THE CONCEPT OF AN

OMNIPOTENT GOD IN AFRICA

(THE IGBO TRADITIONS)

By Chiemeka Utazi

Moshi-Kilimanjaro, 2005

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TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 2

CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................ 4

PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPT OF AN OMNIPOTENT BEING .............................. 4

1.1 MEANING OF OMNIPOTENCE .................................................................... 4 1.2 ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHY ................................................................. 5

1.3 MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY ..................................... 5 1.4 OMNIPOTENT IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF THOMAS AQUINAS ................. 7

CHAPTER TWO........................................................................................................... 8

THE CONCEPT OF GOD IN AFRICAN .................................................................... 8

2.1 GENERAL CONCEPT OF GOD IN AFRICA .................................................. 8 2.2 GENERAL CONCEPT OF AN OMNIPOTENT GOD IN AFRICA.................. 8

2.3 THE UNITY IN DIVERSITY OF THE AFRICAN CONCEPT OF AN

OMNIPOTENT GOD (ONE CONCEPT, DIFFERENT APPROACHES) .................... 9

CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................... 10

THE CONCEPT OF “CHI” IN IGBO COSMOLOGY ............................................ 10

3.1 THE IGBO NOTION OF “CHI” ..................................................................... 10 3.3 THE IGBO CONCEPT OF AN OMNIPOTENT GOD.................................... 12

3.4 THE CONCEPTION OF CHUKWU- “THE GREAT GOD” IN HIS

DIFFERENT ROLES ................................................................................................ 13

3.4 THE CONCEPT OF EZE CHUKWU OKIKE ABIAMA IN UGBENE-AJIMA

15

CHAPTER FOUR ....................................................................................................... 17

THE CONCEPTION OF AN OMNIPOTENT GOD IN SOME SELECTED

AFRICAN ETHNIC BELIEFS ................................................................................... 17

4.1 THE CONCEPT OF AN ABSOLUTE BEING IN NGONI ............................. 17

4.2 OLODUMARE: OMNIPOTENT GOD IN YORUBA BELIEF ...................... 17 4.3 CONCEPT OF A SUPREME BEING IN ZAMBIA ........................................ 18

4.4 OMNIPOTENT BEING IN NUER—SUDAN ................................................ 19

CHAPTER FIVE ......................................................................................................... 20

5. COMPARISON BETWEEN AFRICAN AND WESTERN CONCEPTION OF

AN OMNIPOTENT BEING ....................................................................................... 20

5.1 AFRICAN FOUNDATIONS OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY ............................. 20 5.2 AFRICAN CONCEPT VIS-À-VIS WESTERN CONCEPT ........................... 21

CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................ 22

BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................... 23

INTERNET QUOTED ARTICLES ........................................................................... 25

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INTRODUCTION

Philosophy is a discipline that attempts to understand reality in its complex forms,

including the metaphysical analysis of God in such concepts as omnipotence. The

philosophy of omnipotence must then have its origin as early as mankind. That is why

creationists over the centuries say that all the contents of the universe are the creations of

God. This implies that every single habit of nature or law of nature must have come from

the supreme order, God. In this, I, with certain considerations have chosen this topic to

expound the African concept of an omnipotent God and to answer to the impression that

Africa has no original thought as long as the world of philosophy is concerned. I intend to

treat African philosophy as an ontological phenomenon, with the concept of omnipotence

as the key reaching the understanding of African metaphysics. African ontology appears

essentially spiritualistic, but this does not imply a denial of the reality of the empirical.

Having presented the general concept of omnipotence, we have gone further to

show its understanding in the western thought-pattern beginning with the Greek

cosmologists, modern and scholastics and finally, in the contemporary era.

To recapitulate, throughout this work, we have sought for an understanding of the

Supreme Being in its ultimacy from the African point of view. Attempts are made to

highlight the impact of African metaphysics, particularly, in the light of the Igbo1

traditions as well as some practical results of the Igbo understanding of an Omnipotent

Being and other selected ethnic African groups. The names given to God in Africa in

consideration will be of good help. Chukwu of the Igbo cosmology for instance, as well

as other names from those selected ethnic groups introduce us into knowledge of a

Supreme Being, who is the ultimate source of all. This causal relationship is well

expressed in the Igbo concept of “Chi,” a most intimate metaphysical power of God on

creation.

Every African society has beliefs, ideas and teachings that emphasise the

existence of a Supreme Being. These beliefs and ideas although theocentric at any level,

1 Igbo or Ibo as called by the British colonies, is one of the Nigerian major tribes inhabiting south-

eastern Nigeria

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are found to be original with the African; although these may differ from one society to

another and from one shrine to another, the underlying concept is one.2

Finally, we will have a comparison between the African and Western

philosophical thought based on where each has originated and on the intrinsic and

extrinsic influences they have on each other. Therefore, we bring the light of African

metaphysical thought to the blind mind, which thought it to be only a fragment of western

imagination.

