Editing Odinala (section)

==Deities==
{{Main|Arusi}}
[[File:Pottery shrine piece, Ibo - African objects in the American Museum of Natural History - DSC05998.JPG|thumb|alt=An image of a pottery piece depicting three people seated representing the Igbo deity Ifejioku|Shrine representation of the ''alusi'' [[Ahia Njoku|Ifejioku]]]]

The Arusi, who are also known as ''the Arushi'', ''Anusi'' or ''Alusi'' by dialects (see [[Orisha]], the [[Yoruba religion|Yoruba]] cognate), all spring from Ala the Earth goddess and Goddess of Fertility, who embodies the workings of the World. They are lesser deities in Odinani, each of whom are responsible for a specific aspect of nature or abstract concept. According to Igbo lore, these lesser deities as elements of Chukwu have their own specific purpose. They exist only as long their purpose does, thus many Alusi die off save for those who represent universal concepts. Some of the more notable male Alusi include: [[Amadioha]] the God of Thunder and Lightning, popular among the Southern Igbo; [[Ikenga]] the [[horned god]] of Fortune and Industry; [[Agwu Nsi|Agwu]] the God of Divination and Healing; [[Njoku Ji]] the God of Yam, and [[Ogbunabali]] the God of [[Death deity|Death]]. In southern Igbo dialects especially, ''ágbàrà'' is the term for these forces.<ref name="Ilogu">{{cite book|title=Christianity and Ibo culture |first=Edmund |last=Ilogu |pages=34–36 |publisher=Brill |year=1974 |isbn=90-04-04021-8}}</ref>

''Arusi'' manifest in natural elements and their shrines are usually found in forests in which they are based around specific trees. At shrines, ''íhú mmúọ́'', an object such as a hung piece of cloth or a group of statues, are placed at an ''Arusi's'' group of trees to focus worship. Deities are described as 'hot' and often capricious so that much of the public approach shrines cautiously and are advised to avoid them at most times; priests are entrusted in the maintenance of most shrines.<ref name="cole1982" /> Many of these shrines are by the roadside in rural areas. Tender palm fronds symbolize spiritual power and are objects of sacred power. Shrines are cordoned off with ''ọmu'' to caution the public of the deity's presence.<ref name="kalu">{{cite book |first1=Jacob K. |last1=Olupona |first2=Sulayman S. |last2=Nyang |first3=Ogbu U. |last3=Kalu |title=Religious Plurality in Africa: Essays in Honour of John S. Mbiti |chapter=Religion and social control in Igboland |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |page=118 |year=1993 |isbn= 3110850079}}</ref> Larger clay modelings in honor of an ''Arusi'' also exist around forests and rivers. Other ''Arusi'' figures may be found in and around peoples' homes and the shrines of ''Dibia.'' Much of these are related to personal chi, cults, and ancestral worship.<ref name="Nwauwa"/>

===Ala===
{{Main|Ala (odinala)}}
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| image1 = [http://africa.uima.uiowa.edu/topic-essays/show/14 ''Mabri: Art as Process in Igboland'' by Herbert M. Cole, a description of mbari]
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[[Ala (odinala)|Ala]] (meaning '[[earth]]' and 'land' in Igbo, also ''Ájá-ànà'')<ref name="isichei1977">{{cite book |first=Elizabeth Allo |last=Isichei |title=Igbo worlds: an anthology of oral histories and historical descriptions |publisher=Macmillan |pages=27, 334 |year=1977 |isbn=0333198379}}</ref><ref name="oriji2011">{{cite book |first=John |last=Oriji |title=Political Organization in Nigeria Since the Late Stone Age: A History of the Igbo People |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |pages=44–48 |year=2011 |isbn=978-0230116689}}</ref> is the feminine earth spirit who is responsible for morality, fertility and the [[Ancestor veneration|dead ancestors]] who are stored in the underworld in her womb. Ala is at the head of the Igbo pantheon, maintaining order and carrying out justice against wrongdoers. Ala is the most prominent and worshipped Arusi,<ref name="udoye"/> almost every Igbo village has a shrine dedicated to her called ''íhú Ala'' where large decisions are taken.<ref name="agbadiere"/> Ala is believed to be involved in all aspects of human affairs including festivals and at offerings. Ala stands for fertility and things that generate life including water, stone and vegetation, colour (''àgwà''), beauty (''mmá'') which is connected to goodness in Igbo society, and uniqueness (''ájà'').<ref name="agbadiere"/> She is a symbol of morality who sanctioned ''omenala'' Igbo customs from which these moral and ethical behaviours are upheld in Igbo society.<ref name="ogbaa">{{cite book |first=Kalu |last=Ogbaa |title=Igbo |publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group |pages=[https://archive.org/details/igbo00ogba/page/14 14–15] |year=1995 |isbn=0823919773 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/igbo00ogba/page/14 }}</ref> Ala is the ground itself, and for this reason taboos and crimes are known as ''ńsọ́ Ala'' ('desecration of Ala'), all land is holy as the embodiment of Ala making her the principal legal sanctioning authority.<ref name="agbadiere"/><ref name="ogbaa"/>  Prohibitions include murder, suicide, theft, incest, and abnormalities of birth such as in many places the birth of twins and the killing and eating of pregnant animals, if a slaughtered animal is found to be pregnant sacrifices are made to Ala and the foetus is buried.<ref name="agbadiere"/> People who commit suicides are not buried in the ground or given burial rites but cast away in order not to further offend and pollute the land, their ability to become ancestors is therefore nullified.<ref name="okoh2012"/> When an individual dies a 'bad death' in the society, such as from the effects of divine retributive justice or breaking a taboo, they are not buried in the earth, but are discarded in a forest so as not to offend Ala. As in cases of most Arusi, Ala has the ability to be malevolent if perceived to be offended and can cause harm against those who offend her.<ref name="agbadiere"/><ref name="ogbaa"/>

