What is the difference between Odinani and Omenala?

Omenala are customs and traditions, and Odinani is the study of the sacred sciences of nature; both  inner (human nature) and outer (the world as we know it). In essence, Omenala is what is done, and Odinani is part of the reason why its done.

How old is Odinani?

As old as humanity itself

How many people study it?

More than you think. There are ALOT of people who study Odinani behind closed doors because of the negative stigma that is currently attached to it. But this is rapidly changing as more people are challenging the status quo. 

Is it practiced in the Diaspora?

While there are no fully functioning Igbo derived systems in the Diaspora,  vestiges of Odinani and Omenala can be found in Haitian Voodoo, Jamaican Obeah, African American Hoodoo/Rootwork, Cuban Abakua, Black Greek Letter Organizations, Carribean Jonkonnu and Carnival festivals, etc

Is Odinani really about Devil worship?

There is no such thing as “The Devil” in Odinani

What about human sacrifice?

Human sacrifice is something that has been observed in all societies in one form or another. There are three main kinds of human sacrifice. The first and most prominent involves sacrifice as a form of capital punishment. The second was the sacrifice of slaves/P.O.W’s at special ceremonies such as royal funerals  or festivals. The third type is a ritual murder in order to gain money or power.  The last two are condemned by every society on the planet.  Omenala condones capital punishment.

What about animal sacrifice?

Omenala typically involves ritual animal sacrifice, but so does Thanksgiving

What is the name of God in Odinani?

The word that is used for God in Igbo is Chi. It is a reference to the individual spark of divinity that exists within everyone.  The collective spirit of everyone and everything is known as Chukwu. It is a contraction of two words: Chi (God) and Ukwu (great or large in size). Literally, Chi-Ukwu or Chukwu means the Great God or the Great Spirit. 

What are the practitioners of  Odinani known as?

Ndi Igbo (Igbo people) did not refer to themselves as servants, followers, devotees or slaves of any spirit or deity. Instead, they considered themselves to be Umu (children) of the Mmuo (Spirits).  Since the Universal Spirit was known as Chukwu, the most appropriate name for practitioners of Odinani would be Umuchukwu (Children of the Great God). A singular form of this would be Nwachukwu (Child of  the Great God).

Is there a Heaven or Hell in the Igbo afterlife? What happens after one dies?

The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed,  it just changes forms. Likewise, there is no such thing as an “afterlife” in Igbo cosmology, as the spirit world is seen as the unseen part of the physical world. When you “die”, you just transition the same way that liquid water  makes its transition to water vapor when its heated at a high enough temperature.  If one chooses to, you can return to the earth plane, the same way that water vapor condenses to rain. Furthermore, Heaven and Hell are seen as states of mind that are experienced while you are “alive”,  rather than after you “die”

Did the Igbo people come from Israel or Egypt?

Igbos did not come from Israel or Egypt. The only people that say that they come from Israel are Christians (including the Christians who masquerade as Igbo Jews). I have not met a ONE practitioner of Odinani etc who ever made such a claim. In regards to the second question, Igboland has been occupied since pre-dynastic times, so no.

What does Igbo cosmology say about the first incarnated family? Did we all come from 1 man & 1 womb-man or were there 7 pairs of incarnated humans?

To my knowledge, I have seen at least 3 stories about the first human beings. The first comes from After God is Dibia Volume 1, the second comes from the Nkomii, and the third comes from this site.

If the Traditional Religions were so powerful, how did the Europeans conquer Africa?

Coming Soon!

Feel free to ask more questions!