2 D. Massiasta, “Indigenous African Religion,” ttp://www.hypertextile.net/blakhud/ind-

reli/ind01.htm, 1994

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CHAPTER ONE

PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPT OF AN OMNIPOTENT BEING

1.1 MEANING OF OMNIPOTENCE

The word, omnipotence is a word naturally of Greek origin, “Omnis”--- which

means all and “potens”--- which means capable of making or producing; are joined

together as a word to form omnipotence.3 Omnipotence as it is, connotes „having within‟

or a „maximal power.‟ Divine omnipotence is a divine operative attribute, an active

potency, or power, for acting ad extra, distinguished from passive potency. Some

philosophers like Descartes assert to it the ability to do absolutely anything; but most

theists understood it as involving vast powers yet with limitations of ability.4 Hence, this

paradox has raised many puzzles as to whether God can do that which is logically

impossible like sin or lie. But, we are not going to concern ourselves here with these

paradoxes. By this maximal power, it means that God has dominion over all things

outside of himself, which he caused and preserves in being. Hence, the term omnipotence

extends only to those things with inherent possibility of existence, i.e., without

contradiction.

The sense of infinite power attributed to God originates from the wonder of

creation and more, the order and regularity of things in the universe. The Greek mind

however, never seems to have conceived of God‟s absolute power except in terms of the

imposition on man‟s intellectual and creative activity as in Platonic world of forms.5

In modern and contemporary minds, God‟s absolute power is that, considered in

isolation, without any reference to the decrease of his divine will. God‟s absolute power

is seen as identical to his essence and therefore, inexhaustible.6 That is why Kierkegard,

would assert that no one man can ever make another entirely free, for the power-holder

would always be bound by the very power that he holds.7 Hence, it is only God, who is

3 G. Roxburhg, “Omnipotence,” New Catholic Encyclopaedia, Vol. x (Washington: The Catholic

University of America, 1967), 688. 4 Robert Audi, ed., Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, 2nd ed. (Cambridge, Cambridge

University Press, 1999), 240. 5 Avery R. Dulles, Introduction to Metaphysics (New York: Sheed &Ward, 1955), 209. 6 Francis J. Klauder, The Wonder of God (Newton: Don Bosco College, 1983), 101-103. 7 Cornelio Fabro, God in Exile: Modern Atheism, trans. and ed., Arthur Gibson (New York:

Newman Press, 1968), 52-53.

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absolutely powerful and whose power equals his essence can allow what is created to be

free and independent. The notion of omnipotence holds the same root from man‟s

inquisition from ancient to the contemporary era. It is merely primarily a search for the

source, the cause of all things.

1.2 ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHY

The cosmologic reality in the Greek thought, definitely has an order, which

brought about the sense of wonder in its regularity. This brought in the question about the

arché of the natural world. That is the various orderly arrangements within the natural

world, not itself anything more than common sense.8 However, this paved a remarkable

advance on common sense to intuit that there are reasons for the regularity of things in

the universe, and that different sorts of regularity or patterns in nature are linked by a

common underlying principle. So the wondering mind begins to ask, „what rules or law

govern these patterns and regularity.‟

Although the Greek answers vary from one material to another Cosmo genetic

natural power, the underlying belief is a supreme hand, an overpowering being, who

disposes and regulates things and whom all things flow from his order. For instance,

although Thales attributed this being to water, water for Thales is not only a god but also

the supreme god. In Heraclitus‟ and Parmenides‟ reality, it is clear that the “Supreme and

Cosmo genetic god are one and divine power.”9 Aristotle himself infers obviously as a

conjecture, that all things are full of gods.

Typically enough, in the Platonic ideal, he expresses the need of some divine

powers, which take care of his own life and destiny. In Aristotelian interpretation, it is the

prime mover, the supreme power of the universe.10

1.3 MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY

Most often nowadays, science tends to have the answer to all human problems

and inquisitions. Although it can tell the cause, its mystery is yet beyond all scientific

reach. Take for instance the case of Tsunami disaster, of 26th

December, 2004, popular

8 L. P. Gerson, God and Greek Philosophy (London: Routledge, 1990), 14. 9 Étienne Gilson, God and Philosophy (London: Oxford University Press, 1941), 2-3. 10

William J. Kalt and Ronald J. Wilkins, The Religions of Man (Chicago: Henry Regnery

Company, 1967), 36.

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news carry peoples‟ wonder and response to this catastrophe and always the question is,

“where is God” or “God, where are you?” An investigation shows that, it is clearly

beyond human power to explain the omnipotence of God. Although we so much depend

on scientific data for solutions, even the scientists would in their own effort say, “God

help us,” thus, being aware of the limits of human power.

In fact, J. Edwards, an American idealist, sees the universe as existing only within

the divine fiat.11

He maintained that there is no quasi-independent material substance,

which exercises real and complete authority than God; and he attributes causal activity to

this and calls it, “the supreme dictatorial order,” on which the order and regularity of

things are dependent. Herder also emphasised that man‟s continuity with his physical

environment fills him with a sense of awe.12

Recognising his lower form of being, man is

completely dependent on a supreme being of omnipotency, whose latent power moves

man to action. Emmanuel Kant on his effort to solve the problem of human freedom

leaned on an ultimate being whom he termed the unconditioned condition of all

conditions, the originator of all things and from whom all things must proceed.13

Although Kant shows an indifference attitude towards God, he could not possibly deny

the manifestations of his absolute power, for he says that if there is any being that is

absolute, then the power of that being must be absolutely beyond all human activities and

even beyond space and time.

