The Concept of Igbu Ehi and Igbo Communalism: A Hermennuetical Approach

Abstract

There is a high trace and deposit of communalism in the African socio-cultural setting, the ‘I am because we are and the ‘we are because I am’ is a summary of who the African is. The Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria is not exempted in this communalistic way of doing things. The cow is a big symbol in the Igbo cosmology, it is a huge animal which an individual who is buoyant can purchase, but the communalistic cultural setting prevents the individual from consuming it alone. For every cow slaughtered in the Igbo community, the extended family members of the person have rights to the animal slaughtered. This is a way of bringing and uniting people together and it forms a very good avenue to good value. The research made use of the hermeneutic method in philosophy which implies making interpretation of concepts and unclear notions with regard to the cultural settings or the environment covered by the research. The research found out that the killing of cow that is the ‘igbuehi’ in the Igbo socio-cultural setting is a very significant event and also seen as the highest form of respect, done to the dead, to the kindred or to the town, but most importantly, in doing this, every member of the community has a right and a share to the slaughtered cow ranging from the major owner, umunna, umuada, nwanwa, the killers, down to as low as the sweepers of the compound. The killing of the cow seems like a row call in the Igbo land and serves as a way of bringing and uniting people together.