Igbe religion

Igbe religion, popularly known as Igbe (an Urhobo word meaning dance) was founded by Ubiecha Etarakpo in 1858 and has its headquarters at 11, Egbo Street, Kokori Inland, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. The holy (sacred) day is known as Edigbe, meaning the day of joy. It is a religion based on dance, as its medium of worship to God. It began as a Urhobo-Kokori traditional sect, and in the 20th century was influenced by an influx of Christian evangelism. Originating in Kokori, it gradually spread in Urhobo nation and austral Nigeria at large. The adherents of the Igbe religion are monotheists who believe in an omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent God called Oghene and that he rewards the good and evil alike, according to their deeds. Dance is a core element of the Igbe. The adherents believe that by dancing, they draw on themselves the very hand of the one and only monotheistic God. As dancing is a core element of the Igbe, there is no worship session without dancing. They sing native Urhobo songs in place of hymns. At worship services, the Igbe priest(s), always dressed in a white dress and white headgears, administer(s) native chalk on the worshippers for their protection. Fellow Igbe worshippers dress in white attires too, with their neck powdered in white and them carrying basins and small stools. When the native drums beat, they sway left and right in a dance, as though possessed by a deity. The Igbe religion celebrates an annual feast, Ore Isi, for twelve days. It takes place every May, with thousands are in attendance. Igbe was founded in 1858, in Kokori Nigeria. Ubiecha Etarakpo allegedly saw an apparition of two divine beings who "anointed" him to preach against immorality and witchcraft. After the alleged apparition, Ubiecha became eccentric and acted insanely as no day passed without him dancing. This scared the people from coming close. It was also alleged that after the alleged apparition, Ubiecha performed amazing miracles, accurately predicted the future, healed the sick and miraculously identified witches.

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Related concepts (2)

Urhobo people

Delta State

Delta State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named after the Niger Delta—a large part of which is in the state—the state was formed from the former Bendel State on August 27, 1991. Bordered on the north by Edo State, the east by Anambra and Rivers States, and the south by Bayelsa State across the Niger River for 17 km and the Forçados River for 198 km, while to the west is the Bight of Benin which covers about 160 kilometres of the state's coastline.