User:Akuoyibonsugbe

AKUOYIBO NSUGBE By Beluchi Dibua.

What is Igbuwa Akuoyibo Nsugbe?

According to Beluchi Dibua, the author and the admin of Akuoyibo Nsugbe social network for Ndi Nsugbe worldwide, Igbuwa akuoyibo Nsugbe is a concept and strong belief of being honest which Nsugbe people are known for throughout Igboland. In Nsugbe, speaking truth is likened to a treasure, that liberates the soul. It is the cornerstone of healthy relationships for a functioning society. It allows for authentic communication, fosters trust, and forms the basis for meaningful connections between people. When we speak the truth, we express respect for ourselves and others, and we create an environment where genuine interaction is possible. Beluchi elucidates this important virtue of being honest in his rich essay titled "MY DEFINITION OF AKUOYIBO NSUGBE" with the narrative and symbol of breaking the coconut.

MY DEFINITION OF AKUOYIBO NSUGBE

Growing up was very fascinating as a child in Nsugbe. I could remember one evening, a man called TATATURU was a little tipsy, while passing by and overheard a mother yelling at her little daughter "Ugochukwu taa Kpuchie ikegi no nwanyi ka ibu" Tataturu never wasted a minute to fight back, in his drunken influence, he soliloquized to himself in a typical Nsugbe monologue " Ona aga onye vusia ikpu ona akpoya ike"? He smiled and staggered away shaking his head. That was how brutal an average Nsugbe man could go if he wants to speak the truth. He likens truth to stripping a woman naked (igba eziokwu oto). Excuse my manners here lol!!!! In the olden days akuoyibo has always been a symbol of truth and honesty with which Ndi Nsugbe are known, and like TATATURU, we are never afraid to call it what it is, there was no room for crooked chameleons who will always speak with their tongues in their cheeks. Unfortunately, it seems to me that this great philosophy the world had always wanted to emulate from Nsugbe is being eroded to the dustbin of history by our greedy generation. This is the tragedy of our society today. Allegorically, igbuwa akuoyibo is to Nsugbe people what Themis the blindfolded lady justice is to the judicial system. She weighs to balance the scale and strikes with her sword without emotion. This is the symbol of truth, fairness, and objectivity, irrespective of whose ox is gored. There is no room for corruption or bending the truth. Our fathers believe in blind justice. They believe in equity (EBELU ULU ETINYE NA OKPUKPU ,EBELU OKPUKPU ETINYE NA ULU ) -EQUITY. Literally, a coconut is believed to contain some hidden treasure, which is the water and the fruit inside it. The breaking of coconut is basically of two types (ITIWA AKUOYIBO AND IGBUWA AKUOYIBO ) Itiwe Akoyibo conveys breaking the hard shell with a hard object or even hitting THE ALREADY PEELED COCONUT on the ground to break it into two to spill its content. But IGBUWE (AKOYIBO) involves placing the entire (unpeeled) coconut fruit on the ground and using a cutlass applying your whole energy and splitting the entire coconut fruit into (two) halves. In Nsugbe, people don't believe in dressing or wasting time to peeling off the fiber before getting to the nut. This is the real Igbuwa Akuoyibo Nsugbe. Symbolically and metaphorically telling the truth is likened to the above rituals of Igbuwa Akuoyibo -where a coconut is brought out in the public and sliced into two with a sharp machete and the hidden content is made open to everybody, there is no time for the peeling off the fiber and so our fathers don't believe in painting the truth black and white! Up till today Nsugbe people still perform the ritual of "isa ivi" which is a confession of truth for Adultery. In this ritual, everything is laid bare to the public. Therefore, to Nsugbe people the truth is likened to this ritual of confession of the truth that doesn't require any mincing of words, it is a treasure which cannot be hidden and must be split open like the coconut without any hidden agenda or corrupt practices, because they believed that "Eziokwu bu Ndu", up till today you will still hear such words ..."si kwukene na ivee bu alu ma si akpuniya akpu" Truth is the only comfort we have even in the face of oppression and injustice! A renowned author and evangelist, E.G. White once said : " How are the mighty fallen, what shall we tell our children? Is mgbuwa akoyibo still relevant in our today's society? Are you still living up to that truth our fathers were known for? Well, those were the days when Nsugbe was sacred and very symbolic! Until that foundation and doctrine of truth of IGBUWA AKUOYIBO NSUGBE are enshrined again in our daily life and interaction with ourselves, we will continue chasing the shadows- maka na eziokwu bu ndu. Even the holy book acknowledged it, only truth will set you free. Anyi ga na etiwaa akoyibo Nsugbe, onye mili ya gbasali ovichee!!! This is our history and a powerful call for integrity and moral courage in the face of our decaying and corrupt world. Akuoyibo Nsugbe is therefore, a timeless reminder that the strength of a society lies not just in its wealth or power, but in the character and integrity of its people. My name is Beluchi Dibua, a committed Nsugbe citizen and the admin of Akuoyibo Nsugbe Facebook page, lending my voice to this great history!

References: 1) Beluchi Dibua, Akuoyibo Nsugbe facebook page 2) Ellen G. White, Education. (chapter 7)