ỌJA THE MOUTHPIECE OF THE GODS
Written by Mazi Mike Ngozi Osuji
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Email; Osujimichael60@gmail.com
Ọja flute is not only one of the most popular traditional and cultural instruments of the Igbos, its versatility extends to being classified as one of Igbo greatest wind instrument of praise and adulation.
Ọja enjoys the classification into an acoustic instrument, which by all standard and categorization, stands as a mono flute that is capable of producing sounds and melodies without any accompaniment.
However, Ọja enjoys the reputation of being referred to as an extraordinary instrument, for having what the Igbo call spiritual aura, that is, Oje na mmụọ, and for being versatile in numerous uses and functions such as music and dance.
This wonderful Igbo flute is, nonetheless, handcrafted with reasonable degree of aesthetic designs and motifs, which makes it unique in appearance
It is however carved from the wood of a special tree, which is known to posses supernatural powers, and sounds. This tree source, from which Ọja is made bears the discreet name known as Mba. The literal meaning of the name Mba, reflects places, like foreign villages, communities, towns and countries, even those known and unknown. But in this context, the name Mba, as far as Ọja is concerned, is loaded with spiritual undertones, and endowments.
Interestingly, there fore, the spiritual undertones of the Mba tree is linked to the gods and deities of the land. The Igbo gods and spirits are believed to be capable of many wonders. Therefore, the Mba spirit tree is capable of many wonders, as well, hence the powers and spirituality attached to Ọja as a Igbo traditional and musical idiom.
The spiritual powers behind the Ọja is responsible for its capacity to travel very far in sounds, to cause excitement, to reinvigorate a downcast person, to energize a weak body, and above all, to wake up the dead. The gods are supernatural in performance and as long as the Arụsị lives in the wood from which the Ọja is carved, it is bound to do wonders.
In fact, Ọja , as a local Igbo flute, possess all the spiritual and musical endowments which is relative to the Mba tree as aforementioned. The Igbos generally believe that, all things being equal, that the Ọja flute can be used to wake up the dead. This is due to the spirit filled sounds and souful melodies and chants that's associated with the flute whenever it is played.
As an Igbo flute, this unique instrument is handcrafted with four distinct holes which are situated along the two opposite directions on the body of the flute for the purpose of sound production. The holes on the flute serve as finger buttons for the purpose of sound and music production, as well as control keys.
TYPES OF ỌJA AND THEIR SIZES
Ọja attracts a cultural classification into what is adorably known as Nne Ọja, which means female flute; Oke Ọja, meaning male flute, and Ịkoro ọja, which is the gong flute. These forms of Ọja have their corresponding differences in sizes, shapes and sounds respectively.
While the Oke ọja may be small in size, it is notable for high pitch voice, while nne ọja is much bigger in size but with a relatively low pitch voice and high base sounds. The Ikoro Ọja as the name indicates, is indeed very big in size and endowed with a corresponding base voice but low pitch. Ikoro ọja is not common and therefore not often played by most Igbo flutists.
THE ORIGIN OF ỌJA IN THE EVOLUTION OF IGBO TRADITIONAL MUSIC
The talk about the original place of invention and discovery of the Igbo flute has become a puzzle of some sort thereby stirring controversy and debate in recent times. Many ancient Igbo kingdoms and clans tend to lay claims on the original place of birth of this famous Igbo flute.
When Anambara was one traditional region before political divisions began to take place in the seventies and eighties, it would have been easier, perhaps, to point at where ọja might have originated. The controversy over the origin of ọja in Igbo land might have begun with the political division of the old Anambara into two political entities of Enugu and Anambara.
Ancient kingdoms in Enugu such as Abhor and Udi, including others not mentioned here, could as well lay valid claims on the origin of this great flute because of their rich cultural heritage in music and dances, like the atilogwu and ogene music. These two Igbo music genres, and many others like them, cannot do without the flavour of ọja during performances.
The ancient kingdom of Umunze, in the new Anambara, which is famous over the phenomenal "Mkpọkịtị" dance of Ụmụnze, might as well lay claims over the origin of ọja because ọja was the moving spirit behind the magical dance steps of Mkpọkịtị dancers.
References could naturally be made and credit given to the ancient kingdoms of Arọndizuọgụ in the new Imo state as the original birth place of ọja due to the indispensable roles ọja plays in her famous Ịkeji masquerade festivals made popular by chief Pericomo Okoye. Conclusively, therefore, the discrepancies in claims over the origin of ọja is forgiveable because the ancient Igbo inventors of this great flute did not document their inventions.
