historically historian is writing, people with wisdom read and learn from his write up. Keep reading because i have alot to offer.

Iam MC Omaricha smart
An educational educationist by professional professionist.
08037728124.

history

Brilliant Bullshit

dats how we role

thanks

It is far more likely that the market days existed in antiquity, thereby predating all of the surviving Igbo-speaking communities, including Nri. Also, the Nri aren't the only ones who had/have lore surrounding the creation of the market days. This "Nri origin of Igbo" snịnama needs to end.

ChinenyeN:
It is far more likely that the market days existed in antiquity, thereby predating all of the surviving Igbo-speaking communities, including Nri. Also, the Nri aren't the only ones who had/have lore surrounding the creation of the market days. This "Nri origin of Igbo" snịnama needs to end.

It has come to stay.

After writing, wriggle in pain and keep quiet. These are the true history of your fathers and can never be challenged.

Leave Igbo threads with your infatuation alone.

Omaricha002:
The Origin of the 4 market days in Igboland: All Igbos must read

There are four market days in the Igbo land. These market days are Eke, Orie, Afor and Nkwo. Market days in Igbo land are very significant so much so that the four market days I mentioned above are uniformly observed within every community in Igbo land. It was during the reign of Eze Nrijiofor I (1300-1390AD), the fifth Eze Nri in the line of succession that the Igbo tradition of four market days was instituted.

According to Igbo historical records, one day during the reign of Eze Nrijiofor I, four wise strangers came to visit him at his palace. When they arrived, these four men pretended to be deaf and dumb. They did not say their names or their mission to Nri kingdom.
Each of them carried nkata which literally means basket. They were taken to the visitors’ chamber by Adamma the king’s servant. Later in the evening, Eze Nrijiofor I went to see them, but they did not respond warmly to the Eze and did not acknowledge his greetings. Oji – kolanut was presented to them but they did not say anything in acceptance or rejection of the oji.

Later at night, the four wise strangers were shown where to sleep. But in the middle of the night, Eze Nrijiofor’s soothsayers sent a rat to disturb their sleep. When the rat went to the first basket that belonged to Eke and started to nibble at it, Oye woke up and said: “Eke, wake up! A rat is trying to get to your basket.” Eke woke up and the rat ran away. After a while, the rat repeated the same trick on the remaining baskets, and in the same manner, all of them revealed each other’s names.

In the morning, the Eze Nrijiofor I went to the strangers’ room to greet them and to perform the oji ututu (morning kola nut rituals.) As Adamma broke the kola nuts and the king called each of the visitors by their names-‘Eke’ ‘Oye’ ‘Afo’ and ‘Nkwo.’ The visitors who were hitherto referred to as ‘Ndi bialu ije ekwu okwu’(visitors that do not talk) were astonished when they heard their names being mentioned by Eze Nrijiofor I. They asked for water to wash their hands and faces; and took the oji that were presented to them.

After chewing the oji, they gave the King ite ano (four earthen pots) and directed him to keep the pots in front of the Nri Menri shrine outside the obu (palace) with each pots facing the sun. Eke, who was the spokesman of the visiting wise strangers, told Eze Nrijiofor I that the first pot was owned by him, Eke, the second one by Oye, the third by Afor and the last by Nkwo. He told the Eze that the four pots were sent down from Chukwu (God Almighty.)

He instructed Eze Nrijiofor I that he and his people whom he ruled should be observing those names daily as market days, during which they should be buying and selling. These market days are used in Igboland to count Izu (Igbo native week). Therefore, Eke, Oye, Afor and Nkwo (four market days) make one Izu (week) in Igbo calendar.

Eke also instructed Eze Nrijiofor I that the first name that should be given to their male and female children should contain either Eke, Oye, Afor or, Nkwo. That is why we have igbo names as Okeke or Nweke, Okoye or Nwoye, Okafor or Nwafor, and Okonkwo or Nwankwo. In the same order, female children should be given “Mgbeke’, ‘Mgboye’, ‘Mgbafor’ and ‘Mgbankwo’.

The message was preached throughout Igbo land by spiritual priests of Nri and rudimentary open market squares were set up in Igbo land. The four strangers later told Eze Nrijiofor I that they were messengers from God. Some foods were prepared for them but they did not eat them.

In the noon of that day, these wise men of Igbo tribe disappeared from the Eze Nrijiofor’s palace like angels. Their news subsequently spread throughout Igbo land and observed till date.

When a historically historian is writing, people with wisdom read and learn from his write up. Keep reading because i have alot to offer.

Iam MC Omaricha smart
An educational educationist by professional professionist.
08037728124.

Wonderful.

Nice one.

According to the Agbor people of Delta State, an Agbor woman named Ika had four children named Eke, Orie, Afo and Nkwo and it was from them the four-day week originated.

Is that tradition true? Almost certainly not.
Just as it is almost certain that the four-day week had nothing to do with an Nri ruler from the 14th century. The four days are most likely far older than that.


