Igbo Feminist Philosophy: The Odu Symbolism
It is often thought that the patent to feminist philosophy is held by the Western world to the exclusion of Africa and other parts of the formerly colonised world. This line of thinking informed by the active engagement with feminist movements in Europe and America is not only myopic but pretentious. As an ideology, feminist philosophy is universal and accommodates all variations of feminism.
Among the Igbos of South-Eastern Nigeria exists the Odu society, a core feminist institution with strict membership of elderly women characterised by their cool pale-white regalia. The Odu society is craftily sculpted after the matriarchal society of African elephants who were once prominent in this tropical region. Just as African elephants are led in large herds by experienced matriarchs, the grey-haired women that make up the Odu have in their own rights shouldered the burdensome feat of holding up a family unit.
Growing up in Onitsha, I can recall lucidly my first Odu celebration: it was Dibueze’s and she was my grandmother. The year was 2001 but I was too young to appreciate the energy-full traditions being performed, nevertheless, I caught the ecstatic fever that permeated the atmosphere. As years raced by and I became more conversant with the language of life, I relived the experience through a dark grey Sony television and a stunted cassette player that rested next to it.
Bathed in loud white that violently reflected the rays of the sun, the Odu celebration required Dibueze to be dressed in rich lacy white wrappers. The first white wrapper ran below the collar bones, just above the breasts while the second sat finely tied above the waist. This asymmetry is complemented by a bright white head tie which rested on the Dibueze’s head in an almost regal manner.
As a reference to the society’s patron animal the African elephant, the most opulent ornament of the attire remained the sets of chunky ivory elephant tusks that adorned the hands and legs of the new Odu member. These elephant tusks were acquired from hunters and craftsmen who skilfully carved the ivory tusks; acts that would have been indicted by today’s moral standards informed by conservatism.
The set of tusks on her hands was thicker and stunted with just enough hole in it for the hand to slip in and slide down to the wrists where it sags. The leg tusk clung around each leg and crawled up her ankle to the lower half of the knee. With the jarring-red aka beads placed around her wrinkly neck, colour was splashed on the pale outfit just like cherry placed on a white and ivory cake — the outfit was complete with Dibueze looking oven-fresh for initiation.
Before a seated audience of the Odu members, a herd of family members and well-wishers, the initiation process required that she perform a sacred traditional dance under the sharp gaze of critical eyes. At its base, the sacred dance was simply mimicry of the graceful movements of the matriarchal African elephant who moved with the elegance of simplicity bestowed on her by old age — she moved slowly emphasizing her size and achievements. She danced till her awe became so persuasive that it enchanted the audience who in a reverent tone chanted: “Great elephant! Do not rage on, be calm for we acknowledge the grandeur of your achievements”. Having received her due regard for her role as a matriarch, she proceeds to join the community of matriarchs that is the Odu.
Looking past the pomp and extravagance of the Odu initiation ceremony, the Odu at its core represents a feminist ideology that equates women to the matriarchal African elephant who leads her society with her wealth of wisdom. Odu was created by women solely for women and continues to survive to this day as a towering feminist icon in modern Igbo society.
