IGBO MYSTERIES

Igbo numerology, among other things, provides some theoretical framework for the explanation of a number of mysterious feats achieved by the ancient Igbo Dibia such as: Ibi abuo/ibi iboo (bilocation/splitting into two); ife efe (flying); ise ese (lifting up to the surface or space or floating); ikwu ekili/Iwu ekili (jumping ekili); ide nde (melting away, melting through matter or melting into thin air), ishi eshishi and also igho (materializing into an animal, bird, etc., or turning into something else, etc.). The spiritual feat of oje na Mnu or ije na Mmuo is also similarly explained. The invocation and materialization of Agu Mu to appear at a desired spot and time in this plane of consciousness achieves, among other things, ibi iboo (partaking of the spiritual duality and achieving temporary union with it will lead to a number of spectacular physical and spiritual feats. The ability to attain the numerological number nine in one's spiritual development would enable incredible miracles and near miracles to be wrought by ancient Dibias. Indeed from the transformation of Dibia into mystic stick of flying light called ekili is known in Dibia's maxim as onooku isi naabo suolu uno suo onwe ya (lit. "a stick of fire wood lighted at both ends which burnt the house and burnt itself"), one can observe here four opposing forces fundamentally in action: the onoko isii naabo in accompaniments in upwards life and downward pull polarities. Professor Celement Okafor's father who recently passed away at the ripe age of over hundred years and whose father, Ugwumba, was one of the greatest Umoji Dibias by the time of Umuoji's contact with the first Europeans and missionaries, described how his father used to take him and their luggage in ekili mystic travel in these words: "After rendering Dibia's services to a client they will ask the client to escort them to the frontier land or similar boundary between the client's town and another town." There, Ugwumba would thank the client. He would light up the piece of fire wood to which his akpa ogwu, ram, cocks, hen etc., are connected with strings, fling the said wood which burn at both ends up into the air and immediately took hold of his son Okafor's hand with one hand, and then reached out and took hold of the burning stick with the other hand then the Ekili will speed home at an incredible noiseless speed. All one would see, thereafter, was an illuminous white flying rod speeding across the sky at more than supersonic speed without uttering a murmur and without any smoke or jet trails. . . ******************* Malidoma Some, in Burkina Faso, does the same process (turning into light) in order to travel long distances as told in _Of Water and the Spirit.