Southern Nigeria stretches from the Benin border in the west to the Cameroon border in the east. It is bordered by Northern Nigeria in the north and the Atlantic ocean in the south. It's most populous city is Lagos which is located in the South-West of the region. The Republic of Southern Nigeria has occasionally being proposed to help separate and protect the moderate Muslim, Christian and Animist south from the more radical north of Nigeria. The people of this region embrace education and international laws which include respect for basic human rights. This region was originally a wealthy separate region before the British amalgamation with the north in 1914. This was done to help finance the poorer north. The Republic is yet to become official due to distrust and uncertainty between the major tribes within this region. This distrust comes from years of British military tactics which sought to divide then conquer. This division technique has remained in the hearts of the older generation who still see other tribes within their region as dishonest and insincere despite the absence of any factual or hard evidence of mistrust or betrayal. Specialists identify that the ability of the more moderate and educated south to break away may lead to initial violence and uncertainty before becoming an influential nation in the region. It is often thought that the Northern part of the country wishes to control the oil rich Niger-Delta and hence is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain the amalgamation of 1914. Contested areas include Abuja, Kwara and various parts of the troubled Plateau State.


|Abia State |Umuahia |- |Adamawa State |Yola |- |Akwa Ibom State |Uyo |- |Anambra State |Awka |- |Bayelsa State |Yenagoa |- |Benue State |Makurdi |- |Cross River State |Calabar |- |Delta State |Asaba |- |Ebonyi State |Abakaliki |- |Edo State |Benin City |- |Ekiti State |Ado-Ekiti |- |Enugu State |Enugu |- |Imo State |Owerri |- |Kogi State |Lokoja |- |Kwara State |Ilorin |- |Lagos State |Ikeja |- |Nasarawa State |Lafia |- |Ogun State |Abeokuta |- |Ondo State |Akure |- |Osun State |Oshogbo |- |Oyo State |Ibadan |- |Plateau State |Jos |- |Rivers State |Port Harcourt |- |Taraba State |Jalingo

Constructive, progressive and reasonable arguements are welcomed.
Contact:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Federal-Republic-Of-Southern-Nigeria/415960355082788
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Nigeria
federalrepublicofsouthernnigeria@yahoo.com
The time for the long awaited divorce is here, to serve Nigeria is not by force!

ChinenyeN:
You want to talk about market days, then tell me how come we apparently had knowledge of Nkwo, Ekhe, Orie and Afo, before we even heard of you people.

You want to talk about calendar, then tell me how come we have no traditions which acknowledge Igu Aro, but instead have Ekpe.

You want to talk about spirituality, then tell me how come we don't pass through Nri "street of the gods" after death, but instead meet Arim.

You want to talk about societal structure, then tell me how come we don't have Ozo-ship, Nze, red cap, etc.

You want to talk about culture, then tell me how come Ikenga cult is non-existent in Ngwa.

You want to talk about Nri influence, then point to the Ngwa and/or Nri traditions that acknowledge Ngwa/Nri interactions. Don't just vomit conjecture and expect people to swallow that vile.

Please if you can... Can you elaborate more on Arịm and other aspects of Ngwa spirituality??
This is the first time as an Ngwa I'm coming across this term

ChinenyeN:
You want to talk about market days, then tell me how come we apparently had knowledge of Nkwo, Ekhe, Orie and Afo, before we even heard of you people.

You want to talk about calendar, then tell me how come we have no traditions which acknowledge Igu Aro, but instead have Ekpe.

You want to talk about spirituality, then tell me how come we don't pass through Nri "street of the gods" after death, but instead meet Arim.

You want to talk about societal structure, then tell me how come we don't have Ozo-ship, Nze, red cap, etc.

You want to talk about culture, then tell me how come Ikenga cult is non-existent in Ngwa.

You want to talk about Nri influence, then point to the Ngwa and/or Nri traditions that acknowledge Ngwa/Nri interactions. Don't just vomit conjecture and expect people to swallow that vile.

I've been toying with a little essay on a linguistic analysis of the Four Days. If I ever finish it and post here, I'll mention you.

Ife Kingdom included some of Oyo and Benin Empire Areas

cheruv:
Please if you can... Can you elaborate more on Arịm and other aspects of Ngwa spirituality??
This is the first time as an Ngwa I'm coming across this term

Cheruv, ị nụ ññaa ye? Sure, I can expand a little more on nde arịm. Like virtually all other Igbo-speaking communities, Ngwa worldview includes reincarnation. However, for us, there are beings (or forces) that guide the reincarnation process. Abụ we nde arịm. They come in two forms, arịm ọma and arịm ọkpọkọrọ imi.

