A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF COMMENSALITY IN IGBO TRADITIONAL SOCIETY, USING EHA-ALUMONA COMMUNITY AS A CASE STUDY. By. Tobe Eze

TOPIC:

A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF COMMENSALITY IN IGBO TRADITIONAL SOCIETY, USING EHA-ALUMONA COMMUNITY AS A CASE STUDY.

BY

EZE, HILLARY TOBECHUKWU

DATE: MAY 2018.

ABSTRACT

Easter Monday of every year is a significant day and of paramount importance to every member of the family of Onyishi & Obunoko Eze, Cyril Ugwuyegu. It is a special day set-out for family reunion, a period during which we share together a well prepared meal which is often served and consumed at the same table and in the same dish. Different brands of drinks are served also to wash the meal down. The food is prepared by my mother with the assistance of my female siblings and daughter-in-laws. During this meal, we sit round the table in a circular form, my Father and Mother have their reserved sitting positions, and we (their children) sit randomly to form a circle. Married daughters do come with their families (Husband and Children). During this meal sharing some family issues are raised and addressed to ensure individual and family progress.

It was this personal experience of commensality; the notable Igbo communalistic behaviour; and the Igbo emphasis on brotherhood that triggered my interest in undergoing a research on commensality. The interest here then, is to highlight and lay bare the commensal activities in Igbo Traditional Society, using Eha-Alumona community as a case study. This will in turn expose the nature, essence, and significance of commensality.

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Pentecost – Solemnity Year B By Tobe Eze

1.       Till death do us part is not tomorrow, be careful on choosing. Tobe Eze.

Pentecost – Solemnity Year B

FIRST READING
Acts 1:1—11

SECOND READING
1 Corinthians 12:3b—7, 12—13

GOSPEL
John 20:19—23

The Christian feast day of Pentecost, which is celebrated ten days after Ascension Thursday, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles. Some Christians believe this event represents the birth of the Church. Since the Feast of the Ascension occurs forty days after Easter, Pentecost is a movable feast.

THEME: WHY THE CONFUSION?

A man brought out a cartoon at night to share to children around him gifts from it. At the point of sharing the content of the cartoon, NEPA took light and there was total darkness. He managed to share them in that darkness. When the whole children have gotten, they managed also to go home in darkness. When each reached him, they checked their gifts. Some got chewing gum, some milkose, some Tom Tom and so many others. They differently told their different parents the gifts they received according to what each received. When they gathered again and were discussing on the gifts, they discovered that they received different gifts from one person.

They noticed that they were giving things differently and they understood themselves. It is God who gives but we that are receiving, receive different gifts for the good of mankind and Glory of God. Because we cannot access other person’s spirit, like that darkness, it is left for the one who received the gift to tell us what he/she has received. Continue Reading..............................

7th Sunday of Easter Year B. By Tobe Eze

      Attention reduces attention. Tobe Eze.

7th Sunday of Easter Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 1:15—17, 20a, 20c—26

SECOND READING
1 John 4:11—16

GOSPEL
John 17:11b—19

THEME: REMAIN STEADFAST.

A certain rich man wanted to help a poor man who lives beside his house. He called the poor man who was living in an open roof house to come and leave in his boys’ quarter. He promised him that he will reconstruct or renovate his house for him. The poor man gladly came to the house and was living with everything being provided for him by the servants of the rich man. He was enjoying himself to the full. People who knew him before were surprised to see the man transformed into another person all together. The rich man, came back one day and was telling them how he escaped kidnappers and they all thanked God. He warned his house hold to know the type and caliber of men and women they welcome in his house for his own safety. They all echoed like the Israelites on the mountain, all that you said, we shall do. That poor man living now as a rich man went out one day, some men approached him telling him that he can be as rich as the man he is living in his house or even more than him. He was interested in the game and was asking more questions. They told him that the only way they can tell him is if he will open the gate of that man by 08:00pm that night for them to come and follow them eat and drink as he enjoys. He sheepishly agreed. By 08:00pm that night he went and opened the gate and he was surrendered with gun. The rich man was kidnapped. When he was released, it came to him that that poor fellow was the one who opened the gate for them on agreement. He was angry with him and jailed him for the crime of kidnapping and that was how he lost all that was promised to him. The rich man went and did that to the person who gave him the information on how he was kidnapped. Continue Reading.........................