[[File:Python-regius-kopf-königspython.jpg|left|thumb|alt=An up-close photograph of a royal python which is a messenger of Ala|The royal python is revered as an agent of Ala.]]
Within the earth's spherical limit, in a cosmological sense, is a designation of the 'earth's bosom' within, {{Transliteration|ig|ímé àlà}}, a hemispherical base to the earth with an opening or 'mouth' at its highest point, ''ónụ́ àlà''. This is composed of mainly deep dark sea water ({{Transliteration|ig|ohimiri}}).<ref name="ogbaa"/> Ime ala is considered as the underworld.<ref name="agbadiere"/> Ala in addition to embodying nature, is the cosmic base on which the vault of heaven, {{Transliteration|ig|ígwé}}, rests.<ref name="agbadiere"/> As the foundation of all existence, children's umbilical cords are saved and symbolically buried under a tree to mark the child's first sharing of family owned lands; this tree could either be an oil palm, bread-fruit tree, raffia palm, or plantain tree depending on the cultural region.<ref name="agbadiere"/> In some places, such as [[Kingdom of Nri|Nri]], the [[Python regius|royal python]], ''éké'', is considered a sacred and tame agent of Ala and a harbinger of good fortune when found in a home. The python is referred to as ''nne'' 'mother' in areas where the python is revered, it is a symbol of female beauty and gentleness. Killing of the python is expressly forbidden in these places and sanctions are taken against the killer including the funding of expensive human sized burials that are given to slain pythons.<ref name="agbadiere"/><ref name="udoye"/><ref name="hodder">{{cite book |first=Ian |last=Hodder |title=The Archaeology of Contextual Meanings |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=73 |year=1987 |isbn=0521329248}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Edmund |last=Ilogu |title=Christianity and Ibo Culture |publisher=Brill Archive |pages=23–24 |year=1974 |isbn=9004040218}}</ref>

