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Why Asaba People Forbid Ogbono Soup by Erebeshe: 8:57am On Oct 10, 2015 |
It was 6 o’clock on a weekend evening. New York
City in the U.S. was getting set for the night life as
guests of Nigerian extraction, decked in flamboyant
African traditional attires, started trooping into the
residence of late Ambassador Edwin Ogbu for a
dinner party. The calibre of dignitaries in attendance
easily indicated the importance of the party.
There were varieties of food for the guests and
everyone had their fill, and left satisfied, except
Chief Patrick Nwamu, the Odogwu of Asaba and
multi-millionaire businessman. The dinner left him
with a swollen mouth accompanied with
excruciating pains which he suffered for two days
before he realised too late that he had offended
Onishe Ahaba, the mother goddess of Asaba, Delta
State his native land. The goddess is most times
simply known as Onishe.
Chief Nwamu narrates his experience: “At the party, I
had okra soup. Unknown to me, it was blended with
ogbono. The next day, I had a swollen mouth with
severe pains. Upon investigation, I was told by the
Ambassador’s wife who is a Yoruba lady that the
soup I ate at the party was mixed with ogbono. It
was then I knew where my problem came from. It is
a taboo for Asaba natives to eat ogbono soup
because our mother goddess, Onishe uses it for
spiritual purification which in local parlance is
known as ife-ahu.”
At the mouth of the River Niger is the sacred abode
of the deity, Onishe, the spiritual mother who holds
the destiny of Asaba people. Apart from the serenity
that pervades the entire enclave, there are big
ogbono trees lining up both sides to the groove of
the mother goddess. The mystery behind these trees
is the belief that for the past 250 years, neither the
leaves nor the ogbono seeds have ever fallen on the
ground, according to the Odogwu of Asaba. This is
indicative of the spiritual value of ogbono to Onishe,
as she uses it for her spiritual functions. He says
Onishe is as old as the city itself.
Everyday, every hour and every moment, Onishe
faithful besiege her vicinity to seek spiritual help
and protection. But nobody goes to Onishe shrine
with empty hands.
“If you must solicit Onishe’s assistance in whatever
way, you visit her with either a full grown cock, a
goat or even a cow depending on the financial
capacity of the individual”, reveals Ogbueshi Nwosa
Onwuegbuezie, the head custodian of Onishe.
For Asaba people, it is hard to seek Onishe’s help
without corresponding result. Though, for those
adherents of the deity who are financially
incapacitated, they are at liberty to pledge that upon
the realisation of their desires, they will appease
Onishe with whatever they can afford thereafter.
Onishe, the deity
Onishe is a woman with big long breasts. She
guards and guides her children jealously. According
to one of the custodians of the deity, Ogbueshi
Nwosa, Onishe appears to her subjects in different
forms. Sometimes she could appear as a crocodile,
particularly during festive periods, to accept
whatever sacrifice that is being offered her. At other
times, she could appear as the mother she is,
dressed in immaculate white wrapper and with her
big long breasts exposed.
Chief Nwamu reveals: “Onishe once appeared to my
brother’s wife in Asaba. My brother came home to
take the Alor traditional title. Though, before their
departure from the city, my brother had warned his
wife not to cook ogbono soup because it is
forbidden in his place, she had refused to heed the
advice. It was while she was dishing the food
upstairs for the husband that our mother, Onishe
appeared to her with a warning for her not to ever
prepare ogbono soup for her son (her husband)
again, and that she should take the soup to their
non-Asaba neighbours downstairs. Immediately
after, she disappeared. The woman ran to her
husband to relay her experience and everybody
present was taken aback.”
However, it is believed that those who see Onishe as
mere absence of reality suffer consequences when
they act in any way contradictory to what she stands
for.
Worship of Onishe
Whoever wants to worship Onishe must abstain from
sexual intercourse, at least a few days before the
day of worship. Also, the worshipper is expected to
dress in all-white attire, including underpants.
Moreover, a woman in her period is not expected to
visit the shrine.
Onishe is only worshipped on Eke day (day market).
Whoever fails to keep to the rules of Onishe cannot
go close to the shrine. At the shrine of Onishe, it is a
taboo to drink palm wine, hot drinks, beer or any
other liquor. The official and acceptable drink of
Onishe are ogolo (a special brand of local brew) and
Fanta.
Before Asaba people eat the new yam, they must
first visit the Onishe shrine with the Asagba of
Asaba, the traditional ruler. The people must first
appease Onishe with a cow slaughtered at the
shrine, and enough food would be cooked for
everyone present. It is the tradition of the people of
Asaba to pay homage to Onishe and solicit her help
in the year ahead for a bountiful harvest as well as
protection against any evil.
Duties of Onishe
For ages, Asaba people have pledged their loyalty to
Onishe, the deity that has been their mother both in
times of war and peace. The deity protects the
people spiritually and physically from both external
and internal aggressions. Also, the deity alerts the
people on any imminent danger threatening their
existence.
According to Obi Nwamu, during the civil war,
Onishe was angry that her children were being
slaughtered unjustly by the Federal troops. She
allegedly avenged the death of every Asaba native
killed when she suddenly emerged at the middle of
the River Niger to upturn the ship ferrying men of the
Federal troops across the river. Some soldiers on the
ship allegedly survived, though.
They could not cross to the other side of the Niger,
and later confessed seeing Onishe sinking the ship
conveying Federal troops to the other side of the
Niger. Some of these soldiers later lived in Asaba,
blended with the people and eventually got married
to our daughters.”
The Odogwu of Asaba, however, discloses that
almost all the soldiers who killed Asaba natives
during the civil war, died before they were crossed
over to the other side of the River Niger.
Custodian of Onishe
There are people of particular age group selected to
officiate at Onishe rituals. The method of selection
is done by Otu-ahazia, delegated by the town’s
traditional council to mediate between the people of
Asaba and Onishe. However, those selected must be
at a particular age group and their tenure expires
when they attain a particular age bracket. Also, they
are expected to serve for a minimum of ten years. |
Re: Why Asaba People Forbid Ogbono Soup by endy4oxide(m): 9:01am On Oct 10, 2015 |
Thank God am not from Asaba. because I like my ogbono mixd wif Egusi . Wif confam fufu 1 Like |
Re: Why Asaba People Forbid Ogbono Soup by Greyworld: 9:04am On Oct 10, 2015 |
Ala nwayi Asaba! |
Re: Why Asaba People Forbid Ogbono Soup by Justeenaleo(f): 9:06am On Oct 10, 2015 |
Akiko 1 Like |
Re: Why Asaba People Forbid Ogbono Soup by basisop(m): 9:40am On Oct 10, 2015 |
The popular Ala nwanyi Asaba. |
Re: Why Asaba People Forbid Ogbono Soup by armyofone(m): 11:30am On Oct 10, 2015 |
He is allergic to the ogbono seed, no long thing. Those are symptoms of allergy reaction. |
Re: Why Asaba People Forbid Ogbono Soup by Nobody: 11:54pm On Oct 10, 2015 |
Story.. Where are the Asaba peeps here? Y'all should come and testify. |
Re: Why Asaba People Forbid Ogbono Soup by Nobody: 4:53pm On Oct 21, 2015 |
armyofone: tihihihihi!! You are not buying his gist ba? It's Onishe that caused it jor! Chai! Make I go ask my Asaba neighbour. |
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