Thomas Hobbes on the other hand in his material analysis of the contingentness

of the world asserts that even the annihilation of the body cannot result from a natural

process but is an effect of divine power (omnipotence). He identified the unity in the

different causal chains of the divine omnipotence. Hobbes‟ conception of natural law is

equally dependent on the idea that God is the overall ruler, who recognises his existence

in obeying his natural word, the laws of nature.14

Hence, Hobbes holds that God has the

right to do absolutely everything, because he is all-powerful. Leibniz also remarked on

11 Frederick Copleston, A History of Philosophy, Vol. Viii (New York: Image Books Doubleday,

1994), 256. 12 Copleston, Vol. Vi , 174. 13 John Watson, The Philosophy of Kant Explained, ed. Folcroft Library (Glasgow: James

Maclehose and Sons, 1978), 372. 14

Tom Sorell, ed., Cambridge Companion to Hobbes (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,

1996), 77-80.

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Hobbes‟ state of law, maintaining that the word of God by right commands all things. 15

Nevertheless, the concept underlying God‟s omnipotence in this era, which still holds up

to date is that God reigns over men and punishes those that break his laws. And this right

of God over all is to be derived from his irresistible power according to Hobbes, who

says that irresistible power rules by nature.

1.4 OMNIPOTENT IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF THOMAS AQUINAS

Aquinas in his argument on the power of God says that no reality in the universe

can be, and be what it is, had God not caused it. In other words, everything that exists

exists as constituents to the omnipotent creator‟s practical wisdom and choice. For

Aquinas, all the attributes of God cannot be separated from one another. One is real

because the other is real. The real reality of a thing is its essence; hence, the omnipotence

of God follows from His essence. Aquinas argues that everything possesses a power of

activity appropriate to its way of being. “Hence God, who is pure actuality unmixed with

potentiality, has active power infinitely beyond all things.”16

Consequently, Aquinas maintains that so long as everything is possible itself, it

would be a contradiction to say that they are impossible to God. God is almighty because

evidently, he can do all things possible in themselves.17

In other words God‟s power can

effect anything, which is intrinsically possible. According to Aquinas, God is omnipotent

because he is Being itself, hence, His dominion is infinite. From the above statement, we

could understand the stream of Aquinas‟ thought, that God in His

omnipotence, cannot even effect all. This means powerlessness on God‟s part. God is

absolutely powerful yet has ordinate power. Conclusively, God‟s all-powerfulness

depends on His infinite actuality or essence, i.e. on His selection and wish to act.18

15 Nicholas Jolley, ed., Cambridge Companion to Leibniz (Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press, 1995), 414. 16 Mary T. Clark, ed., An Aquinas Reader (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1972), 143. 17 Thomas Aquinas, On the Power of God, trans., English Dominican Fathers, (Maryland: The

New Man Press, 1952), 39-41. 18 Bede Ishika, Theodicy: Natural Theology (Moshi: Unpublished, Bph Thesis, 2550), Ag-11-12,

n. 8.6.

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CHAPTER TWO

THE CONCEPT OF GOD IN AFRICAN

2.1 GENERAL CONCEPT OF GOD IN AFRICA

It is an established fact that there is the concept of God in traditional African

societies. According to Mbiti, “all African people believe in God.”19

Although this belief

is taken for granted, it is at the centre of African religion and dominates all its culture. In

the Igbo tradition, for example, the idea of a creator God is focal to the Igbo theology.

They believe in a Supreme God, a high God, who governs the universe.

Thus, the African intellectual thought of God and theological assent about God is

very descriptive in its way. This conception and discourse of the supremacy of God,

definitely has been shaped and defined by ancient African philosophical thought-patterns.

However, the African traditional culture has given God an ethnocentric character that is

Africa. Africa has its own ancient heritages and cultures, which its central hegemony in

timeless time has dominated even the philosophical traditions of the so-called western.20

The underlying African concept of God, as omnipotent, roots down into the

concept of creation. In the ancient African‟s striving to understand the human nature and

the nature of creation entirely, overwhelmed with the awe of creation, the African was

able to think and see (understand) that there is a creator, greater than all creatures, of

whom in his overabundant greatness created things so great. Flowing from this, the

African developed the liturgical pattern of worship that is African, for he (the African)

believes in that creator as the master of all things.21

2.2 GENERAL CONCEPT OF AN OMNIPOTENT GOD IN AFRICA

It can be clearly understood that the concept of God as the all powerful or

omnipotent stems from the wonders of creation and in the explanations of observable

events, extended bodies existing beyond the confines of space, which possibly are the

19 John, S., Mbiti, African Religions and Philosophy (Nairobi: Heinemann, 1989), 40. 20 Robert E. Hood, “Must God Remain Greek?” In Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze, ed., African

Philosophy (Malden: Blackwell Publishers, 1998), 462-463. 21 Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze, ed., African Philosophy, 457

9

cause of all things. God is seen in Africa as an absolute creator yet not outside the world

because his supremeness is the absolute ground of all reality.22

Consequently, the African ontological structure is hierarchical of higher and

lower entities. The higher being with the supernatural powers, are held as the ultimate

source of all things. All the actions of the world are a decision of this being. Success and

failure, sickness, death, eclipse etc, all these do not just happen without the supernatural

cause of the Supreme Being.

2.3 THE UNITY IN DIVERSITY OF THE AFRICAN CONCEPT OF AN

OMNIPOTENT GOD (ONE CONCEPT, DIFFERENT APPROACHES)

The underlying concept of a supreme being most powerful in activity and the

cause of all things, the protector is seen in most ethnic cultures as realistically and

accurately absolute. From place to place, the idea of an omnipotent or supreme being is

conceived in various African cultural settings in its various cultural elements and

expressions yet of one reality. Nevertheless, the ways of expressing the concept of power

in various African cultures are concrete and observable in practice.