In Ngwa, the color indigo (uri) is a highly valued color. I'm still not entirely sure why. Depending on how you lived your life, you will either make contact with arịm ọma (if you were a good person) or arịm ọkpọkọrọ imi (if you were a bad person). The arịm ọma supposedly will adorn your being in the color indigo and other ornaments, rewarding you in the process of reincarnation and ultimately guiding you to reincarnate with eke ọma (a.k.a good chi). The arịm ọkpọkọrọ imi do the exact opposite. There is no rewarding, and the process for reincarnation supposedly can be long and arduous. You will ultimately reincarnate without a good chi and supposedly must work even harder in your next life to be successful and a good person.

Nowadays, people do not put much stock those traditional values, so it isn't taught and reinforced anymore. You have to find people who are really into Omelala Ngwa that will be able to share and inform on some of these things.

AjaanaOka:
I've been toying with a little essay on a linguistic analysis of the Four Days. If I ever finish it and post here, I'll mention you.

As always, I will definitely await whatever you have, nwanne.

ChinenyeN:

Cheruv, ị nụ ññaa ye? Sure, I can expand a little more on nde arịm. Like virtually all other Igbo-speaking communities, Ngwa worldview includes reincarnation. However, for us, there are beings (or forces) that guide the reincarnation process. Abụ we nde arịm. They come in two forms, arịm ọma and arịm ọkpọkọrọ imi.

In Ngwa, the color indigo (uri) is a highly valued color. I'm still not entirely sure why. Depending on how you lived your life, you will either make contact with arịm ọma (if you were a good person) or arịm ọkpọkọrọ imi (if you were a bad person). The arịm ọma supposedly will adorn your being in the color indigo and other ornaments, rewarding you in the process of reincarnation and ultimately guiding you to reincarnate with eke ọma (a.k.a good chi). The arịm ọkpọkọrọ imi do the exact opposite. There is no rewarding, and the process for reincarnation supposedly can be long and arduous. You will ultimately reincarnate without a good chi and supposedly must work even harder in your next life to be successful and a good person.

Nowadays, people do not put much stock those traditional values, so it isn't taught and reinforced anymore. You have to find people who are really into Omelala Ngwa that will be able to share and inform on some of these things.

Anụ m nṅa a ee....
Your explanation is quite elaborate... Although I've some more questions which I'd be happy if you oblige me.
1] what's the tone marking for "arịm"? So that I can be properly guided in pronunciation
2] what arịm also play a role in death? If not, which forces do?
Thanks alot... I megbaala ahụ

cheruv:
1] what's the tone marking for "arịm"? So that I can be properly guided in pronunciation

I've heard two tone structures, but the most common I know is High Mid. So that is the one I go with.

cheruv:
2] what arịm also play a role in death? If not, which forces do?

Arim are only involved after death, during the reincarnation process. As far as I know, there are no specific forces/deities involved in death. Death is handled by the living. It is the responsibility of the most capable child to hold the okwukwu (the elaborate funeral rites) and cannonize the dead so they become "nde Iche". Cannonization for men is done with Ese, and cannonization for women is done with Ukom, where they basically have to perform a rite of recounting the lineage ancestors until they get to the individual who is being cannonized.

ChinenyeN:

I've heard two tone structures, but the most common I know is High Mid. So that is the one I go with.


Arim are only involved after death, during the reincarnation process. As far as I know, there are no specific forces/deities involved in death. Death is handled by the living. It is the responsibility of the most capable child to hold the okwukwu (the elaborate funeral rites) and cannonize the dead so they become "nde Iche". Cannonization for men is done with Ese, and cannonization for women is done with Ukom, where they basically have to perform a rite of recounting the lineage ancestors until they get to the individual who is being cannonized.

That means it'd be something like Árị̌m...
I know about èsè and ùkóm rituals and which of the genders they're done for
Is there any Ńgwà online dictionary in PDF i can lay my hands on? I've heard that there's one written by a Nwosu fellow but it's quite difficult getting my hands on it

cheruv:
That means it'd be something like Árị̌m...
I know about èsè and ùkóm rituals and which of the genders they're done for
Is there any Ńgwà online dictionary in PDF i can lay my hands on? I've heard that there's one written by a Nwosu fellow but it's quite difficult getting my hands on it

Send me an email. I will help you get it.

ChinenyeN:


Send me an email. I will help you get it.

You can simply send it direct to my mail
ruechangparavita@yahoo.com

cheruv:
You can simply send it direct to my mail
ruechangparavita@yahoo.com

Done.