By Larry Happiday
 |
| This ancient Greek ram rhyton was used in pouring libation to their gods. Pic Credit: Wikipedia |
 |
| Ram: Forbidden by the people of Okpanam |
Veneration of the Ram In addition to ogbono and ugu vegetable, the ram is one of the most respected but not worshiped objects in Okpanam. In fact people from Okpanam are teased by all their neighbours as the land that eats the sheep but forbids the ram. The joke being that the sheep is the mother of the ram. Why is the ram forbidden as meal in Okpanam folklore? That forms part of our investigation in these series.
generally, the ram ocupies a very prominent place in history of various communities and peoples. The ancient Jews used it as a very highly prized animal for offering sacrifices. In Ukranian folklore, the goat and ram are said to be very clever animals that used there intelligence to outwit wolves. In Greek mythology, Odysseus was acclaimed to go to Hades, the underworld where he was said to have offered the ram as the animal-of-choice. Interestingly, in Bible accounts, the ram is also considered an animal of sacrificial value as seen in Abraham and Isaac's story as well as in Moses teachings concerning sin offering and other offerings. Similarly, Elijah is noted to have been fond of ram horn. But, in the end, the Biblical stories of Jesus shows him as the lamb (baby sheep) rather than the ram. Although the ram generally symbolizes power, the ram in Okpanam mythology connotes a different kind of strength.
 |
| Considered a symbol of strength and animal of great value in sacrifice |
 |
| Major Chukwma Kaduna Nzeogwu: Kuduna-boy of Okpanam origin who led the revolt against corruption in Nigeria. Did he ever eat ram? |
It is yet uncertain which war made the ram a hero in Okpanam. It is also quite a puzzle why the ram is a hero but not the white cow or the eneke bird, other folklorist animals that are said to have been active participants in various wars that affected Okpanam at various times in their history. Suffice it to say that the ram was said to have played the role of a saviour to the people when it vigorously stamped out the tell-tale footprints that would have given the fleeing natives away to their advancing pursuers. In appreciation of that saving act, the people were said to have conferred on the ram the status of a saviour. The appreciation was to make it a friend, not be eaten but respected for its alleged role in that war.
There are missing puzzles in the tale though. Is there any way of telling the feet of the sheep from the ram? Could the animals have merely been playing away in the absence of their owners and thereby, serendipitously stamped out the footprints of the fleeing natives? And as every teasing joke goes, does the ram that came from the womb of the sheep have a different constitution from its mother? Or could this have been a patriarchal society's way of perpetuating its male status over the female?
Do you have more stores to tell 🤔
ReplyDeleteHaha!
DeleteInteresting! Do you have any more articles relating to how the people of Okpanam survived during the Civil war
ReplyDeleteThe people of Okpanam were actually primed for mass death from the bullets of the Federal forces in the same way that they murdered the male folks in neighbouring Asaba.
DeleteAs a matter of fact, the genocide in Asaba was a retaliation for the mistaken view that Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu was from that town. Being the nearest most prominent town to Okpanam, Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, Issele-Uku, Ugbolu, Illah, Ebu, and most communities in the Aniocha and Oshimili local government areas of today, Asaba was used to describe anyone that hailed from this area. It was a proximate not an exact identification that cost them the lives of hundreds of their men when the soldiers landed the city.
When they discovered the error, they decided to "right the wrong" by moving seven kilometers West to get the Nzeogwu-people.
That early morning, they stealthily crept up the hills of Okpanam hoping to catch the community unawares. Coincidentally, they were said to have encountered difficulties ascending as swiftly as they had wanted. Why? Reports have it that a strange white cow confronted them and caused distractions. While the people slept peacefully, the death that would have wiped the whole men of the town was struggling to enter because of the activity of this cow.
This obstruction resulted in the exposure of the wicked plan of the soldiers. Frantic efforts we4 made to call the elders. No one knew how many entrances the enemy forces had taken but a few people were able to escape. The majority were asked to stay back by the elders and natural rulers. Obi Abumujo, Obi Omakeze, Obi Nwaokobia and Obi Iwekuba were amongst those who calmed the restive community down and counselled them against running.
A high tension day it was. This writer was only five years then but recalls being one of the children who were amongst the male inhabitants gathered at the exact spot where the St. Michaels Cathedral stands today. There was a field there at that time.
The soldiers surrounded us with guns, cudgels and profanity. They spat out all kinds of venomous comments some of which we had ideas what it meant. The mean visage told all the story about their intentions. Suddenly, eneke birds filled the sky over the field. It became cloudy as the sun was literally blocked from seeing the abomination that was about to happen.
We were to learn later that the Elders were working in the background and raising prayers ay incantations that confounded the enemies.
Mercifully, the prayers were answered and deliverance came after mid day, more than three hours of seating out the field ended with no lives lost.
When this siege was over, Okpanam knew the level of unity that it has not in many decades. The above listed Elders were heroic. They deserve to be honoured with an honourable mention in anals of this City.
Delete-Larryhappiday.