Furthermore, the ritualistic manifestations of an omnipotent being apparently

differently are based on the same religious beliefs and proceed from one common mental

structure, the structure of symmetrical integration of ultimate power.23

The sense of

wonder and inquisition, the question about birth and death, sunrise and sunset, thunder

and rain, growth, planes and mountains inspire the black man‟s search for an ultimate

reality despite the place and environment. Despite the diversities that mark the various

approaches of different cultural conception of an omnipotent being, there is a

fundamental unity of belief. These approaches may differ geographically or linguistically

or even the attitudes, but each group identifies herself to a supreme being with an

ultimate and absolute power, who creates and preserves what He has created.

22 Molefi Kete Asante and Abu S. Abarry, eds., African Intellectual Heritage (Philadelphia:

Temple Unversity Press, 1996), 299-300. 23 Secretaratus ProNon-Christianis, Meeting the African Religions (Rome: Libreria Editrice

Ancora, 1968), 7 as cited in Laurenti Magesa, African Religion (New York: Orbis Books, 1997),

15.

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CHAPTER THREE

THE CONCEPT OF “CHI” IN IGBO COSMOLOGY

3.1 THE IGBO NOTION OF “CHI”

The origin of the belief in God in Igbo society cannot be explained. This does not

mean that the Igbos (Igbo people) are so intellectually impoverished as to be lacking in a

sophisticated conception of the Supreme Being. A philosophical indication about the

belief in God must have started from the timeless time as long as the Igbos exist. This is

because in different Igbo societies, there are myths of their origin but there is no known

myth about the origin of the belief in God. At best the myth about God that is common in

the Igbo society is that which accounts for a powerful person.

However, possible explanations as to the origin of the belief in Chi could be from

peoples‟ reflection concerning the universe, or peoples‟ realisation of their own

limitations and weaknesses. Some explanations may be from the wonders of the “powers

of the weather, storms, thunder and lightening.”24

The Igbo conception of Chi is through

reflection on nature itself, hence, operatio agentis est in operato, „the doer is recognised

in what he has done.‟ God is real to the Igbo society and His reality to them is expressed

in the names they adopt or give their children, Chiemeka, could literally be interpreted as

such, as God has done favour.

Chi in Igbo tradition generally connotes two concepts. In other words, there are

two clear distinct meanings of the word “Chi” of the Igbo, God or gods and day. The

latter also means the transitional periods between day and night or night and day, thus we

speak of chiofufo—day-break, chiojiji—nightfall or even mgbachi—for the potent hour

of noon that splits the day in two, a time favoured in folklore by intinerant spirits and

feared by children.25

The former is often translated as „the God,‟ or sometimes as

guardian Angel, personal spirit, soul, and spirit-double—ogbanje, etc. There is a strong

Igbo belief that the spirits of one's ancestors keep a constant watch over him. The living

shows appreciation for the dead and pray to them for future well-being. But here we are

24 P.H. Coetzee and APJ Roux, eds., The African Philosophy Reader (New York: routledge, 1998),

140-141. 25

Chinua Achebe, “Chi” in Igbo Cosmology,” Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze, ed., 67.

11

chiefly concerned with the concept so central in Igbo psychology, so elusive yet so

enigmatic, „the chi,‟ God.

It is note worthy that the Igbo belief in chi can be reconstructively described

through a careful examination of the names they have given to God. According to Olu

Oguibe, “the concept of one omnipotent, formidable force Chi Ukwu (Supreme Spirit)

was not pan-Igbo neither was it accidental.”26

The fact remains that prior to the

domination of western philosophy, the Igbo had long established concept of one source of

supreme power under which all deities operate. The name is a matter of semantics of

nomenclature or of politics of linguistic correctness; the philosophy underlying the

concept is power and wonder.

3.2 THE DEISTIC CONCEPTS OF “CHI” IN IGBO SOCIETY

The Nri (father of Igbo people), who migrated from the east (Hebrew) must have

introduced a theological hegemony in Igboland.27

It turned out that their expansionism

was both political and religious.28

The Igbos personalise gods, but this does not obliterate

the concept of the God who assigns duties to other deities. The concept of “Chi” stems

from the sense of wonder that they begin to assign different deities to the different

unexplainable things of natures. Amadioha—god of thunder or lightening, Ikuku—the

god-air, Mmuo mmiri—the god of water, literarily means the spirit of water; Ani—the

earth-god, wondering at the vastness of the earth and its products, they cannot but be the

spirit within it. Agbara or Anyanwu—the god-Sun from whom life radiates the world

through its emitting light. But these concepts of different “chi” are rooted more in destiny

than in different “gods” struggling to assign different characteristics to children born of

one woman.

All these lay the deistic concepts, which underlay the concept of an ultimate

reality, “Chi,” (Chukwu) the supreme God, which is one. Chi is an aura of the Creator

(Chineke). Chukwu in his causative attribute is called Chineke, that is Chi na eke,

meaning, „the God, who creates.‟ Chi is also a guiding spirit that guides and guards

26 Chikwendu Igwe, Traditional Igbo Religion http://www.shef.ac.uk/~bsp98coi/index.html,

10/3/05. 27 Igbo cultural setting or the land, where the Igbos dwell. 28

Northcote W. Thomas, Igbo-Speaking Peoples of Nigeria (London: Harrison and Sons, 1913),

Reprinted (New York: Negro University Press, 1969), 50.

