Like virtually all native African tribes on the mother continent, the Nigerian Igbo tribe, one of the largest amongst the 3,000 known tribes in Africa, does not believe in the heaven or hell theory. The Igbos believe a man’s soul reincarnates. In the cosmology and worldview of the Igbos, which is as old as mankind, there is no evidence or documented record of a heaven or hell fire as final destinations of the human soul after demise
The Igbo’s Reincarnation Belief is in Contrast to Heaven and Hell
The Igbo, (Ndi Gboo,) have always understood the soul’s journey and believed that reincarnation is the only reality for the human soul to achieve spiritual purity and then re-establish its connection to CHI UKWU, the universal creator, whose creative energy resides with/in Chi na ké (Chineke).
Anenechukwu Umeh writes in his book “After God is Dibia” stating that mmadu (human being) is “oku na mmili/mmiri” (energy and water). Mmadu assumes the Ọgọdọ/Ahụ/Arụ (bodies/clothes ) that are appropriate and relevant to our plane of existence (earth).
He highlighted that we are permitted seven or eight reincarnation cycles on earth, and that eventually we pass to a better or lower level based on each person’s spiritual worth. This indicates that everyone of us has seven terrestrial reincarnations and about the same number of reincarnations in either a higher or lower level (in another world).
Reincarnation cycles and planes of life are referred to as “Ụwa m asaa, Ụwa m asatọ” in Ndi Igbo. Which means My world seven, My world eight in real terms.
The Igbo believe that in order to make up for your wrongdoings, you must return to earth in the current reality we live in. And we refer to it as Ụwa/Ịno Ụwa.
Furthermore, Voice of the Sun, an online media organization in one of its video captured this article elaborated the belief of the Igbo on this matter
SOURCE Twitter/voice of the Sun, Facebook/Ancestors Voice, Isaac Ogbodo
IMAGE: G Basden, travellers, explorers and pioneers