===Amadioha===
{{Main|Amadioha}}
Amadioha (from ''ámádí'' + ''ọ̀hà'', 'free will of the people' in Igbo) is the Arusi of justice, thunder, lightning and the sky. He is referred to as ''Amadioha'' in southern Igboland, ''Kamalu'', ''Kamanu'', ''Kalu'' among the Aro and other [[Cross River (Nigeria)|Cross River]] Igbo people, ''Igwe'' among the [[Isuama]] Igbo and in northwestern Igboland, and ''Ofufe'' in certain parts of Igboland.<ref name="onunwa">{{cite book |first=Udobata R. |last=Onunwa |title=A Handbook of African Religion and Culture |publisher=Dorrance Publishing |pages=18, 40 |year=2010 |isbn=978-1434953964}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=G. I. |last=Jones |title=The Trading States of the Oil Rivers: A Study of Political Development in Eastern Nigeria |publisher=James Currey Publishers |page=28 |year=2000 |isbn=0852559186}}</ref><ref>McCall, John. ''Dancing Histories: Heuristic Ethnography with the Ohafia Igbo''. Page 123</ref><ref>Oriji, John. ''Sacred Authority in Igbo Society''. Page 115</ref><ref>Diala, Isidore. ''Ritual and Mythological Recuperation in the Drama of Esiaba Irobi''. Page 101</ref> His governing planet is the [[Sun (astrology)|Sun]].<ref name="Uchendu">Uchendu, Victor C. ''The Igbo of Southeast Nigeria''. Page 96</ref> His color is red, and his symbol is a white ram.<ref name="Diala, Isidore Page 104">Diala, Isidore. ''Ritual and Mythological Recuperation in the Drama of Esiaba Irobi''. Page 104</ref> Metaphysically, Amadioha represents the collective will of the people and he is often associated with Anyanwu.<ref>[[Maurice Iwu|Iwu, Maurice]]. ''Handbook of African medicinal plants''. Page 320.</ref> He is the expression of divine justice and wrath against taboos and crimes; in oaths he is sworn by and strikes down those who swear falsely with thunder and lightning.<ref name="onunwa"/> Amadioha shrines exist around Igboland, his main shrine is located at Ozuzu in the riverine Igbo region in northern [[Rivers State]]. While Anyanwu is more prominent in northern Igboland, Amadioha is more prominent in the south. His day is Afọ, which is the second market day.<ref>Patrick, Iroegbu. ''Igbo-Okija Oracles and Shrines, Development and Cultural Justice''</ref> In mbari houses Amadioha is depicted beside Ala as her consort.<ref>{{cite book |first=Fred |last=Kleiner |title=Gardner's Art through the Ages: Non-Western Perspectives |publisher=Cengage Learning |year=2009 |page=219 |location=Igbo |isbn= 978-0495573678}}</ref>

===Ikenga===
{{Main|Ikenga}}
[[File:Raccolte Extraeuropee - Passaré 00279 - Statua Igbo - Nigeria.jpg|thumb|alt=An image of a carved deity named Ikenga, the grey wooden piece has legs, a stylised but simple body, a trinagular head and shallow facial features and two horns around 1/3 its size|A miniature abstract cylindrical Ikenga figure]]

Ikenga (literally 'place of strength') is an Arusi and a cult figure of the right hand and success found among the northern Igbo people. He is an icon of meditation exclusive to men and owners of the sculpture dedicate and refer to it as their 'right hand' which is considered instrumental to personal power and success.<ref name="ibos1912">{{cite book |first=G. T. |last=Basden |title=Among the Ibos of Nigeria: 1912 |publisher= Routledge |page=45 |year=2013 |isbn= 978-1136248498}}</ref><ref name="cole-social">{{cite web |first=Herbert M. |last=Cole |title=Igbo Art in Social Context |page=6 |publisher=University of Iowa Museum of Art |url=http://africa.uima.uiowa.edu/topic-essays/show/15?start=5 |access-date=2015-04-04}}</ref> Ikenga is a source of encoded knowledge unraveled through psychological principles. The image of Ikenga comprises someone's ''chi'' ('personal god'), his {{Transliteration|ig|ndichie}} (ancestors), ''aka Ikenga'' (right hand), ''ike'' (power) as well as spiritual activation through prayer and sacrifice.<ref name="Okere">{{cite news |last=Okere |first=Rose |title=Ikenga In Traditional Igbo Society |url=http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/arts/article02/110709?pdate=110709&ptitle=Ikenga%20In%20Traditional%20Igbo%20Society&cpdate=110709 |newspaper=Ngrguardiannews.com }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Igbo cultures value of resourcefulness and individualism in society utilises the concept of Ikenga to regulate the relationship between individuality and family relations and obligations, as well as free will and industriousness balanced with destiny decided persons chi. Ikenga acts as a physical medium to the consciousness and emphasises individual initiative through reflection and meditation.<ref name="wiredu"/> Success validates the Ikenga and the sculptures act as visual representation of a person's inner success, people give offerings in thanks to the Ikenga after providing energy to overcome any unwanted pre-life choices.<ref name="wiredu"/> These choices are at the hands of the persons earth bound spirit, mmuo, who chooses sex, type, and lifespan before incarnation.<ref name="wiredu"/> The successful Ikenga influenced the saying of well-being 'íkéǹgàm kwụ̀ ọ̀tọ́ ta ta' meaning that 'my Ikenga stands upright today'.<ref name="ibos1912"/> During festivals of ''Ogbalido'' or {{Transliteration|ig|oriri Ikenga}} ('feast of Ikenga') sculptures of him may be paraded around a village or displayed at the village centre if too monumental to transport.<ref name="wiredu"/> When a person does not become successful with hard work the Ikenga has 'fallen' and is seen as a sign of danger, if meditation and cajoling the Ikenga fails, the sculpture is 'thrown down' and broken which spiritually kills the Ikenga; a new one is carved to replace it.<ref name="wiredu"/>