12

without actually participating in piloting the affairs of humans.29

Hence, there is no such

thing as absolutism in Igbo traditional belief. The saying, „Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe’ spells

it out: when one believes, the gods cannot do otherwise. Thus, power so complete and

perfect, even in the hands of Chi, is abhorrent to the Igbo imagination. The almighty God,

Chukwu, in His benevolence character still depends on man‟s agreement in order to act.

There is a coherent belief among the Igbos that even a person‟s chi has no absolute power

over his life. In dying, one has to willingly submit his spirit to his chi before it is taken.

This is because the Igbos believe in life after death. Well, this is another stream of

philosophy, which would take us away from our main strand to the Igbo concept of

naturism, animism and manism.

3.3 THE IGBO CONCEPT OF AN OMNIPOTENT GOD

It is most interesting to know that the Igbo concept of Chukwu, the omnipotent

God is as the Greek conception of Zeus. But before we embark on this powerful God, it is

good to know the connection between the two meanings of Chi given above. The idea of

the day as chi stems from an invitation of this God, whose power radiates the whole

world like the sunlight from the face of the Sun, bringing down creation, showers of

blessings, protection etc. Hence, the origin of the concept of God as the almighty is in the

wonder of creation, the power to give life and sustain it. Life radiates from the solar

system and is sustained by it; consequently, this Supreme Being of the Igbo must descend

from the solar realm. This has a profound implication for it is well known in Igbo

cosmology that the supreme Deity, Chukwu Himself, is in close communion with the sun.

Chukwu is a name from two Igbo words as expressed already, “Chi,” which means the

God and “Ukwu,” meaning the almighty, joined together to mean Chukwu—the almighty

God or God almighty.30

As I have emphasised above, there is a dual concept of Chi in Igbo, in fact

nothing is absolute, for wherever something stands; something stands besides it. Thus the

statement, “I am the way, the truth and the life” of Christian theology would be simply

29 Chikwendu Igwe, 10/3/05. 30 Anonymous, The Traditional Igbo Society: An appraisal of the basic beliefs and practices, as

cited in E.M.Uka, ed., The Concept of God: Readings in African Traditional Religions (Bern:

PeterLang, 1991), http://www.shef.ac.uk/~bsp98coi/seminar.html, 17/2/05

13

absurd or blasphemous in Igbo hegemony. It is complex to know that a man may worship

a deity to perfection yet be killed by another; such is the concept of duality in Igbo

concept of chi, but amongst these, the Chukwu holds the overall power and control over

other multiple-headed spirits and the whole universe at large. This could also be better

understood in the proverb: „no matter how many divinities sit together planning, it will

come to nothing unless Chukwu Himself approves it.‟ Ultimately, with all due respect,

Chukwu or Chineke refer to a supernatural force beyond any human approach. Hence, we

advance a concept, the concept of “one big God,” the omnipotent, the Chukwu.

Since the ancient Igbos (Igbo people) did not have the construction of a rigid and

well-argued classical philosophical system of thought to explain their ideas of the

universe, God and the place of man, in other words, the wonders of the universal order,

God, man and meaning, they necessarily see the need of expressing them in metaphoric

myths, poetries and religious awe. Thus, anyone who wishes to understand the classical

philosophical construction of the universal order and regularity in the Igbo metaphysical

thought must do it along with Igbo proverbs, folktales, proper names, religious rituals and

festivals, i.e. the Igbo culture.

Chukwu- the great God. The Igbos believe that Chukwu is so great and has no

comparison. They acknowledge the existence of other chi(s), deities, but none of them is

conceived as the Chukwu. They are messengers of Chukwu and cannot be compared to

His greatness. The mightiness of Chukwu is well explained in the Igbo conviction that no

altars should be erected for Chukwu while there are for the chi(s). This metaphysical

structure is well expressed in Emmanuel Edeh‟s, terminology, that despite the

proliferation of sculpture between or among the Igbos, the place of Chukwu can no more

be depicted in visible form than he can be enclosed in a building for worship.31

3.4 THE CONCEPTION OF CHUKWU- “THE GREAT GOD” IN HIS

DIFFERENT ROLES

In the Igbo ontology, the omnipotent being is also conceived of in His different

roles. As in his causative role, He is called Chineke, meaning the God who creates or the

God of creation. In Ugbene-Ajima linguistic dialect, a town among the Igbo tribe, the

31

Emmanuel M. P. Edeh, Towards an Igbo Metaphysics (Chicago: Loyola University Press,

1985), 128-133.

14

almighty God is generally addressed as Ezechitoke Abiama, or Eze-chita-okike Abiama,

which is in other words, could be Eze Chukwu Okike Abiama, meaning, the King God

Almighty, —king of the creating phenomenon, who causes all by Himself. Chukwu and

Chineke is one and the same God, called Chukwu when designating roles and Chineke

when seen as the creator. The mightiness of Chukwu is seen in the wonders of creation.

