Igala Week Days Named After gods and goddesses

According to the investigating into the root of Igala week days- Eke, Ede, Afor, Ukwo, it was revealed that these days were named after a god and three goddesses. While she reported that Eke was the husband/male (god), and that Ede, Afor, Ukwo were the wives/females (goddesses). Further joint investigations by us have revealed that the days were truly associated with Igala gods and goddesses, but that the days were various days in which the ancient Igala people worshipped, offered sacrifices of animals and cooked food for those gods and goddesses.

Well, the findings are in conformity with the origin of modern week days – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday which were all named after Roman gods and goddesses based on the days they were worshiped. While Monday was named after Monan or moon god, Tuesday was named after Tiw/Tiu god of war. Wednesday named after Wooden god, Thursday named after Thor, god of thunder, Friday named after frigga goddess, Saturnday named after Saturn, the Roman god of fun and feasting (no wonder people still party and celebrate mainly on Saturdays). Sunday was named after god of sun (day that sun god was worshiped). All these are days in which these gods and goddesses were worshiped and till date, we are still using the days. Well, not only days, but some months like January were named after a god, Janus, etc.

Having said that, it is good to know the meanings of the Igala words like – Eke, Ede, Afor and Ukwo before they were used as days to worship these gods and  goddesses.

Eke means wonder or to think or reason deeply: It is the day the god in charge of wonders (appearance / disappearance, near impossible protections), signs and creativity were worshiped. Eg Ichekpa god.

Ede means to pay for or a law custodian. It is the day the goddess of law was worshiped. The goddess prevents crime and evil acts in the land. Eg is Abule deity.

Afor means purity, one who forbids, filthiness. The goddess of Purity in charge of punishment against taboo acts among the Igala people, was worshiped on this day. Eg Iye, Ibegwu abobule.

Ukwo means longevity, old age. It is the day the goddess of longevity was worshipped. It was worshiped for long life for the people, and people indeed  lived very long and very old then. Eg is Okpo goddess.

These days were later adopted as the days in which Igala people go to their different market places. Some markets in different parts of Igala land traded on these days as people went to buy items to use for worship. And some markets are still bearing the names of Ede, Afor, Ukwo as market days till date.

These days were borrowed by some other tribes from Igala as words for their own market days. As some of these words are not part of the words of those tribes neither do they have the meanings nor the provable origins of the week days apart from fictional and mythical stories which are difficult to believe in most cases.

Note: Till date, investigation has revealed to us that some gods and goddesses among the few believers in Igala land are worshipped or sacrificed to on these specific days accordingly.

And just like the way some people irrespective religions, including Igala people still bear Sunday, Monday, and other modern week days and months as names today even though the days, and months were of the roots of  Roman gods and goddesses, people still bear Eke, Ede, Afor and Ukwo in Igala land till date.

Culled from a WhatsApp post