A Qabalist Interpretation Of the Nigerian Igbo People (Judaism And Odinala)

1. Background

Rooted in the Ibibio People stemming from 7000 BC, the Odinala Religion of the Igbo People stemming from 3000 BC may show potential roots/derivates/synchronization or some other link with the Phoenician derivative Semitic cultures, Indo-European Aryan-Elamite Cultures, and the Sumerian stories of the family of “Anu” or “Annunaki”. Such psychic-animist “shamanic” traditions still exist today particularly in syncretic derivative formats, including lineage practices of “mediumship” leading towards “possession” providing some-sort of healing and divination-wisdom via “pathworking”. From the fierce “jungle” practices of harnessing the wisest most powerful spirit of the jungle, The Leopard Society known as Ekpe still exists, with lineage “gnosis” brought from the Igbo people via the Efik People, into the Atlantic Slave-Trade particularly the port of Calabar, into the Island of Cuba with the Cuban created masonic-structured “Abakua Society”. Like Freemason’s ethos on “masculinity”, the Abakua Society via the story of the sacrifice of the female Sikan for the masculine to harness “Tanse”, often metaphorically understood as the wisdom obtained from the sound akin to the feline-growl harnessed through the drum, is to allow the masculine to resolve the feminine-aspects indicated by the left side of the body to work-through the traumas-conditioning of the masculine-aspects indicated by the right side of the body, to harness a primal state of the masculine potency. Such is an attempt to rebalance the male-female dynamic, within the human “energetic” system, or the Adam-Eve or Adam-Lilith dynamic bringing the male back to the “pre fall” state of humanity, or the cosmic-man harnessing the feminine, the Adam-Kadmon or El Elyon modality. As found through the Igbo, and much like Israel, that masculine would be harnessed through the lineage of the forefathers, or the magic provided by the Patriarchs.

In correlation with other relatable cultures of the Middle East, African religions typically hold a transcendent supreme deity or at least one who no longer involves itself in earthly affairs, leaving “messengers” to assist often found through “Angels” or “Orishas”, though with differing qualities relatable to a demographics evolution. The supreme of the Ibibio is known as “Abasi Ibom Enyon” or “Sky God”, who is also named “Anu” under the Igbo tradition meaning “Heaven”, relatable to the Sumerian “Anu”. The spouse of Anu is “Ala”, representative of earth acting as Godmother, which is reminiscent of Saudi Arabia pre-Islam with lunar Goddess worship from the Sabians to the Nabateans, or the Asherah of the pre-Judaic Canaanites. The agent of Ala is a “python”, which is reminiscent of the Gensis serpent, in understanding the Semitic opposition and separation of El as the “one true god” from Asherah, demonizing the “serpent” as well as the “feminine”, where the feminine is to act as a grounded agent for the masculine transcendent. Though such commonalties can show a coincidence with the traditions of the further North cultures of the Middle East, especially due to the First Temple Period being roughly 1000 BC, it is unclear who influenced who particularly since practices could have been easily traded through the Sahara Trade. However, with the Ibibio around 7000 BC, one may argue that the Nigerian counterpart may be the predecessor to the “Desert Religions”, with “Abasi” being the Sumerian “Apsu” and “Ala” being the Sumerian “Tiamat”, with the Phoenician-Canaanite Desert Religions and derivatives  being symbolic of the Marduk aftermath. Nonetheless, trade most likely occurred where the future philosophy of the later Efik People included beliefs in “sin” and “commandments” and the Akwa Ederi or “day of rest”, leading one to consider if such commonalities are more than a coincidence. In sum, the argument can be made that the Nigerian were the original “Jews”, especially when taking Hyksos to First Temple Period and the resulting “ineffable name” into consideration.