Thus, Chukwu is seen in opus Dei ad extra in (His creation) as the subsistent Being,

Being-itself. Yet He is Chukwu distinguished from other smaller deities. The Igbos use

“He” clearly for Chukwu, for “in her political institution, no woman can hold a supreme

power.”32

Probably, the concept of the sun as the central power of the universe, whose

light gives life and hope to the world is an ideology inherited from the hegemonistic

traditional concept of the mightiness of the heavenly bodies, of which the sun is

considered as the centre. The role and power of Chukwu cannot be alternated, however, it

is shrouded in mystery and metaphor. Eze-igwe—king of heaven. Eze bi n’igwe ogodo ya

n’akpu n’ala—the king who lives in heaven with His garments on earth—this is an idiom

expressing God as a heavenly king who participates in the affairs of the world.33

The Igbos are not deistic in their notion of Chukwu. They call the creating Chi,

Oseburuwa in His activeness in the world. Oseburuwa ontologically means, He

(Chukwu), who supports the word. It is also good to know that Oseburuwa does not

support the world directly but through other deities, chi(s), the most intimate

metaphysical presence of the creator in the creatures. “Were the creating Chi to release

His hold, the world would relapse into „nothingness.‟”34

The name Oseburuwa naturally indicates a God, who sets the world and supports

or directs it to the realisation of a plan. Here is a notion, which also suggests that the

proprietor and sovereign master of the universe, Chukwu, is also seen as a Father. He, it

is, who sends the rain, warning men of its coming in roaring voice of the thunder and

stops it when He wills, without anyone to reproach Him. He makes the forest green and

32 M. O. Ené, “Chi-Chukwu Names,” 1997,

http://www.kwenu.com/afamefune/chukwu_names.htm, updated, 27/12/2004. 33 Emmanuel Edeh, 121. 34

C. Obiego, Igbo Idea of Life and Death in Relation to Christian God (Ph. D. Dissertation,

Pontifical Urban University de Propaganda Fide, 1971), 113-122, as cited in Edeh M. P., 130.

15

the rivers flow.35

He is the master and commander of the universal order. The entire

universe is dependent of Him. He is the „Oseburuwa-Chukwu.‟

As in Yoruba cosmological thought, Olodumare, the supreme God, sent the god

Obatala on a mission of creation. The role of Chukwu in Igbo is to delegate power by the

supreme overlord to lesser or smaller divinities, specific and individual agent, chi, a

personified and unique manifestation of His Being (Chukwu), in relation to man. The

significant of the supreme God, Chukwu, might connote the same essence as the western

or Christian God. Okasi-akasi— is another expression, meaning, Greatest of the greatest.

Finally, the root of it all lies in the belief of the fundamental worth and

independent of every man and his rights and a rejection of absolutism that might

endanger those values. What more, Chukwu himself in all his power has not made the

world by fiat, and the exercise of this super power is limited to man‟s (Chukwu cannot

act without due consultation with man). The Igbos believe that we humans are creatures

of subsistent dependence, we are able to act because there are some powers supporting us

from a supernatural realm, yet inabsolute.

3.4 THE CONCEPT OF EZE CHUKWU OKIKE ABIAMA IN UGBENE-

AJIMA

Eze Chukwu Okike Abiama, or Eze Chitoke Abiama, as in the Ugbene-Ajima

traditional spiritual belief and mythology, is the indefinable, absolute God of creation.

Eze Chukwu Okike Abiama is the creator of all things, and the people of Ugbene-Ajima

believe that all good comes from Abiama. He is the creator and brings the rains that

makes the plants grow. To distinguish the supreme God, Chukwu, as the creator of

everything, he is called Eze Chukwu Okike Abiama, or Eze Chitoke Abiama.

There are also minor gods, who are generally subject to human passions and

weaknesses. They may be kind, hospitable, and industrious; at other times they are

treacherous, unmerciful, and envious. They are Ala or Eja Anyi, the earth goddess. She is

associated with fertility, both of human beings and of the land. Anyanwu is the sun god

who makes crops and trees grow. Igwe is the sky god, while Agbara is the god of

thunder, the source of rain and the defender of his people in justice.

35 Bede Ishika, Theodicy, TTh. 1, 5.

16

In addition to their gods, the Igbo believe in a variety of spirits whose good will

depends on treating them well. Forests and rivers at the edge of cultivated land are said to

be occupied by these spirits. The attitude of the Ugbene-Ajima people toward their deities

and spirits is not one of fear but one of friendship.

17

CHAPTER FOUR

THE CONCEPTION OF AN OMNIPOTENT GOD IN SOME

SELECTED AFRICAN ETHNIC BELIEFS

4.1 THE CONCEPT OF AN ABSOLUTE BEING IN NGONI

Ngoni is one of the major tribes of the southern part of Tanzania. Among the

Wangoni (the people of Ngoni), the explanation of life and all things is based on the

concept of the absolute being, “Chapanga,” with the idea that He is the source of all

things and His existence is unexplainable. Chapanga is a perfect being above the sky

endowed with supernatural powers that transcends all human limitations. Chapanga is

understood as a super power, who gives order to all that happens in the universe. He is

not only a general commander but also is fully immanent in the world. As in the Igbo

conception of power control in Chukwu, here is another rigid construction of an

omnipotent power that, whatever happens under the sun, if Chapanga does not assist,

nothing good comes out of it.36

The aspect of human value is not as well neglected; the

order of seniority is strictly observed and high respect is given to the elders for it is

believed that orders from Chapanga come through the elders and superiors. We can as

well see the Christian underlying notion of hierarchy and religious reverence for

superiors. Moral orders and norms of moral conduct, creation and sustenance, are equally

founded on Chapanga.

