Ògụ́àfọ̀ Ị̀gbò: The Igbo Calendar System X-rayed

As the Igbo calendar system is relegated to the background, bet the only day you can remember from the calendar is ‘Eke’ market day which for some unknown reason is the most popular of all the Igbo market days. 

Ògụ́àfọ̀ Ị̀gbò is the traditional calendar system of the Igbo people that has been in use before the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar.  

Unlike the conventional Gregorian calendar with its 12 months, 4 weeks, and 7 days, the Igbo calendar emerges as a harmonious composition, boasting 13 months, 7 weeks per month (onwa), and a sacred quartet of market days – Afor, Nkwo, Eke, and Orie – within each week (Izu). An extra day graces the culmination of the Igbo calendar system, nestled within the final month.

The inception of the Igbo calendar draws inspiration from the realms of commerce, ancestral worship, and spirit honoring. The Igbo markets, named after the sacred market days, stand as monuments to this ancient system. Eke-amangwu market in Umudim Nnewi, an ode to the Eke day, and Orieakpu market in Ozubulu, paying homage to the Orie day, are testaments to the deep-rooted connection between markets and the sacred days, a testament to the trading culture of the people. This is one of the major reasons the calendar is still in use. Traditionally, these markets unfurled their bustling activities solely on their designated market days. However, the winds of change have swept through, and now some of these markets breathe life every day.

The Igbo people’s calendar system also plays a vital role in naming their children. It is believed that every Igbo child is born on a particular Igbo market day. For instance, if a child is born on an Eke day, the child is named Okeke or Nweke for a boy and Mgbeke for a girl, indicating that the child was born on an Eke day. Although this naming convention is not commonly used nowadays, it has been significant in preserving the Igbo culture and traditional calendar system.

This chronicle of time finds its beating heart in the sacred role of the Dibia, the custodians of time and tradition in Igboland. Their stewardship extends beyond mere timekeeping, intertwining with the spiritual fabric of Igbo society. The 4 market days, Afọ, Nkwọ, Eke, and Orie, not only delineate the passage of time but also embody the cardinal directions and the spirits of the land, grounding the community in a harmonious balance with nature’s bounty. – Afọ representing the north, Nkwọ the south, Eke the east, and Orie the west – breathes life into these spirits.

 

The Ògụ́àfọ̀ Ị̀gbò System

According to Igbo mythology, the mythical founder of the Igbo race ‘Nri’ embarked on a journey to resolve the mystery of time, during his quest he came across the spirits that govern each day and he counted them and they were four, hence the four Igbo markets days which somehow corresponds with the four cardinal points.

The four market days are:

1. Eke
2. Orie
3. Afor
4. Nkwo

These four market days make up one week(Izu) in the Ògụ́àfọ̀ Ị̀gbò. In turn, the seven weeks make one month(Onwa). While there are four days, they come in alternate cycles of “major” and “minor”, giving a longer eight-day cycle.

During the earlier days, children were named after the weekdays they were born on, names like Mgbeke, Mgborie, Nwankwo, etc were very common.

An example of a month: Ọnwa Mbụ

Eke	Orie	Afọ	Nkwọ
		1	2
3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26
27	28

In the Iguafo system, a month has 28 days, with 13 months in a year. In the last month of the year, a day is added. For each month in the Igbo calendar, there is a representation or significance in the Igbo cultural or religious life.

No.	Months (Ọnwa)	Gregorian equivalent
1	Ọnwa Mbụ	(February–March)
2	Ọnwa Abụo	(March–April)
3	Ọnwa Ife Eke	(April–May)
4	Ọnwa Anọ	(May–June)
5	Ọnwa Agwụ	(June–July)
6	Ọnwa Ifejiọkụ	(July–August)
7	Ọnwa Alọm Chi	(August to early September)
8	Ọnwa Ilo Mmụọ	(Late September)
9	Ọnwa Ana	(October)
10	Ọnwa Okike	(Early November)
11	Ọnwa Ajana	(Late November)
12	Ọnwa Ede Ajana	(Late November to December)
13	Ọnwa Ụzọ Alụsị	(January to early February

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Months and significance

The months below are in line with the Nri-Igbo calendar which may differ from other Igbo calendars in meaning, ceremonies, and significance across various communities.

Ọnwa Mbụ

• • The Igbo new year officially starts from the third week of February which is the first month in Iguafo Igbo. The Nri-Igbo calendar year corresponding to the Gregorian year of 2012 was initially slated, to begin with the annual year-counting festival known as Igu Aro on February 18 (an Nkwọ day on the third week of February), but was postponed to March 10 due to local government elections in Anambra State where the Nri kingdom is located. The Igu Aro festival which was held in March marked the lunar year as the 1013th recorded year of the Nri calendar.

Ọnwa Abụo

• • Dedicated to cleaning and farming activities.

Ọnwa Ife Eke

• • It is known as the Ugani period meaning ‘hunger period’ among Igbo people, it is a fasting period in reverence to the goddess Ani. it is marked by wrestling in some communities.

Ọnwa Anọ

• • This is one of the most important months, this is when the planting of yam seeds starts which is considered the king of crops in Igboland. It is also the month for the Ekeleke dance festival which dwells on the sustenance of belief in the gods and optimism.

Ọnwa Agwu

• • The month is named after Alusi Agwu, therefore the month is dedicated to worshipping the Alusi by its followers. Onwa Agwu is also the traditional start of the year, at this time adult masquerades like Igochi na mmanwu come out.

Ọnwa Ifejiọkụ

• • This is a major month in the Igbo calendar, it is the month when rituals for the New Yam Festival are performed. Onwa Ifejioku is dedicated to the yam deities Ifejioku and Njoku Ji. 

Ọnwa Alọm Chi

• • This is the month that yams are harvested and also a month dedicated to women. It is a month of prayer and meditation for the womenfolk and reconnecting with their ancestors. 

The month is named after Alom Chi, a shrine that a woman builds in honor of her ancestors. Onwa Alom Chi is dedicated to paying reverence to womanhood.

Ọnwa Ilo Mmụọ

• • It is a month for the festival of Onwa Asato(Eight-Month)

Ọnwa Ana

• • Just as the name goes, this month is dedicated to the Igbo earth goddess ‘Ana’ or ‘Ala’. In this month, rituals are commenced in honor of her.

Ọnwa Okike

• • Okike ritual takes place this month.

Ọnwa Ajana

• • Okike ritual continues into this month.

Ọnwa Ede Ajana

• • Ritual Concludes

Ọnwa Ụzọ Alụsị

• • This is a month of offering to the Alusi for Thanksgiving and other needs.

The significance of each month shows that the Igbo calendar is not just for tracking time rather it connotes spiritual implications. 

As we traverse the landscape of the Igbo calendar, we encounter festivals, rituals, and ceremonies, each a brushstroke in the grand mural of Igbo culture. The Igbo calendar, with its nuanced variations, adds another layer of complexity to this temporal masterpiece.

The Ògụ́àfọ̀ Ị̀gbò is not merely a calendar; it is a living testament to the cultural richness, resilience, and spiritual depth of the Igbo people. It is a captivating tapestry of time, each thread woven with the essence of tradition, commerce, and spirituality, standing as a testament to the enduring spirit of the Igbo culture across generations.

It is important to note that the calendar is neither universal nor synchronized, so various groups will be at different stages of the week or even year. However, the four-eight-day cycle serves to synchronize the inter-village market days, and substantial parts (for example the Kingdom of Nri) do share the same year-start.

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