The Songs of Igbo Nation [video]

The chief accomplished an uncommon feat – being seated as Ogene thundered for minutes. Though his legs started moving, the tepid level of his kinetics was atypical; even the woman on the right was already joining the song.  In the Igbo Nation, Ogene is a song of merriment; you go around and sing, and sometimes, you go home with gifts.

It differs from war songs where young men now sing for themselves. In ancestral Igbo, before that happens, Ikoro (the large wooden drum which can be the size of a room) must thunder, notifying the community that something bad or challenging is happening or about to happen. Call it the highest level of emergency alert. When you hear that (except during festivals), the instruction is clear: leave everything you are doing and come to the village square. It could be a war time to defend territories!

In Ovim,  Ugwunta hosts the Anwurinwi – the war dance of Ovim. Whenever a war breaks out (in ancestral time), the Ikoro sings, putting the community on highest emergency alert, and then men will rush to beat the war dance. The Anwurinwi is powerful – hearing the sound will turn simple men into human warriors. They can climb palm trees with bare hands, and raze down houses in minutes. The sound pulsates the mind, pushing humans to overcome fear. Yes, men can walk through fire!

Anwurinwi is at the other extreme of Ogene. Welcome to Southeast Nigeria; deep tradition there. Everyone, travel safely!

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Comment 1: The melodic sound of ogene, ?gba, ?k?r? (or ekwe) and ?jà, the rhythmic sound of udu, the rattling sound of ichaka, and the antiphonal vocal sounds of the singers are simple oracular. Ogene music gives joy!

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