4.2 OLODUMARE: OMNIPOTENT GOD IN YORUBA BELIEF

Yoruba is an ethnic group in the southwest of Nigeria. As in the Igbo cosmology,

the Yoruba religious concept is animistic with the worship of numerous gods as

mediators between man and the Supreme Being, “Olodumare,” which literarily means

owner of the heavens or heavenly places. The metaphysical Olodumare is better

explained in mythological tradition, which held that Olorun only existed in the form of

“ashe,” a generative force or energy of life of the universe. The vast expanse of the

universe is further evidence for the veracity of the supremacy of Olodumare.37

36 Denis Mlimira, African and Western Philosophy: The Concept of Absolute Being in the Ngoni

Tribe (Morogoro: Salvatorianum, 1998), 110-112. 37 Idowu E. B., Olodumare, God in Yoruba Belief (London: Longman Group Ltd, 1977), 36.

18

There is a story on how about one thousand gods conspired against Olodumare on

the issue of governing the universe. He withdrew and everything was in shambles; then

these divinities were forced on their folly, acknowledging the absolute sovereignty and

supremacy of Olodumare over all. Evidently, the reality of Olodumare is expressed and

supported by the cosmological mythology on the dual nature of the universe and the

supremacy of Olodumare Himself in the hierarchy of beings.38

Olodumare conceived, as

the apex in the hierarchy of beings in the spiritual realm, is the source of beings, the

owner and giver of life and the most perfect of all beings. He controls the world events,

both above and below and without Him nothing worthwhile would be accomplished. Just

as in the Igbo concept, Olodumare does not absolutise omnipotence as he sometimes

depends on other divinities too in order to act.

4.3 CONCEPT OF A SUPREME BEING IN ZAMBIA

The concept of God as the Supreme Being in the Zambian (Bemba tribe in

particular) traditional religion comes from the overwhelming understanding of God‟s

manifestations in creation. First of all the creation of man, and all that exist in the

universe is attributed to this Supreme Being, the highest of all that is. This being is

designated or denoted by some names according to the manifestations of its powers; like

“Mlungu,” meaning, one who is above all.39

The Bemba, believed that there was a god,

who was Chief of all created things and source of all. This is because they conceive of the

universe as consisting of the interaction of ultimate divine forces and this also forms the

basis of their moral ethical consciousness. The work of the supreme God, Mlungu, is

same as that of a father, stemming from the conception of a human person as common

manifestation of god‟s power over creation. They conceive of creation as the same as

giving birth. So he, who created the universe, is all and the same time its father, hence the

conception of God as, “he who is father of all.”40

The Bemba and other tribes in Zambian

consider the father as one with supreme power, thus, considering Mlungu; the unmoved

mover, the pinnacle, where every creature is endowed with its own force of life. This is a

clear cause-effect relationship flowing all directions to maintain life. He is seen as the sky

38 Segun Gbadegesin, African Philosophy (New York: Peter Lang, 1991), 87-92. 39 S Kapita Mwewa, Traditional Zambian Eschatology and Ethics confronting the Advent of

Christianity (Undisclosed, 1977), 1-2. 40 Laurenti Magesa, African Religion (New York: Orbis Books, 1997), 57.

19

that sees and knows everything. He has neither competitor nor lord over him. He is

unique, and that is why the Lala (a tribe in Zambia) call him, “Mutala-Jyakwe,” he who

does his own will, or called by the Bemba, “Mutala-Kayebele,” he who is advised by his

own heart because he is above all. The supreme God is the invincible, believed to be the

warrior,41

who overlooks everything from His abode.42

4.4 OMNIPOTENT BEING IN NUER—SUDAN

The Nuer is one of the major tribes of south Sudan. Their concept of an

omnipotent God as in many other African cultures stem from the unexplainable wonders

in creation. Their experiences like thundering lightening, rain, the sun, growth and

change led them to identify the mechanics behind these things as the “Kwoth.” The

Kwoth is the one with the absolute power and is referred to as the spirit above the

heavens, on which holds the nut of the universe. He is usually associated with things (like

causes of some effects as thunder, lightening etc) unexplainable by ordinary human

thinking. The kingdom of Kwoth is also hierarchical. Although there are other powerful

spirits under whose work is to carry out the commands of Kwoth like creation,

nourishment, etc, Kwoth is the supreme power, who directs the actions of these spirits.

The Kwoth is the all powerful, to whom all problems and solutions are not

hidden. All prayers are thus expressed to Kwoth especially when human ordinary

solutions proved failures. The concept of Kwoth refers to the one and only one, whose

supremacy determines all things.43

41 S. Kapita, 6-9. 42 Clive Killon-Malone, Zambian Humanism, Religion and Social Morality (Ndola: Missionary

Press, 1989), 22-23. 43

A. Shorter, African Christian Philosophy (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1975), 80-81.

20

CHAPTER FIVE

5. COMPARISON BETWEEN AFRICAN AND WESTERN

CONCEPTION OF AN OMNIPOTENT BEING

5.1 AFRICAN FOUNDATIONS OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY

One thing I find that is commonly true objectively among African and Greek

concepts of God as the omnipotent being, is the consistency in the philosophical

presentation of the theory of creation and the nature of the basic elements. The Greeks

conceive water, air, fire and earth as the ultimate basic elements of reality, the Supreme

Being and the God through which all things are created and preserved. In the Greek

concept, it is clear that what characterises their idea of this reality, is the underground of

the religious belief interpretations. Borrowed from African religious-political hierarchy,

the Greek contemporaries of African philosophers conceived before time of the universal

reality, the ultimate reality expressed philosophically in the basic cultural African setting.

