THE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF OGUGU PEOPLE PART 1

Map of Nigeria Showing Ogugu

Ogugu is a community of Igala speaking people in the Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. Ogugu Igala language is tagged as Akporto due to this phonetic/tone of speaking. Ogugu community consists of these lineage; Okwatobida (Okwa) lineage, Odu-Ogidiga (Emodu) lineage and Ayegba Oma-ofo (Ofante) lineage with over twenty (20) sub-clans; Emoli, Emomoka, Emojo, Emonugo Emoriko, Emogodo, Emohiowa, Emakpe, Emuja, Emomonyi, Emenenga, Emokoina, Emabodu, Emododa, Emakwuracha, Emonyokwu, Emogene, Emagaba, Emobida and Emonoja and over fifty (50) villages including Ogugu centre (OG Town) around Ogugu Community.

 The religion of Ogugu people was a paganism before the coming of Christianity and other religions in the 20th Centuary, while many have embraced and converted to the new religion. Religion in Ogugu today stand at 90% Christians, 6% pagans and 4% Muslims (Estimate).

Ogugu people have a culture that has been misunderstood by other Igalas, it is called “Ibegwu”, literary meaning ancestors or ancestral spirit of the people. It is believed that ancestors watch over their progeny to stop them from doing mischief like; premeditated murder, adultery, unwarranted abortion, etc. otherwise, he/she will be arrested by Ibegwu via mysterious ailment, the cure to which is public confession and performance of the necessary rituals for cleansing.

Ibegwu is an ancestral spirit in Ogugu which can be seen only by those that violate the laws of the land as regards fidelity. This has been in existence even before the 17th century and it was instituted by the founding fathers of Ogugu land. It was instituted for many reasons, even as it is of benefit for all Ogugu sons and daughters.

The laws guiding the people and the land of Ogugu under the traditional rulership of Ogugu people is very strict. Any violation of such law or laws were met with hard and severe punishments. As a result of this, there was total peace and tranquillity in Ogugu land. Ogugu people have lots of cultural heritage which will remain forever binding on any child of Ogugu, meanwhile, most of these laws and culture are natural laws that guide humanity, which are also found in the law of Moses (Bible). But the most serious of them all that can even lead to death is this (Ibegwu) issue. Which involve premeditated murder and extra-marital affairs with another man wife and unwarranted abortion are all taboo in Ogugu.

Ameh, B.O.A (1973), said that the progenitors before joining their ancestors, instituted this traditional law in Ogugu land and made it binding on all indigenes of the land, till date, if one commits murder, adultery, he or she must confess same publicly and only the eldest man (Anokwute) in the clan has the right to handle the matter. Apart from punishments that followed the violations of the laws and the fear of the effect, the Ibegwu have often put every Ogugu man or woman always under checks and balances. This law is binding on all Ogugu descendants even outside the shore of Ogugu land and on any Ogugu woman married to any part of the world. It is established that all religion creeds forbid adultery and murder. However, should one fall into occasion of sin, there are ways of reconciliation and penalties.