Ụmụ Ada is a name for a congregation of every female daughters in Igbo land and society. Ụmụ ada in Igbo communities are strong forces that oversee and supervise different aspects of governance within their jurisdiction in various Igbo culture and traditions. They have rules and regulations guiding them, like in my own town Awka in Anambra State. It is the duty of ụmụ ada to call to order a wife that is misbehaving, if their husbands or family bring the matter before them. Ụmụ ada nwere ùgwù pụrụ iche n’ala Ìgbo, adịghị akpari ụmụ ada, maka na ha na akwa nyere onwe ha ugwu, ha n’ekpe ikpe kwụ ọtọ. They will investigate, scold the offender before they take action, if the person is unrepentant.
Ụmụ Ada are your ndi otu. Many women are not aware of this as they do not want to have anything to do with ụmụada from their father’s side, once they are married. They distance themselves from ụmụada meeting, some say it is ancient and archaic gathering of uneducated women,. They prefer to pay fine if found guilty of not attending meeting ụmụada. Why do Igbo women behave foolishly in the name of feminism? They belong to many clubs that expose them to bad lifestyles, promote western ideologies in guise of being civilized yet they do not know their duties, roles and responsibilities in their various communities. They discard africanism and embrace westernized perspectives which will never uphold rich Igbo cultural values. They see themselves as equal before their male counterpart not realizing enormous power they wield naturally and spiritually. Before their eyes, culture and traditions erode and become relic of the past. Reason, many Nwada have problem today. They indulge in abortions without knowing its spiritual and cultural implications in their lives and igbo communities.
It will interest Igbo women to note that Ụmụ Ada becomes Ụmụ Ọkpụ either dead or alive. Same way ụmụ nna becomes ndi Ichie and ndi Egede when they die too. Dead or alive ụmụada/ụmụ ọkpụ have great role to play in our women’s lives, their own personal life and in the life of anyone connected with them. Ụmụ Ada /ụmụ Ọkpụ have their negative sides. If one is in good terms with ụmụ ada, their spiritual force penetrates into difficult situations. However, if the ụmụ nna can not handle it, the fact is ụmụ Ada will handle and solve it immediately. It is said that in the spirit realm, if Ndi Ichie is wasting time to respond, consult ụmụ ọkpụ and see wonders as long as you are in good terms with them. Ụmụ Ọkpụ plays a significant role in one’s life spiritually. They are powerful and move obstacles out of the way to get the problem solved. They deal with anyone who plots evil against their beloved. On the other hand, ụmụ Ada will go to any length to bring down anyone who is unjust to them physically and in the spiritual especially when one does not acknowledge them nor not give them their dues or rights irrespective of the person’s position or authority. Their spiritual force is dynamic, never trifle with Ụmụ Ada else they will bring total downfall to the person involved. The universe and the totality of spirits in Igbo land heed to their voice. There are some situations only Ụmụ Ada can handle, assuming one finds self in such, it is better to allow them handle it. Remember to give them their right, else continuous problem will ensue because of it, till death.
Ụmụ ọkpụ can be either alive or dead. The dead ones can frustrate anyone’s life if you refuse to acknowledge them. Mothers are advised to bring back gifts after Ọmụgwọ visitation and share to their co-wives (living ụmụ ọkpụ), items like salt, soap, drinks, livestocks, either you cook for them or ensure you go and give ụmụ ọkpụ (dead ones) their own gifts as a road sacrifice known as (ikwa ịbụ ụmụada/ọkpụ). Failure to do this can result to some women falling sick, having stroke or dying, some will die in their daughter’s house and people will say somebody killed the woman. Well, it could be that no human killed her. But her ndi otu ọgbọ killed her for not acknowledging them. Ọdịnanị Igbo is not child’s play neither is it for the faint hearted. This is how it was done during our forefathers era. It cannot be stopped.
DIBIA NWANGWU UCHENDU 