Note the similarities between Aro and IPOB.
A Pilgrimage to Arochukwu
By Dr WB Baikie ( European explorer sent to discover the lost tribe of Jews living in the Lower Niger.)
" To the North of Ndoki is a large district named Abanyim, where the Igbos and people of Old Kalabar meet for trade. Not far from this stands the noted city of Aro or Ano, where is the celebrated shrine of Tshuku, or the deity to which pilgrimages are made, not only from all parts of Igbo proper, but from Old Kalabar, from the tribes along the coast, and from Oru, and Nimbe of Brass. The city is described as being nearly three times the size of Abo, and as extremely populous. The inhabitants are skillful artisans, and manufacture swords, spears and metallic ornaments, specimens of all which I have seen, and can therefore testify to their being nearly finished. The town is always with great respect, almost at times with a degree of veneration, and the people say 'Tshuku ab yama' , or 'God lives there's. The dialect of Aro is peculiar, but Isuama and Enugu are also much spoken, as well as Efik or Old Kalabar, and numerous other languages are to be heard among the crowd of pilgrim - votaries who throng the shrine. The mark used in Aro consist of a series of ( from ten to twelve) short horizontal lines just before the ear ....
The religion of Igbo is entirely pagan, mixed up with numerous rites and ceremonies, neither in general so frightful nor so bloody as those practiced in Bini, in Dahomi, and other more western countries, but still all of a pre - eminently superstitious character. The Igbos all believe in an Almighty being, omnipresent and omnipotent whom they call Tshuku, whom they constantly worship, and whom they believe to constantly communicate directly with them through his sacred shrine at Aro. But they speak also of another and a distinct Deity, who at Abo is known as Orissa but throughout other parts of Igbo is known as 'Tshuku - Okeke' , God the creator or the supreme God.
Abo people believe that after death, that those who have been good on earth, may either go to Orissa and abide with him, or they may, if they like visit any country n earth, and so slaves often when dying, say that will go and revisit their native land; if on the other hand, a wicked man dies , it is understood that he is driven to Okomo or hell; derived from Oko, ,fire, and mo, spirit. In Abo, every man and every woman of any consequence keeps as dju - dju , or sacred , the lower jaw of a pig, or until they can procure this a piece of wood fashioned like one. This is preserved in their huts and produced only when worshipped, or when sacrifices are made to it, which are at certain times at intervals of from ten days to three weeks. The particular days are determined by the dju - dju men or priests, and by them intimated to the people. They sprinkle this dju - djunwith palm -wine, and touching it with kola- nut , speak to it to be good and propitious towards them.........
At Abo one large tree is held as dju- dju, for the whole district, it is covered with offerings, and there is an annual festival in honour of it, when sacrifices of owls, sheep, goats and bullocks are made.
When a man goes to Aro to consult Tshuku, he is received by some of the priests outside of the town, near a small stream.Here he makes an offering, after which a fowl is killed and if it appears unpropitious, a quantity of red dye, probably camwood, is split into the water which the priests tell the people is blood, and on this the votary is hurried off by the priests and is seen no more, it being given out that Tshuku has been displeased and has taken him. ' The result of the preliminary ceremony is determined in general by the amount of present given to the priests, and those who are reported vto have been carried off by Tshuku are usually sold as slaves. Formerly they were commonly sent by canoe,by a little Creek, in Old Kalabar, and disposed of there. One of my informants had met upwards of twenty such unfortunates in Cuba, and another has also fallen in with several at Sierra Leone. If, however, the omen be pronounced to be favourable, the pilgrim is permitted to draw near to the shrine, and after various rites have been gone through the question, whatever it may be, is propounded, of course through the priests and by them also a reply is given . A yellow powder is given to the devotee, who runs it round his eyes, which powder is called in Igbo Edo. Little wooden images are also issued, as tokens of persons having actually ,consulted the sacred oracle and these are known as ' Ofo -Tshuku' , and are afterwards kept as dju- - dju. A person who has been at Aro, after returning to his home, is reckoned dju - dju or sacred for seven days, after which, during which period he must stay in his house, and people dread to approach him.
The shrine of Tshuku is said to be situated nearly in the center of the town, and the inhabitants of Aro are often styled Omo - Tshuku or God's children.
Reference
WB Bailie(1856), pp310-14, William Balfour Bailie ( 1825 - 1864) Narrative of an Exploring Voyage up the River Kwora and Benue . London