The Myth Of Money Rituals in Igbo Land

Topics such as Money Ritual in Igbo Land are grey areas that people tread on carefully, perhaps due to how sensitive the topics most especially when it is given a tribal coloration. The Igbos have suffered this demeaning painting the most. The myth of rituals for money in Igboland has tarried for long no thanks to Nollywood and Kanayo O. Kanayo the actor.

Perhaps the Igbos allowed this claim to go unchallenged. Perhaps, this is the time to address it.

There’s a tiny line between the actual practice of money ritual among the Igbos and the stereotype they bear which has become a recognition to them. What is important is your ability to settle the dispute between the Igbo people, money ritual, and the stereotype.

This is because the Igbos have arguably the highest middle class among the major ethnic group and are not shy of displaying their wealth. After the civil war and every Igbo man was given 20 pounds irrespective of what they had in the bank before the war, many thought the group has been buried forever. They survived and prospered, and using the apprenticeship system, they continually grew their base and brought new wealthy people into the circle.

For lack of explanation tainted with a little envy, the other groups accused them of money ritual. This is lazy but it is enough to satisfy them.

The reality of Igbo wealth

The sudden wealth of an Igbo man is a result of years of accumulation. The build-ups that happened for years have an actual gathering period which can as well be referred to as the harvest period. Now, THIS IS THE MONEY RITUALS.

The average Igbo businessman who may be a millionaire will still present the posture of one who hasn’t seen a penny in a whole year. Most times, they don’t live in expensive houses while trying to build wealth. Igbo businessmen don’t buy the most expensive cars when trying to build wealth – when they do, mostly during Christmas, they sometimes sell them in January when they return from the village.

They don’t go for expensive clothes while trying to build wealth. They completely embrace the theory of eating one today and save three for tomorrow. They don’t live to impress with money while trying to build wealth. But, the moment they’ve amassed enough, everything mentioned above will be done, twofold, sometimes fivefold.

And then their average neigbhour who has no single clue about the whole picture would call them ritualists.

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They have a life ritual to build wealth. They sacrifice moments to build a blissful stable forever. They have healthy competition among themselves. Markets in Igboland are full of this. Anambra State is one place you can start with – ironically Anambra State is seen as ritualists’ home.

The major ritual of an Igbo businessman is patience while building. Igbo man who is into the business of buying and selling will respect and worship you just to sell his goods to you. The sudden wealth of an Igbo Businessman is a result of many years of savings, and investment rituals.

So, next time you hear anyone telling you, Igbo people are “ritualists”, be proud to let them know they are because it takes strong ritual sacrifices in patience, savings, and investment to build sustainable wealth.

This doesn’t in any way deny that the practice of money ritual does not exist among the Igbo, but rather correct the impression that their entire breakthrough is dependent on money ritual. In any case, the employment of juju is not an Igbo thing. The Yorubas have strong Baba Lawos and the Hausas have their mallams.

Most times, when an Igbo man goes to a dibia, it is to obtain spiritual power to protect themselves from evil arrows targeted at bringing them down, financially and all around. The church frowns at this and seeing that the church is the strongest in Igboland and is a strong pressure group, it is safer to argue that the Igbos employ the diabolical the least.

If you continue to believe that Igbos are the king of money ritualism, you are watching too much African Magic Epic and taking it too seriously.

In conclusion, Money rituals in Igboland are mostly associated with businessmen but it is lazy, a quick evaluation will prove to you that wealthy people of Igbo origin who are academically rooted are ‘money ritual’ tag-free. This is because their source of wealth is visibly reviewed and traced. This should also be the standard to measure an Igbo businessman whose accumulated wealth can sprout out at any time.

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