A DIBỊA in Igbo culture is a man or a woman with vast knowledge of nature and spirituality. In some cases, they are called the wise ones, mouth piece of the Gods, great ones, the eyes of the Gods or indigenous doctors which is the literal meaning of the word DIBỊA in Igbo language, (native doctors). In this knowledge, they are mostly, people who are divinely chosen to be dibịa and sometimes it can be learned by being around or serving as apprentice to a well rich in knowledge dibịas .
There are several branches of dibiahood or being a dibịa, hence being a dibịa is a vast knowledge. I mean as vast as when you say in English that someone is a doctor. For example in western world a doctor is defined as follows:
A teacher or a learned man.
A person who holds a doctorate.
A physician or surgeon.
A person licensed to practice any of the healing arts, as an osteopath, dentist, veterinarian, among others. And the word doctor originated from an old Latin word of “doctore” which means a teacher, in English as doctor, teacher, or learned man. In Igbo setting, dibịa being a vast field of knowledge includes:
1. Dibịa Mgbọrọgwụ na Mkpafifia which we call a herbalist in English language.
These are people that specializes in discovering, treating and healing sicknesses using roots, spices, barks, stems, flowers, herbs and natural materials. Their goal is to save lives.
2. Eze Mmụọ (chief Priest of an Oracle). They are also referred to as the mouthpiece or eyes of the gods. These are set of people which we also refer to as Akajiofo. They serve as mediators between the people and the oracle. They offer sacrifice to the Gods, Oracle and alert the leadership of the people when things are going bad in the society, for instance when an abominable act is perpetrated either in the secret or open. Also when a festival is due plus the items affirmed by the deity to be used during the ceremony. In some Igbo society, they are in charge of the lunar calendar.
3. Dibịa Owu Mmiri: The mediator between the marine world, water gods and goddesses versus humans. These are special section of Dibịas whose works comprises of reaching out to the river goddesses and gods, help people with issues relating to water spirits like Ọgbanje, Spiritual Spouse, Uke Ndị Mmiri, Dada and iyi ụwa problems. They can offer sacrifices and mediate between the person involved and the spirits in other to bring solutions.
4. Dibịa Mgba Afa which in English language can be referred to as diviners, soothsayers, fortune tellers, shamans, all kinds of seers etc. They are specialists in making spiritual inquiries from the spirit world. When you approach them for your problems, what they do is consult the spirits, ancestors that reveals to them, the cause of the problem and what could be done for a permanent solution. Sometimes, they have limited powers in solving a particular problem, so they might direct you to a higher power or can also go in your name and at the end the goal is to get the solution.
5. Dibịa Nha Mmiri or Rain Makers in English term. Rain doctors are the people that possess the power to control rain and wind. They can cause the wind to blow, make it rain, and can also stop the rain. They possess the natural/spiritual /scientific knowledge of doing this. They have the power to cause the wind to blow, shift rainfall from one direction to another or stop it from falling at a particular location at a particular time, (ịchụ mmiri) and some can only make rain to fall, but cannot control or stop rain from falling, (Ịha mmiri). There are ones that have the power to carry out both. (ndị na achụ ma na aha kwa mmiri). Today, they are known as weather forecasters, they work in metrological institutes. I mentioned earlier, people who are divinely chosen by the spirit to serve them on each field and one can also acquire this knowledge by staying close to a Dibịa or serving as an apprentice to a Dibịa.
6. Dibịa Mgba Aja: This is a specialist in carrying out and conducting spiritual sacrifices which is accepted immediately without any hindrance. This type of Dibịa has solution for any spiritual guide and type of spiritual sacrifice given to those, that are troubling any ancestral lineage and once they become involved in the issue, definitely the problem is solved. They might not be good in other spiritual areas of specializations. However, carrying out sacrificial rituals is usually their forte.
It is very rare but I have seen in my lifetime some one, a chosen person that is divinely blessed with all this knowledge in totality. A Dibịa with extraordinary abilities to carry out the various aspects of dibiahood and areas of specializations stated in this article. Albeit, have the understanding that there are differences in them. There are some Dibịas that can only give medicines and heal sicknesses, but can not divine or foretell anything because such Dibịas are called for that specific purpose only. There are some Dibịas that specialize in spiritual divination, foretelling future or any kind of igba afa, Yet they are not healers and cannot cure any ailment.
In rain making, I know some rain doctors that can only bring rain down, but cannot stop or control the rain yet there are some that have the powers to control or do both. In Igbo setting, all these Dibịas are recognised in their various fields.
This teaching becomes very important not for ordinary people, but for those who are serving humanity as Obalatule in our societies. Few bad eggs have destroyed the legacies of our ancestors who were Dibịas in various spiritual field. The People must understand that being a dibịa is never a license to kill or to perpetrate any kind of atrocities thereby causing pain and sorrow to people. Rather, being a dibịa is a call to serve and save life, to heal, to teach and uplift the people who are downtrodden by ailment, wicked ones and other positive fundamental functions as concern spirituality.
Yes, I understand anyone that possesses the knowledge of what saves, must have the idea of what kills and how to defend one’s self from evil adversaries. This is about having the knowledge of negative and positive. Power is about balance but the right thing is that you must be positive, hence life is involved. I urge Dibịas to guard their natural gifts securely and while observing their *nsọ and ịwụ agwụ* as people come close to them to tap, exploit, harness their power and spiritual abilities. Some come close to pull them down too. Therefore Dibịas should be watchful.
We were told all the negative sides of African healing process and the dibịa, but one must ask about their positive sides. Do you believe that dibịas or native doctors are bad? Probably, some bad eggs among them, that are often negative in their practice, the ones who have had their AGWỤ corrupted, are bad representatives! There is need to know that some bad people are responsible for creation of some deadly diseases like Ebola, SARS, Lassa fever, HIV and Aids, Covid-19, they are Dibịas in the western world.
African spirituality is not an evil practice the way western religion, western education, Western media and some bad eggs amongst us has made it to appear. A Dibịa is owner of magnetic aura, being positive and always maintain good vibrations. Before the advent of western medecin, in Africa, take for example psychiatric issues and treatment were done the African way. Igbo healers have been treating psychiatric related cases including madness of all sorts.
Before western ways of health care service and delivery came to Africa, Africans have enjoyed good health, good medications through natural products and spirituality. Every poison has its antidote, every sickness has its cure in African orthodox way of healing, every problem has remedy. Be happy to become a Dibịa, it comes with tons of responsibilities.
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