You all need to be more critical of these passed-down stories that you accept as authentic history. Like Chinenye said many towns have their own stories of how Eke, Olie, Afo and Nkwo originated. And they are all probably equally incorrect.

Well, one thing I know for sure is that these market days used to be shrines in Anambra areas

IDENNAA:
Well, one thing I know for sure is that these market days used to be shrines in Anambra areas

I have heard this theory from one Igbo pastor over ABS Ontisha and I believe it's not far from the truth in African ideologies.

RedboneSmith:
According to the Agbor people of Delta State, an Agbor woman named Ika had four children named Eke, Orie, Afo and Nkwo and it was from them the four-day week originated.

Is that tradition true? Almost certainly not.
Just as it is almost certain that the four-day week had nothing to do with an Nri ruler from the 14th century. The four days are most likely far older than that.


You all need to be more critical of these passed-down stories that you accept as authentic history. Like Chinenye said many towns have their own stories of how Eke, Olie, Afo and Nkwo originated. And they are all probably equally incorrect.

Oral stories in our part of the world are mostly irrational and useless.
As a rule of thumb, any oral story not in conformity with rationality, is a distortion and should be discarded.

The Ika version of the history of the Igbo four market days is in E.A Iduwe manuscript. In same book, he tried to link the Agbalanze cult foundation to Agbor too.

The very idea of Nri being the head/founders of Igbo people is irrational and should never be entertained by any one who is serious.
It never made sense, and would never make sense irrespective of how many times peeps repeat it.

Thread awon Omo yeeboo

pazienza:
Oral stories in our part of the world are mostly irrational and useless.
As a rule of thumb, any oral story not in conformity with rationality, is a distortion and should be discarded.

It's unwise to simply discard them because they are irrational. Even distortions are relevant when painting an anthropological picture of how a society developed over time. It's important when studying history and pre-history. That said, we should definitely take our oral traditions with a grain of salt and seek to understand the anecdotal message rather than interpret them literally.

For example, the Nri story reveals some deification of the markets, which is reflected in their culture. Such deification dos not seem pronounced (or even nonexistent) for some communities outside of the Nri hegemonic sphere. Simply discarding the Nri story because it is irrational would prevent us from thoroughly examining the oral traditions critically. We would not be able to see the role that theology played in the institution of markets and how it reaffirms Nri ritual authority within the region. We could even derive additional conclusion from what we know about this region vs other regions, but that is beyond the scope of what I'm talking about.

My point simply being that the stories encode real information. Just because they don't sound like "documented historical accounts" doesn't make them any less relevant or useful in analyzing the history and pre-history of a people.

ChinenyeN:


It's unwise to simply discard them because they are irrational. Even distortions are relevant when painting an anthropological picture of how a society developed over time. It's important when studying history and pre-history. That said, we should definitely take our oral traditions with a grain of salt and seek to understand the anecdotal message rather than interpret them literally.

For example, the Nri story reveals some deification of the markets, which is reflected in their culture. Such deification dos not seem pronounced (or even nonexistent) for some communities outside of the Nri hegemonic sphere. Simply discarding the Nri story because it is irrational would prevent us from thoroughly examining the oral traditions critically. We would not be able to see the role that theology played in the institution of markets and how it reaffirms Nri ritual authority within the region. We could even derive additional conclusion from what we know about this region vs other regions, but that is beyond the scope of what I'm talking about.

My point simply being that the stories encode real information. Just because they don't sound like "documented historical accounts" doesn't make them any less relevant or useful in analyzing the history and pre-history of a people.

You are as usual looking for meaningless back and forth. I really don't have time.
Oral accounts not in conformity with rationality are useless.
In this context, any oral account which presents Nri as head of Igbo is useless.
But an oral account which speaks about how Nri deified the market days in her sphere of influence is rational and should be tolerated .

pazienza:
You are as usual looking for meaningless back and forth. I really don't have time.

I thought this was a casual discussion and it was just my casual (though unsolicited) opinion after have spent many many long years reviewing, analyzing and corroborating many oral traditions. If you think I'm here to argue then you've gotten it all wrong.

I simply thought this part of my experience was worth sharing so I shared it, especially since you and I seemed to be on better grounds now after all these years. I understand now that I shouldn't have bothered. I won't address the rest of your post in detail, save for the fact that I believe it is a poor way to study history. With that said, I'll leave it be.

ChinenyeN:


I thought this was a casual discussion and it was just my casual (though unsolicited) opinion after have spent many many long years reviewing, analyzing and corroborating many oral traditions. If you think I'm here to argue then you've gotten it all wrong.

I simply thought this part of my experience was worth sharing so I shared it, especially since you and I seemed to be on better grounds now after all these years. I understand now that I shouldn't have bothered. I won't address the rest of your post in detail, save for the fact that I believe it is a poor way to study history. With that said, I'll leave it be.

Oh. No harm meant friend. I apologize if I was too harsh.
I like and enjoy our new found truce too.
Stay safe.

Industrious people

Nsogbu adịghị adị. Be safe as well.