​Timeline wise, the Ibibio People of 7000 BC provided the principal supreme being “Abasi”, which was also known as “Ibini Ukpabi” or “Ibratim”, reminiscent of the Jewish patriarch “Abraham”. As the Igbo were descendants of the pottery and iron smelting era of 3000 BC to 1000 AD, another “Sky Being” came to influence the Igbo within the Anambra Valley, where the Sky Being known as “Eri” became the Agueri or “Divine Ruler” alleged to be “Son of Gad” from the “Tribe of Jacob”, leading towards the Igbo culture from 1000 AD to 1225 AD, and later Efik moving towards the slave trade of 1846 AD. In other words, from 7000 BC to 1225 AD, with cultural influences leading towards the slave trade particularly Calabar of 1846, the Ibibio/Igbo/Efik carried a psychic-animist tradition much like evolving Judaism, especially if one were to consider the psychic-animist work of King Solomon and the Egyptian “barc” as a fetish type “Tabernacle”. Even further, the Igbo tradition holds a cosmic supreme couple to match the androgynous Adam Kadman, of “Akpan” and “Ekanem”, or a supreme “Adam” and “Eve”, with also a grounded counterpart of such blueprint as the first man and women or “Atai Abasi” and “Edidem” or earthly “Adam” and “Eve” brought forth by none other than the “Abraham” archetype known as “Ekpenyong Ibratim”. 

2. The El Elyon of The Igbo Religion

​The later Igbo religion quite possibly of the Sky Being “Eri” of 1000 AD Anambra Valley holds philosophy quite similar to the Jewish “Shekinah” and Hindu “Shakti”, in interpreting energy work as moving conscious-energy or intended-prayer from the aspects of the inspiration of “Binah” to the foundation of “Yesod”, to be harnessed by the prophet-shamans known as Dibia in “Malkuth”. Such conscious-energy is known as “Chukwu” similar to “Ein Soph Aur”, where the potential of “Amadioha” as creator, justice, love, peace, and unity of “Chokmah” can be brought downwards via the Guru-Patriarch “Ibratim” at “Hod”, to be channeled by the feminine “Ekanem” at “Gevurah” for the full potential of “Akpan” at the solar “Tiphareth” allowing for the Chukwah type conscious-energy to sprout as “the sun revealing all” or “the eye” known as “Anyanwu”. Such is established within the adept via a personal spiritual guide known as “Chi”, best served at “Yesod” in establishing esoteric, divination, and symbolic “hypnotic” language such as that of “Nsibidi”. In grounding such conscious-energy into the earth of the qabalist “Malkuth”, you have the serpent “Ala” providing fertility as a messenger of “Abasi” in providing laws of the visible and invisible realms known as “Okike”, or biting of the apple and gnosis of knowledge of “good and evil” or rather “benevolent and malevolent” energies and tendencies. Such was set forth for the first created man and women, “Atai Abasi” as “Adam” and “Edidem” as “Eve”, to ground that of the Adam Kadmon of “Akpan” and “Ekanem” as “Adam” and “Eve”. Such provides you with the Igbo “Obong Ikpasong” or “King of the Principalities of the Earth”, much like the Israel “El Elyon” or Perfected “Cosmic Man” of the Jewish Messianic Era. 

3. The Garden of Ekom (The Ukim Tree)

The “tree” as spoken of by the Igbo may hold differentiation and commonalities with that of the Semitic traditions, but nonetheless, both hold esoteric information often only allowed by the few. To not eat of the Biblical Tree, is to not see like the gods known as “Elohim” and not know of good and evil, where, as conceded by the biblical deity, the biblical serpent actually spoke the truth, negating the notion of “father of lies”. As such, the serpent is much more relatable to “Ala” of the Nigerian Igbo, particularly in noting the evolving roots and political notions of feminine worship in particularly current Islamic nations rooted in lunar worship, where the serpent acted as an agent or “lawgiver” in knowing between “good and evil”. Evil and the serpent are properly represented, as “Ala” is also known as “Atai” by the later Efik People, representing death and chaos as necessary for humans to never forget the transcendental “Abasi”. Such is similar to qabalistic concepts of Qliphoth stemming from the chaos in feminine Gevurah, causing a breaking and shattering of vessels from an overflow of consciousness, representing Judgment.

​With the “Ukim Tree” also known as “Ekom” at the center of prophetic notions and hence the religion, the position of “Tiphareth” is proper branching out towards all other sephiroth, except “Malkuth” requiring a foundation. The “tree” would house the potential of the main deity or “Ekpenyong Ibratim” as Abraham as “Kether” with “Akpan” representing blueprint “Adam” at “Chokmah” and “Ekpanem” representing blueprint “Eve” at “Binah”. As consciousness flows, such will establish the foundation of having gnosis of the prophetic “Nsibidi” at “Yesod” for access from the material-fertile realms of “Eka Abasi” at “Malkuth”, leading towards the material birth of “Atai Aabasi” as earthly “Adam” and “Edidem” as earthly “Eve”, subject to the Serpent in the Garden of Ekom. 

