ALA DEITY IN IGBO-AFRICAN RELIGION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

The interconnectedness of reality is a major characteristic of the Igbo world. This interconnectedness is the reason why an imbalance in some aspect of nature could have resounding consequences in other areas where it might not be expected. The Igbo world is divided into two spheres: uwa ndi mmuo (the world of the spirits) and uwa ndi di ndu (the world of human beings). The two worlds are interconnected and continue to influence one another. The living act carefully so as not to upset the spirit world and cause imbalance in the order of things, while the benevolent spiritual forces work to ensure that the world remains in balance. In the spiritual world are Chukwu (the Supreme Being), the ancestors (the living dead), malevolent spirits (bed spirits), primordial spiritual forces like Anyanwu (the sun god), Amadioha (the god of thunder), Agwu (the god of divination), Mmuo Mmiri and Igwe (the sky god). However, in the earth is Ani/Ala goddess, who is believed to reside in the earth. While there are a few papers written on Ala deity, there is hardly literature that discusses its relationship with the eco-system or its ecological relevance. This paper, therefore, focusses on Ala deity, which is one of the most important gods in the pantheon of Igbo gods and goddess, especially before the encounter of the west with the Igbo-African people in the 19th century. It studies the place of Ala deity in the approach of the Igbo traditional society in preserving the environment and how this indigenous approach can be of help in our age of ecological crisis. The phenomenological and analytic methods of investigation were employed during the course of this resaerch. It discovered that through belief in Ala deity, Igbo traditional societies were able and can still maintain a respectful relationship with the environment.