LA COMPRENSIÓN FINAL

Truth is a noble value in all human culture including the Igbo. Though an important religious and

philosophical idea, it has received little attention from scholars. Nze C., (1994.4) has rightly suggested two Igbo words descriptive of truth: eziokwu and ezigbo. Eziokwu is used to represent utterances while ezigbo is used ontologically or materially for substance and entity to mean good, true or genuine. Damian Opata (1998:73-80) in addition referred to the Igbo

expressions for truth: ihe mere eme meaning 'what really happened.' The Igbo words signifying falsehood or untruth or lie are, okwu asi and asi

In Igbo community onye okwu asi or onye asi are used judgmentally for someone who cannot be trusted, believed or relied upon. Other related Igbo words are used, for instance asiri or onye ogba asiri refer to gossip, rumour mongering or someone who goes about spreading rumours saying what is true or untrue. Such a person is dangerous and that is why Mike Ejeagha's minstrel maintains that asiri brings misunderstanding among friends and causes

instability in family. Chidi Osuagwu's study on truth in Igbo land is very illuminating. He points out that the Igbo word for truth is ezi. Ezi means correct, order, positive, proper rectitude, genuine, upright or valid. When ezi is used to qualify okwu which is Igbo word for 'word' or statement then the word eziokwu becomes what is valid, positive, genuine and truthful. Truth is paramount in Igbo life. Ezi is from the root word zi. From this root, Igbo language generates such

words like izi, to show, imezi, to rectify, to correct; ikozi, to explain correctly, to teach; igbazi, to

strengthen, ihazi, to arrange, to organize idozi, to order, to arrange, idazi, to fall into place, igozi, to bless, iduzi, to lead aright, ikwazi, to mend, to arrange properly; this word-study is significant and it is

deliberately done to emphasize that in Igbo 'truth' is order.

In Igbo igha means to scatter. This word links up all chaotic processes as the Igbo see it. Such include aghara, commotion, disorder. Agha means 'war', ighasa, to scatter, to spread out; ghaghagha,

chaotically bad and igha, to scatter, spread, to lie; onyeaghara, troublemaker, madman. Thus igha

means 'to lie'. To lie in Igbo mind is to cause a thought scattering, a mental disorder. From the above it can be deduced that falsehood is disorder; a

disorientation. The traditional Igbo pictured

falsehood as simulated disorder, disarray or chaos- generating expression. A liar in Igbo is basically a chaos - generator. Just like eziokwu is okwu dabara adaba, ordered train of thought, falsehood is okwu nadabaghi adaba -- a disordered thought. Thus the Igbo picture of ezi is the ordered, the truth, whereas 'ugha' is falsehood. In an ugha system only guesses can be made, while the order in an ezi system allows for prediction. Truth is synonymous with order hence its predictability. Falsehood is disorder, amplifying

unpredictability. For the Igbo, the notion of truth is so central and important that there are a number of ways in which it is characterized. Among the Igbo it is said: Eziokwu dika ehihie (efifie). Truth is like noonday

This stresses the fact that truth is self-evident and there is nothing anybody can do to destroy it. That is why the Igbo say:

Anaghị eli eziokwu n'ala

Truth cannot be buried in the ground

This asserts the indestructible character of truth. You cannot suppress it even though the Igbo also say: Eziokwu na'elu ilu

Truth is bitter.

All traditional societies have a strong moral orientation in their conception of truth. Truth

sustains relationships with God, the deities and their fellow men. Truth is paramount in Igbo life and they believe it is what gives life to any society.

Traditional Igbo society is built on truth and the basis of this is trust which is primarily dependent on the ability of the individual members to tell the truth to one another. It is the basis of our faith in God and in people. Truth is the foundation of any Igbo

community. The greater the tendency to lie in a society, the greater will be the social disorder which no doubt increases the tendency to lie. Thus I share Osuagwu's insight when he said that:

"A truth - telling society would be a highly ordered society." "A better ordering of society would enhance the tendency of its members to tell the truth."

The Igbo use the ọfọ symbol to designate truth and justice as a principle of life. The Igbo say:

Ọfọ ka ide ji awa ala

Truth and justice are the content of life Oji ọfọ anaghị atọ n'ije

The man of truth is never stranded in a journey In these sayings, the Igbo are emphasizing the

centrality of truth in human relationship, organization and morality. This is further made obvious in the Igbo saying:

Ezi okwu bụ ndụ Truth is life

The philosophy of the Igbo founding fathers of the University of Nigeria shows that in order to restore the dignity of man and protect life you must seek the truth, teach the truth and preserve the truth.

The commitment to Truth is a fundamental Igbo philosophy without which there would be neither regard nor respect for human life and dignity. 4.4. ACHIEVEMENT - ORIENTED VALUES

It is important to notice that the history of Igbo origin as legend has it, reveals that the word 'Igbo' refers to 'forest-dwellers'. We are aware that at this time the primitive Igbo lived a hazardous wandering life of the hunter-gatherer of wild edible plants. The Nri myth which preserved for us how agriculture came meant that the Igbo became 'farmers' who had to be directly dependent on the land for their livelihood. Definitely these kinds of job descriptions will require among other qualities - strength and intelligence.

