The creation story is diversity itself, for the millions of tribes on earth each has a unique creation story peculiar to them. In Nigeria, the Hausas tell the story of their origin tracing it to Bayajidda, the Yorubas recount the legend of Oduduwa who came from the skies to complete the creation mission of his brother Obatala, who got drunk from palm trees he created himself.
Just like every other tribe and their creation story, the Igbo people trace their origin to the ancient town of Nri to a man called Eri.
Littered on the pages of Igbo history is the name Eri, legends and myths on the creation story revolve around the name. The myth is one that has spanned several stories over the decades but one thing is sure he is considered the father of the Igbo nation.
Eri creation story
As with every creation story, the origin of Eri himself is unclear. According to a myth, Eri was a sky being sent by Chukwuokikeabiama (God of creation and mystery) to bring civilisation to mankind. A scholar Onwuejeogwu M. Angulu, Eri came to Igboland around the 1500s. This is more recent and would make nonsense the Igbo founder status of Eri.
Some scholars have pointed to oral traditions and archaeological evidence that put the existence of Eri between 900 and 1250.
According to a more recent myth influenced by Christian-influenced pseudo-historians, he was one of the sons of Gad, the seventh son of Jacob (Genesis 46:16) who migrated before the great exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Some say he left to escape slavery the Israelites suffered at the hand of the Egyptians while some might argue that he acted on the directives he heard from God, either way, Eri left his people and ventured further into Africa.
Eri migrated from Egypt with some of his companions, traveling by water (which is not possible as the Nile ended southeast of Egypt while he travelled due-south), he arrived finally at the confluence point of Ezu and Omambala (Anambra) Rivers known as Agbanabo, located in present-day Aguleri. According to the stories, he was divinely instructed to camp with his men and make it their final destination.
As the stories go, he ventured into the hinterlands and settled in the present-day Aguleri but the settlement wasn’t known as Aguleri at that time.
The Popular Rivers In Igboland
The descendants and followers of Eri increased in population and with time some of the children started dispersing to find their own settlements which make up the towns in Igboland. As with every Igbo family, Agulu, the first son, stayed back in his father’s home in the present-day Aguleri.
Agulu was the eldest son of Eri who took over from his father after Eri’s demise. Agulu flourished with his descendants in the original settlement. He formally named the settlement after their father’s passing “Aguleri”, the name was derived from affixing his name to his father’s name “Agulu-Eri”.
Agu-Ukwu (Nri) was founded by Eri’s son, Menri. He was amongst his children who left home, he settled in a forest where he engaged in hunting and farming. His descendants and followers grew, Menri still followed in his father’s religion. At his old age, Menri asked to be taken back to his father’s home. He was taken back to Aguleri where he died and was buried.
To this day, his grave is still marked at Okpu, in Ivite Aguleri. There is no other grave site of Menri, the founder of Nri, anywhere else in Igbo land, even in Nri itself, except in Aguleri.
The Influence of Eri in Igboland
Today the history and cultural belief system of the Igbos trace back to Eri. The Igbo traditional rites originated from Eri, spreading across Igboland through his disciples and children.
Eri is considered the progenitor of the Igbos, and Aguleri the ancestral home of the people. It is like a stamped rule, by tradition, in some cases, that when an Aguleri man is present that no other Igbo man would break the kolanut except by his express permission.
Eri was the foundation of the Igbo civilization structure, it is an age-long traditional rite that every Igwe-elect in certain Igbo communities like Nri must pay homage in Aguleri. The Igwe-elect will be accompanied by delegates from his community, they will spend seven days in Aguleri undergoing cleansing and rituals. Within that time, they go around visiting sacred places, making sacrifices to deities/shrines.
The Nri settlement during the ancient Igbo was a safe abode for slaves who ran away from their captors. If there is anyone considered the savior of the Igbo people it will be Eri.
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