4. Igbo Religion In Practice

​In practice, the Igbo Religion looks quite a bit like Qabalist-Judaism, including animistic-pantheistic practices for grounded-material assistance, over the ascendency of El Elyon leading towards the rectification of Tzimtzum by personal conscious-awareness of Self Realization. While an adept is in “Malkuth” in a “post-fallen” state of “post-prophetic” Temple of Jerusalem “Tabernacle” divination times, the Jewish tradition utilizes the “ineffable name” to effect the complete sephirotic-system including associated planetary-influences to alter “destiny” or “Essian Emana” in adjusting the energies of the planetary-archonic influence. Rather than a patriarch-teacher as guide from “Hod” to establish a foundation at “Yesod”, does an adept have a personal “natural force” or an “Arusi” similar to the Orishas, acting as an ascent-guide known as “Chi”. Such “Arusi” can interplay with sephirotic understanding in helping one harness the divine force known as “Agbara” for a proper understanding of the Tree of Ekom and establishing a “Yesod” foundation to work with “Nsibidi”. As the personal guide, or “Chi”, is chosen specifically for the adept among the Arusi, two trees for ascent may be utilized with one representing “Ekpenyong Ibratim” as the original tree placed at “Kether”, or should the adept choose their “Chi” to represent control of the Tree of Ekom being placed at “Kether” with “Ekpenyong Ibratim” as the Guru-Guide of “Hod” for one’s unique expression. Through work with such “Arusi”, psychic-animist practices develop inclusive of numerous spirits, including water spirits of the “Mami Wata” quality and often more importantly in such traditions, ancestor worship, particularly in obtaining the wisdom and magic of one’s bloodline and of strong leaders who have left a mark creating strong energetic-residue, dense energies capable of assisting the adept alter destiny.

5. Conclude

With the current findings of the Igbo Religion, it appears that the roots of the Semitic, Indo-Aryan, and Sumerian cultures, should also look to Africa to assess the historic truth and proper practice as done in an evolutionary sense from shamanic towards belief, from personal result to political enculture. Particularly since Sumer and Elam were “Black Headed” before the Assyrians relating to not just Africa, but Eastern Africa and India.

Nonetheless, with the similarities in ideologies, the use of a sacred language, symbol, or name for gnostic expression, as well as the similarities in name and associations thereof including Ibratim, Akpan, Edidem of the Abraham, Adam, and Eve of the Jewish, and Anu of the Sumerian transcendent “Anu”, and the feminine or the pre-Islamic generic term “Allah” with similarities of the Biblical Serpent to “Ala”, we have a powerful Qabalistic type practice designed for a tribal people to help them from ancestral lineage, natural environment, and cultural organization as such cults were designed to help one and the community grow in wisdom, which may predate “Judaism” itself showing the roots of the Phoenician-Egyptian-Babylonian “ineffable name” derivatives, and properly sourcing Abraham as “Abasi” or the Sumerian “Apsu”, the original “Divine Masculine” signifying the “pre fall” masculine. 

​Even further, like concepts of the Qabalist “Four Worlds” showing the sheaths or “koshas” of the layers of the soul as described in Hinduism, the Igbo hold a similar understanding of the ethereal body, soul, spirit, and oversoul in relation to the character-persona known as ego or the “ruach”, including an emanation from the soul with what most know as a “shadow” and utility of such. Nonetheless, such proves that the Igbo Religion becomes a proper study in its own right, not just as a historical-mythological basis with possible links to other major traditions, but a proper practice for an adepts own spiritual evolution as such is still found secretly through derivative practices such as the esoteric “Abakua” and “Obeah”, similar to the Eastern Tantrik with a village tutelary often kept in secretive familial-cults by and through passing gnostic “transmissions” meaning magical “powers” via ancestral lineages.

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Wiki:
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The Author. The Bride, The Breed, and The Brigade (Invoking The Celtic Goddess). TheInnerStairwell (2022)
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Sweet Offerings (TheInnerStairwell)