The implications that right from the Igbo genesis, the Igbo man was born into a tough world that demanded

him to be rugged, courageous, fearless, determined and hardworking to survive. Thus I will agree with D.I. Nwoga (1984:48) who said:

…the .most prominent aspect of Igbo concept of man is that of a struggler for survival, a hard and

determined person in confrontation with the

environment to force out of it a means of sustenance.

Luckily enough, this Igbo nature of hard work had been acknowledged right from the pre-colonial

period. It is reported of Igbo slaves in Haiti that they were

… excellent for work in the fields yet difficult to manage. They kept a strong sense of their Igbo

identity and gave help, care and instructions to new arrivals from Igbo land. (Isichei, 1976:44; Herskovit, 1931:20-21; Uchendu, 1965:37).

Even in the New World Igbo slaves were outstanding for their hard work and intelligence. Igbo slaves

became much more productive than the other slaves, by exhibiting higher degree of intelligence, honesty and craftiness. Nwosu (1983:7) argued that the Igbo slaves showed an uncommly greater degree of

also in slaves of other nationalities. This discovery made the American Masters of Igbo slaves to become more productive, and wealthier than their counter- parts in Cuba and South America, Igbo slaves there became more expensive than others.

Admittedly, this Igbo achievement orientation as an important aspect of Igbo life is one area in which the Igbo have been badly misunderstood and

misrepresented.

Many non-Igbo use it and argue that the Igbo are materialistic.

Interestingly enough on this kind of accusation (Jordan, 1971:115) reported that Bishop Shanaham who had worked in Igbo land for years had come to the conclusion that:

The average native was admirably suited by

environment and training, for an explanation of life in terms of the spirit, rather than of the flesh. He was no materialist. Indeed nothing was farther from his mind than a materialistic philosophy of existence. It made no appeal to him.

state that the Igbo do not cherish money more than the other ethnic groups. In fact, if money has today become an Igbo problem, it is a problem which

Nigeria created for them. So it is a Nigerian problem. This achievement orientation has been found in their industry, courage, determination and in itinerancy in search of adequate means of livelihood in all nooks and crannies of the world, in all human endeavours. The dynamism of the Igbo is found in their history and in the psychological structure of the Igbo man and his society. In other words, it is a reflection of the Igbo perception of 'self.'

First, the Igbo is afraid of failure in life. He believes that nature has endowed him with the ability to

subdue his world and succeed and therefore had to do just that. Definitely the mandate to control the land is a mandate to be successful. This position is well-

supported and articulated by Afigbo (1974) when he said:

It is thus quite clear that the Igbo saw failure in his world as a terrible calamity which implied damnation and so did every thing possible to avoid it. It is this fear of failure, this drive to succeed here, and attain the status of Ogaranya (a rich man) which he could carry across to the next world, which helped him to account for the economic drive of the Igbo man, as for

the high score and prestige set on hard work,

resourcefulness, foresight, and rugged individualism. Second, the Igbo is not prepared to attribute any failure to his personal 'chi.' Thus the Igbo saying that onye kwe chi ya ekwe locates the Igbo in the context of determination and faith to succeed. It is for this

reason he has to get all forces on his side. The

achievement orientation finds the Igbo in reverence of Ikenga, the cult of strength, a symbol for personal achievement, heroism and success.

The Igbo people love to be rewarded and recognized after having worked hard. Thus recognition for

achievement is well entrenched in Igbo life. For

instance, far from despising manual labour, the Igbo esteem the successful farmer. Some parts of Igbo land award them the titles of Eze ji (King of yam), Oko ji (yam planter). There is an Igbo saying:

egbuwa ọfịa a hụ akụ

When you clear the forest you see wealth.

The Igbo people believe so much in the dignity of labour (work) probably more than any other ethnic groups in Nigeria, and it is for this same reason, the Igbo are also hated. Everywhere in Nigeria you find

the Igbo working for his livelihood. It is a new

phenomenon seeing an ‘Igbo’ begging for alms. We know as Oluadah Eouiano wrote centuries ago, that begging was unknown to the Igbo society. The only circumstance that begging was probably accepted was rather than being a thief (Onye arịrịọ ka onye oshi mma). Stealing was a terrible crime in traditional Igbo society and its punishment could be death, at times. Creating wealth is based on hard work and

intelligence. It is just recently we started seeing people who do ‘nothing’ but we find them building ‘estates.’ It is only recently we find people who do nothing and yet become leaders. In traditional Igbo society, you can’t lead without your being an accomplished person, having something doing. We have what is called the British pride, the American pride; we also have from time immemorial what is known as the ‘Igbo pride’ which some historians refer to as ‘Igbo identity’. Precisely, handworker as an important philosophical Igbo idea is centered on Igbo pride. This ‘Igbo pride’ is that Igbo spirit, that Igboness in every Igbo person, that courage, that determination, that fearlessness, that self-confidence in every Igbo person. He knows that he is not judged by what his father or relations have but rather by what he is able to achieve by himself for his community.