Ikenga figures are common cultural artefacts ranging for six inches to 6 feet high and can be humanistic or highly stylised.<ref name="wiredu"/><ref name="ibos1912"/> There are anthropomorphic, architectonic, and abstract cylindrical Ikenga sculptures.<ref name="wiredu"/> Ikenga is a symbol of success and personal achievement.<ref name="wiredu"/> Ikenga is mostly maintained, kept or owned by men and occasionally by women of high reputation and integrity in the society. At burials, a man's Ikenga is broken into two with one piece buried with him and the other destroyed.<ref name="wiredu"/><ref name="ibos1912"/>

===Ekwensu===
{{Main|Ekwensu}}
This Arusi was adept at bargains and trade, and praying to Ekwensu was said to guarantee victory in negotiations. As a force of change and chaos, Ekwensu also represented the [[List of war deities|spirit of war]] among the Igbo, invoked during times of conflict and banished during peacetime to avoid his influences inciting bloodshed in the community, warriors set up shrines to Ekwensu to help war efforts.<ref name="udoye"/> This is based upon the finding of old shrines dedicated to the worship of the spirit,<ref>Agozino, Emmanuel. {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923205738/http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43790:ekwensugod-of-victory-not-devil-&catid=54:arts&Itemid=694 ‘Ekwensu:God of victory not devil’]}}, ''Nigerian Compass'', Nsukka, April 03, 2010</ref> as well as the recounting of old oral stories which depict the character of Ekwensu. Ekwensu was a bringer of violence and possessed people with anger.<ref name="onunwa"/> Ekwensu holds the propensity of bringing misfortune and is regarded as an evil spirit in this sense.<ref name="udoye"/> Among the Christian Igbo Ekwensu is representative of [[Satan]] and is seen as a force which places itself opposite to that of Chukwu.<ref>{{cite journal |first=John A. I. |last=Bewaji |title=Olodumare: God in Yoruba Belief and the Theistic Problem of Evil |journal=African Studies Quarterly |volume=2 |issue=1 |publisher=University of Florida |year=1998 |url=http://asq.africa.ufl.edu/files/ASQ-Vol-2-Issue-1-Bewaji.pdf |access-date=2015-04-04}}</ref> Ekwensu festivals are held in some Igbo towns where military success is celebrated and wealth is flaunted.<ref name="onunwa"/>

===Mmuo and minor gods===
Mmụọ is a broad class of minor gods and spirits or divinities manifesting in natural elements under the class of elder divinities with major cults. Feminine mmụọ inhabit earth and water and masculine mmụọ inhabit fire and air.<ref name="agbadiere"/> This class can be broken down by the ''Arusi'', serviceable mmụọ, ''àgwụ'' are related to unusual and deranged human behaviours, these spirits interact with human in a capricious nature that often makes them dangerous.<ref name="agbadiere"/><ref name="nwaorgu2001">{{cite book |first=Andrew E. |last=Nwaorgu |title=Cultural symbols: the Christian perspective |publisher=T' Afrique International Association |pages=92–95 |year=2001 |isbn=9780529020}}</ref> Other cult deities exist around Igboland such as [[Njoku Ji]], yam and fire deity overseeing agriculture, Idemili, 'the pillar of water', the female Arusi based in [[Idemili North]] and [[Idemili South|South]] who holds up the waters, and Mbatuku the 'bringer of wealth' or 'coming in of wealth'.<ref name="cole1982"/><ref name="uzukwu2012"/> In addition to minor spirits there are evil wondering spirits of wrong doers called ''ogbonuke''.<ref name="chigere2001"/>

Among the Mmuo are:

* Mbatuku: spirit of wealth
* Ikoro: drum spirit
* Ekwu: heart spirit or spirit of the home
* Imo miri: river spirit<ref>Slattery, Katharine [http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofEnglish/imperial/nigeria/religion.htm "Religion and the Igbo People"], ''Queen's University of Belfast'', Belfast, April 03, 2010</ref>
* Okwara-afo: for Nkwerre people in Imo state is god of mercantile activities
* Aju-mmiri: sea-goddess in Nkwerre is goddess of prosperity, fertility and general well-being.
* Ogbuide: goddess of the water associated with the [[Oguta]] people.
* Urashi and Enyija: god of the river
* Ezenwaanyi/Owummiri: Female Water Spirit, Mermaid, Seductress