The role of a spiritualist or dibia in Igbo tradition is profoundly significant, demanding dedication to a higher calling and the welfare of the community. However, in this modern world, it is crucial for spiritual practitioners to look beyond the confines of their spiritual work and cultivate valuable, marketable skills. This need for diversification is not a compromise of their faith but a pragmatic necessity that ensures both personal stability and professional longevity. Relying solely on the unpredictable nature of spiritual consultations and rites often leads to financial precariousness, subjecting the spiritualist to the whims of the economy and the occasional nature of demand for their services.
Sole reliance on proceeds from spiritual works carries substantial disadvantages. Income is often irregular, making long-term financial planning, savings and investment incredibly difficult. This can place undue stress on the dibia and their family, potentially compromising the integrity of their spiritual practice as financial pressure might subtly influence their counsel or fees. Furthermore, a lack of external skills can limit social mobility and engagement with the broader community, leading to isolation and a reliance on a small, niche clientele. Financial self-sufficiency achieved through diverse income streams ultimately fortifies the spiritualist’s standing. This will allow them to serve with genuine altruism and without the shadow of desperation.
The benefits of acquiring additional skills and engaging in side jobs are transformative. They provide a stable, predictable income foundation, freeing the dibia to practice their spiritual art with greater clarity and peace of mind. A side job also offers opportunities for continuous personal development, new social connections and the development of modern business acumen. Skills that can even be applied to professionalizing their spiritual practice. It promotes a healthier work-life balance and provides an essential safety net during lean spiritual seasons or health-related interruptions, ensuring continuous well-being.
In this modern era, a dibia can find resourceful and compatible skills that blend tradition with contemporary needs. Examples include vocational skills such as digital marketing to reach clients respectfully and manage their online presence, herbalism or alternative medicine practice (formalized with relevant certifications) which complements their knowledge of native remedies, counselling or therapy to structure and professionalize their advisory role or even engaging in teaching cultural history or language online. These ventures are not distractions but extensions of their wisdom that will ensure the modern dibia is resilient, resourceful, truthful, trustworthy and truly a master of both the spiritual and material realms.
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DIBIA NWANGWU UCHENDU 