Ascension of the Lord Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       Small stature is never small value. That is, small body is not small knowledge or does not make man small. Tobe Eze.

Ascension of the Lord Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 1:1—11

SECOND READING
Ephesians 4:1-13

GOSPEL
Mark 16:15—20

THEME: TAKEN OUT OF SIGHT NOT HE ART.

I lived in a place where a woman has a shop in front of my house. I noticed that from time to time that woman will receive one kind call and the mood will change. She will become happy for the rest of the day no matter the time she received it. After observing this for long, I tried to understand the drama. I started going to her shop to discuss each time that I notice she is answering the call. After a while and I could not get everything clear as I wanted, I decided to ask questions. When next she was answering the call, I went there and waited till she finished and I asked. Who is this person giving you this type of happiness? To my utmost surprise she said her husband. But your husband is not even in the country, not even in sight. She answered me. He is out of sight but not out of heart. After looking at this experience, I think it has a connection with what we are celebrating today. Jesus is out of sight but not out of heart. Continue Reading.....................

6th Sunday of Easter Year B. By Tobe Eze.

1.       If we are to take life as an examination hall where we are faced face to face with the invigilator, we will not cheat. We will not sin. Tobe Eze.

6th Sunday of Easter Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 10:25—26, 34—35, 44—48

SECOND READING
1 John 4:7—10

GOSPEL
John 15:9—17

WE CAN STILL HAVE THAT CHRIST’S SCRIFICIAL LOVE.

An experiment was carried out to know different people’s notions of love and each gave the answer according the state of life the person was. It started with a new married man. He said that love is when you come back from work and your wife is yet to finish cooking and you go inside change and join her in the cooking without complaining. It means you love your wife very well. A newly married lady was asked the same question and she answered. It is when you suffered all alone doing house chores, when your husband came back he pretended he did not notice anything and without complain you went ahead and feed him when you are eating. That shows you love your husband. A young lady was asked and she said. Love is when your man after looking at all your weaknesses still defend you before others and care for you the more. A young man was asked and he answered. It is when your girl after seeing you with other girls that she does not understand your movement with them and ignored everything and continues to love you more. Two children were asked and they said. Love is when your parents take care of you, show you parental love and responsibility. An old man was asked and he said, it is when your wife who is younger than you still takes care of you at your old age and your children do not make your BP to rise. All these answers may be right but none of them has reached the love Jesus, God and man has for and towards us. All these are just explaining love of one that is dear to us. What of those whom we do not know? What of our enemies? What of other things that are not human beings (like)? We have to leave our comfort zones if we want to show the sacrificial love of Christ. Christ left his father and the Holy Spirit in heaven, came down to us just for us to have life in full (John 10:10b). Continue Reading.......................

A LOOK AT THE IGBO ADAGE; CHINEKE JI JI JIDE MMA, ONYE OWANYERE ORIE. By Tobe Eze

A LOOK AT THE IGBO ADAGE; CHINEKE JI JI JIDE MMA, ONYE OWANYERE ORIE.

INTRODUCTION: The concept of this oji ji jide mma is an old adage that has lasted in Igbo land from time immemorial. It is an adage that tries to show whom God is and what he is to Igbo people. This shows that all that exist in this world is from God Chineke or Chukwu. In affirmation of this through the bible one can use Psalm 127:1 If the Lord does not build the house, in vain does the labourer works and if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil. This is a positive name given to God the creator by Igbo people which may have no flaw in it. It is because of this goodness of this adage that I want to approach it in this way. To ask some thought provoking questions like; Is it raw yam or prepared yam that God is holding? If it is prepared, what type of preparation? Because every preparation has a way of eating it. Is it roasted, Porridge, Pounded, Boiled, and Fried and so on? It is when we have answered these questions that we will know our role in the ji and mma God is holding. This oji ji jide mma has made many to become irresponsible and lazy. As God hates laziness so also some industrious people like Julius Nyerere in his Ujamaa, said that when you have a visitor, you should treat him as a visitor for two days and on the third day, give him/her a hoe. This was a fight for laziness and idleness. Continue Reading..........

5th Sunday of Easter Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       Underline the bad, work towards eradicating it. If you leave it open, you may eradicate both good with it. Tobe Eze.

5th Sunday of Easter Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 9:26—31

SECOND READING
1 John 3:18—24

GOSPEL
John 15:1—8

THEME: YOUR FRUIT CAN PROVE THEM WRONG.

