Eri (divine king)
Encyclopedia
Eri is said to be the original legendary cultural head of the Nri-Igbo
, a subgroup of the Igbo people
and Godfather of Igbo Civilization. From oral and recorded accounts, he is said to come down from the sky, having been sent by God . Eri settled and established in the middle of Anambra
river valley where he married two wives. The first wife, Nneamakụ, bore him five children. The first was Agulu, the founder of Aguleri
, the second was Nri Ifikuanim, the founder of Umunri/Kingdom of Nri
, followed by Nri Onugu, the founder of Igbariam and Ogbodulu, the founder of Amanuke. The fifth one was a daughter called Iguedo, who is said to have born the founders of Nteje, and Awkuzu
, Ogbunike, Umuleri
, Nando
and Ogboli in Onitsha. As one of the children of Eri, Nri Ifikuanim migrated from Aguleri, which was and still is, the ancestral temple of the people, in search of a place of settlement. His second wife Oboli begot Ọnọja, the only son who founded the Igala
Kingdom in Kogi
State.
Eri is the founder of Umueri and Umunri clans which was the most influential and powerful dynasty of priests, diviners, and civilizing agents in Igboland and adjacent areas such as the Bini
and Igala
/Idoma
areas. He and his children are responsible for the Igbo Ukwu sites, Four market days, Ozo/nze title systems, Igu alu, and other practices of the Igbo people and their neighbors.
Nri-Igbo
Nri is an ancient Igbo city-state in Anambra State Nigeria. The Kingdom of Nri was a center of learning, religion, and commerce in pre-colonial West Africa...
, a subgroup of the Igbo people
Igbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
and Godfather of Igbo Civilization. From oral and recorded accounts, he is said to come down from the sky, having been sent by God . Eri settled and established in the middle of Anambra
Anambra State
Anambra is a state in south-eastern Nigeria. Its name is an anglicized version of the original 'Oma Mbala', the native name of the Anambra River. The Capital and the Seat of Government is Awka. Onitsha and Nnewi are the biggest commercial and industrial cities, respectively. The state's theme is...
river valley where he married two wives. The first wife, Nneamakụ, bore him five children. The first was Agulu, the founder of Aguleri
Aguleri
Aguleri is an ancient kingdom in Southeastern Nigeria. Evidence of urbanization can be dated back to 30 BC. It is located in the present Anambra State, with a population of about 300,000.-Villages:...
, the second was Nri Ifikuanim, the founder of Umunri/Kingdom of Nri
Kingdom of Nri
The Kingdom of Nri was the West African medieval state of the Nri-Igbo, a subgroup of the Igbo people, and is the oldest kingdom in Nigeria. The Kingdom of Nri was unusual in the history of world government in that its leader exercised no military power over his subjects...
, followed by Nri Onugu, the founder of Igbariam and Ogbodulu, the founder of Amanuke. The fifth one was a daughter called Iguedo, who is said to have born the founders of Nteje, and Awkuzu
Awkuzu
Awkuzu is a town in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra state of Nigeria.-Origin:The story of Origin of Awkuzu is not quite clear. A school of thought believes Awkuzu was one of the progenies of the fifth child of Eri his only daughter called Iguedo, who is also said to have born the founders of ...
, Ogbunike, Umuleri
Umuleri
Umuleri also known and pronounced as Umueri is a town in Anambra State of Southeastern Nigeria. The people of town belong to an Igbo ethnic group and has an estimated population of 155,000...
, Nando
Nando
In the early 1990s, NandO or Nando.net was one of the first Internet newspaper sites.-Inception:Nando was produced by the New Media division of The News & Observer newspaper in Raleigh, North Carolina...
and Ogboli in Onitsha. As one of the children of Eri, Nri Ifikuanim migrated from Aguleri, which was and still is, the ancestral temple of the people, in search of a place of settlement. His second wife Oboli begot Ọnọja, the only son who founded the Igala
Igala
Igala are an ethnic group of Nigeria. Igala practice a number of different religions, including animism, Christianity, and Islam.The home of the Igala people is situated east of the river Niger and Benue confluence and astride the Niger in Lokoja, Kogi state of Nigeria...
Kingdom in Kogi
Kogi
Kogi or Cogui may be:*Kogi State, Nigeria*the Kogi people, Colombia**the Kogi language...
State.
Eri is the founder of Umueri and Umunri clans which was the most influential and powerful dynasty of priests, diviners, and civilizing agents in Igboland and adjacent areas such as the Bini
Bini
Bini may refer to:* Bini people, a cultural group in Nigeria* A slang term for the BMW MINI car* Bini, Burkina Faso, a village in Burkina Faso-People:*Aldo Bini , an Italian road bicycle racer...
and Igala
Igala
Igala are an ethnic group of Nigeria. Igala practice a number of different religions, including animism, Christianity, and Islam.The home of the Igala people is situated east of the river Niger and Benue confluence and astride the Niger in Lokoja, Kogi state of Nigeria...
/Idoma
Idoma
The Idoma are an ethno-linguistic group that primarily inhabit lower and western areas of Benue State, Nigeria, and kindred groups can be found in Cross Rivers and Nasarawa States in Nigeria. The Idoma are closely related to the Igbo people. The Idoma language is classified in the Akweya subgroup...
areas. He and his children are responsible for the Igbo Ukwu sites, Four market days, Ozo/nze title systems, Igu alu, and other practices of the Igbo people and their neighbors.
The myth
When Eri was sent by Chukwu from the Sky to the earth, he sat on an anti-hill because he saw watery marshy earth. When Eri complained to Chukwu, sent an Awka blacksmith with his fiery bellow and charcoal to dry the earth. After the assignment, the Awka blacksmith was given ọfọ as a mark of authority for his smithing profession. While Eri lived, Chukwu fed him and his people with azu-igwe. But this special food ceased after the death of Eri. Nri his first son complained to Chukwu for food. Chukwu ordered Nri to sacrifice his first son and daughter and bury them in separate graves. Nri complied with it. Later after three-Igbo-weeks (Izu atọ = 12 days) yam grew from the grave of the son and coco yam from that of the daughter. When Nri and his people ate these, they slept for the first time; later still Nri killed a male and female slaves burying them separately. Again, after Izu Ato, an oil palm grew from the grave of the male slave, and a bread fruit tree (ukwa) from that of the female-slave. With this new food supply, Nri and his people ate and prospered. Chukwu asked him to distribute the new food items to all people but Nri refused because he bought them at the cost of sacrificing his own children and slave. Nri and; Chukwu made an agreement. According to M. D. W. Jeffreys (1956:123) a tradition has it that:"As a reward for distributing food to the other towns Nri would have the right of cleansing every town of an abomination (nso) or breach, of crowning the ezeEzeEze is an Igbo word which means King; with further implied meaning of chieftain of the tribe or kingdom. Such words as Igwe and Obi plus others are used by Igbo people as titles of respect and homage to the Eze...
at Aguleri, and of tying the Ngulu (ankle cords) when a man takes the title of ozo. Also he and his successor’s would have the privilege of making the Oguji, or yam medicine, each year for ensuring a plentiful supply of yams in all surrounding towns, or in all towns that subjected themselves to the Eze Nri. For this medicine all the surrounding towns would come in and pay tribute and Umunmdri people then could travel unarmed through the world and no one would attack or harm them."