Talking precisely of the Igbo metaphysicians for instance, who knew absolutely

nothing of the western or Greek thought, they defined this concept in their own

circumstantial language underlying the same reality. Africa as a whole has no one defined

culture, or even belief system; but the consensual African relationship does not limit itself

to the sub-Saharan Africa. The now baptised Greek or western philosophy is beyond

reasonable doubt taped from African hegemony and their conceptual structure. That is

why those ideas (in Igbo metaphysics) as Mmuo mmiri—literarily, the water spirit seen as

the god-water, Aja-ala or Ani (earth)—the earth spirit or god, Ikuku—the air (itself as

spirit) and Agbara—god of lightening and thunder, are the concepts, which fashion the

basis and account for the same stream of thought between the ancient Africans and

Greeks. These form the foundation of modern and contemporary concept of God as the

omnipotent being, called Chukwu in Igbo tradition44

and the Greek form of the unmoved

mover.

44

Henry Olela, “African Foundations of Greek Philosophy,” Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze, ed., 46-

47.

21

5.2 AFRICAN CONCEPT VIS-À-VIS WESTERN CONCEPT

The concept of God generally, which mounts to the different attributes we found

in God, is the effect of reflection on human experiences that raises some fundamental

questions. Thus our concept of omnipotence is a reflective look at man‟s existence and

the world around him, which fills man with wonde,r whether Africa or Greek. This

“wonder” is what both Plato and Aristotle tell us is the beginning of philosophy.45

As the early philosophers, Africa and Greek observed the world around them,

they were filled with wonder, amazed by the diversity and unity of things in the universe.

Wonders shall never end. Every human being has the fear of a supreme power, which is

beyond scientific explanations. The wonder of change and continuity of things, seasons

of the year, the heavenly bodies and their orderly arrangement, the starry sky as

exclaimed in Kant‟s, „two things fill me with wonder, the starry sky above and the moral

law within‟ all these infused into man the awe of a supreme reality.46

Wisdom and power command great respect among Africans as well as in the

West. The concept of superiority and power and the brevity of human existence; so

powerful today, whether thought of in African traditional setting or in the Western

culture, man is merely a breath that tomorrow, he is no more. In a nutshell, this reality

has brought in man the awareness of a supreme power, an omnipotent, to be feared.

These philosophies concerning power and supremacy of God reflects the same

reality in both African and Greek cultural heritage. The African contemporaries of

Thales, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, etc instead of subjectively keeping their

thoughts strictly, rather made them explicitly, a “community thought.”47

That is why we

cannot talk of African scholastic origin of the concept of God as omnipotent instead; it

has a mythological existence as the people of Africa themselves. The names given to

God, religious practices and ways of expressions might differ between African and

Western but the objectivity of the truth behind the concept remains vivid; that there is a

being, God who is „supreme and above all beings in power and might.‟

45 Aristotle, Metaphysics, 982 b.10, cited in Robert Maynard Hutchins, ed., Great Books of the

Western World (London: William Benton, 1952), 500. 46 Joseph I Omoregbe, “African Philosophy: Yesterday and Today,” Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze,

ed., 3-7. 47

Kwasi Wiredu, Philosophy and African Culture (Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1996),

46-47.

22

CONCLUSION

Whatever is African is African and as such, must show its traditional negritude in

its Africanity. Clearly, unlike many individualist cultures, the Africans have not lost sight

of the concept underlying person and power as the primordial basis of an individual being

and freedom. This totality of being (person) is what is symbolised by the African culture.

But this culture as we saw, is symbolic of the Absolute Being, the omnipotent God. The

understanding of this concept would help us to know that wisdom and power command

great respect among Africans as well as in the West; in fact, among humanity.

My understanding of this concept however, must be a fact, which has a

considerable influence on the way I present my work as a son of the soil, a typical Igbo

and an African child. That is why the extension of this work embraced the general

concept of omnipotence to show that mankind, throughout the ages have never been

without the sense of power and order. Pointing to the African understanding of person

and power, we could definitely understand that Africa was never so intellectually

impoverished as to lack in philosophical concepts, as God, person and power, as thought

by some western apathetic thinkers.

Streaming through this concept of the omnipotent Being in Africa in the light of

the Igbo metaphysical thought-pattern and other selected ethnic African groups, I hope

that my way of approach to this same reality have brought to the reader‟s awareness, an

objective and analytic view of understanding the African stream of thought in such

philosophical approaches as omnipotence.

Moreover, I do not claim that the features found in the Western culture and the

African traditional and metaphysical setting is solely African, neither is it otherwise.

Since humanity is one, the exchange of experiences and thoughts among people must

contribute to the moulding of some general concepts, such as, omnipotence.

Hoping for good, the purpose of this booklet was to point out one thing, the

underlying concept of a supreme and ultimate reality, the omnipotent God, which

characterises the basis of human cultural and intellectual experiences, man and his God.

23

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