IGWE

God

In the Igbo cosmology of south-eastern Nigeria, Igwe designates the sky, the celestial vault, one of the great landmarks of the universe beside Anyanwu, the sun, and Ala, the earth. The term igwe means the sky or the heavens, and it is associated with rain, light and the heavenly bodies. The sky is there perceived as a living power, source of the rain that makes the fields fruitful — which earns Igwe the role of master of the heavens and dispenser of rain. In certain regions, notably among the Isuama and in the north-west of Igboland, Igwe also serves as the name of the deity of thunder and justice more widely known under the name Amadioha, who speaks through the thunder and strikes with the lightning to punish faults. The same word, igwe, is moreover an honorific title borne by certain Igbo kings — literally "the sky" — to mark the sovereign's elevation. Like the other powers of the pantheon, Igwe attaches to the supreme god Chukwu, whose minor deities, the alusi, are held to be emanations.