Sometimes I like borrowing the words of my spiritual director Rev. Fr. Jude Nwodo, “Your conscience is clear is not enough, live it out. We may claim sometimes that our consciences are clean but to see the cleanness in our behaviours will be a difficult task and that puts a question mark to that clean conscience(s). In 2015, I went to a certain parish to deliver a talk to the youth during their youth week. When I reached there and the person who invited me introduced me to the President who can be my father in his age. He looked at me and said. Odogwu can you do this, what have you to offer? I felt ashamed but I told myself that, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). After the talk, he came back and asked me. How old are you? I told him, it is not necessary, that what is necessary is what you are made of. Since then he has been inviting to many places for talk. Continue Reading...........

4th Sunday of Easter (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY) Year B By Tobe Eze

1.       Underline the bad, work towards eradicating it. If you leave it open, you may eradicate both good with it. Tobe Eze.

4th Sunday of Easter (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY) Year B

FIRST READING
Acts 4:8—12

SECOND READING
1 John 3:1—2

GOSPEL
John 10:11—18

THEME: WHO’S FAULT; THE SHEEP OR THE SHEPHERD?

After looking at what is happening in the world today, one will be confused. There are proliferation of churches everywhere in the world and crimes, taboos and all sort of evils are increasing day in day out. In this situation, one will ask, is the fault from Christianity or from the Christians? Is it the fault of the shepherd or the sheep?

Christians increase everyday and morality decrease everyday as well. Rape, fornication, adultery, murder, robbery, human rituals, kidnapping and many others were not existing before now, but they are now everywhere likewise churches are everywhere now. Sometimes one in this part of the world will be tempted to say, let us go back to our African Traditional Religion for there was less crimes then. The issue is not about going back, it is the issue of going back to our duties. Shepherds going back to shepherds' duties and sheep going back to their duties. Continue Reading.........................................

3rd Sunday of Easter Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       All men are the same always follows a bad experience with a man. Tobe Eze.

3rd Sunday of Easter Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 3:13—15, 17—19

SECOND READING
1 John 2:1—5a

GOSPEL
Luke 24:35—48

THEME: YOU CAN STILL RIGHT THE WRONG.

I was going somewhere one day with my motorcycle, when I reach a roundabout. I was taking straight so I waited for the person taking the roundabout, as I was waiting, a man from behind hit me and started shouting. Bia kedu ihe bu nsogbu gi? What is your problem? Why blocking the road? As he was shouting, the person I was waiting for passed and I continued. The funniest thing happened that the man followed me. He passed me and stopped. I stopped also for he blocked my way. He came to me and asked me again. Are you stupid? People around there who saw what happened came around. They started defending me even before my talking but the man was even trying to beat me. As all these were going on, a young man recognized me and immediately descended on the man and they started to beat him. They were telling him that if you are ignorance of road signs, when you fail any of them, say sorry. I had to come and be separating them and also begging them to stop. After all he left with pains. Continue Reading.................................

2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy) Year B. By Tobe Eze

1.       If you follow all that you see, you will be eaten by all that you see. Tobe Eze.

2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy) Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 4:32—35

SECOND READING
1 John 5:1—6

GOSPEL
John 20:19—31

THEME: HIS MERCY IS NOT A GUARANTEE FOR SINNING.

Pope Francis said that “if we do not get tired of asking for God's forgiveness, he will not also get tired of forgiving us our sins”. Again, Psalm 118:1, Give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever. God's love towards his creatures especially human being is unmeasurable and indescribable.

A certain wealthy man was on the point of death. His wife went and called a priest for sick call, when the priest came and the man was told. When the priest went in to meet him, he told Fada. “It is of no use being here for me for I know where I belong”. Fada asked him what he meant by that and he told him that he belongs to hell. That God cannot forgive him his sins, that his sins are many. “Fada, obaro uru, bia lawa”. After all said and done, he refused to accept the sacrament and the priest left. He latter died in that state. We have many other stories like this one. A woman also on the point of death rejected sick call because of the particular priest that came. “Oburu n' obughi assistant ya lawa”. If the priest that came is not the assistant, he should go. Again on the positive side, we can talk about Constantine who accepted baptism at his dying bed. And so many who have repented on the point of death. These are stories of those who thought that God is tired of giving his mercy to us and those who still believe in his mercy. Continue Reading..........................