The acoustic endowment of ọja helps in no small way in making the sound to travel far and near, provoking thoughts, emotions, excitements, questions and exclamations. It is a common experience to see people screaming at the sound of the flute in such manners as, "Ana m anụ, ma ntị echighị m", meaning, " I can hear you for I am not deaf at all"; "Onye n'eme ihea?", that is, who is doing this wonders?; "Ọwụ ka omere, ọwụ ka osiri mee", meaning, "that is how it is, that is how it is meant to be".
Those are some of the ecstatic responses that follow the sound of ọja whenever it is played. These responses come in the forms of exclamations and screams showing a charged atmosphere by the flute sounds.
THE FUNCTIONS AND USES OF ỌJA WITHIN THE IGBO TRADITIONAL SOCIETY.
The versatility in the uses and functions of the Igbo flute, Ọja, within the traditional spectrum of the Igbo society, is to say the least, unquantifiable. The distinctive uses to which the ọja flute could be employed by different segments of Igbo societies, inherently ranges from fortune telling, otherwise known as, "afa": Worship, meaning, "Ọgọ mmụọ"; praises and adulations, meaning, "Ịti mkpu"; Divinations, referred to as, "Ịgba aja". Other uses are chants, meaning, "Mbem"; Music and melodies----Egwu ọnwa; dancing---Ịgba mkwa or ịme okwe.
Fortune telling, that is, Ịgba Aja, refers to traditional fact-finding practices and rituals undertaken to unravel a mystery among the people. This practice entails consultations with the Oracle of the land through the intermediary of the furtune-tellers, who must deploy the flute sounds to beckon on the gods to appear onto judgment. It was believed that the gods enjoyed the praises and adorations coated tunes of Ọja flute, hence its importance during divinations.
Worship, known as, Ọgọmụọ, is about the homage paying missions or pilgrimages to the high temples and sanctuaries of the gods. These homage missions to the gods were often undertaken with the flute accompaniment. During Ọgọmụọ, ọja was very much required to pamper and calm the gods into some form of ecstasy.
However, divinations as traditional practices, that is, Ịgba aja, are spiritual rituals conducted in consultation with the gods through the intermediary of the chief priest of the land. Ịchụ aja is meant to solve a social, moral, political or health puzzle within the Igbo society. Once again, the underlining spiritual languages of the flute is most welcomed during divinations.
Chants, that is, Mbem, refers to the subtle wailings and hymnals used in massaging the ego of the gods in order to beckon their attention to the reality of the moment; especially to provoke their favourable intervention over a problem.
Every Mbem hymnals were first heralded by the flute soulful sounds and melodies in order to create an atmosphere of spiritual invocation and divine presence.
Music has been one of the abiding attributes of ọja as an instrument of music, melodies and entertainment within the Igbo societies. Various music art forms and ensembles, such as Ogene, Egedege, atilọgwụ, Mmanwụ, Mkpọkịtị, Agbachaaekurunwa, Egwu ijere, Ịgbandieze, as music art forms and dance ensembles, are usually at their best whenever ọja is involved.
Ọja, as a praise instrument, is inherently involved in the "Otimkpu" tradition of name calling culture of the Igbo race. This practice entails romantic acts of praise singing, hailings, adorations of local idols and role models, especially during public outings such as festivals and coronations.
Ọja was generally regarded and revered as the mouthpiece of the gods, and that is why the sounds intrinsically provoke simultaneous responses, excitements, and ecstatic emotions among the Igbo people.
As the voice of the gods, ọja is used in accompanying some very big Igbo masquerades, known as, "Nnukwu Mmanwụ", during their scarce appearances, heralding their most hallowed presence into this hollow world from their spiritual realms below the earth.
WHAT IS THE ỌJA SAYING WHENEVER IT IS PLAYING?
Basically, the flute does not just make a meaningless sounds, it is speaking words of life and inspiration to its audience. The sounds of the Igbo flute, Ọja, is not ordinary, hence it is either laden with words of wisdom, praises, or warnings. It is believed in most highly traditionally enthusiastic Igbo societies that Ọja is speaking the minds of the gods. The flute has its own unique slangs which is often laden with proverbs, idioms and phrases.
When the flute is speaking, the gods listen, the people also listen. The flute does not only speak to ears, it speaks to the spirit and the soul. The ability of the flute to speak to the soul is responsible for its capacity to provoke escastic emotions, excitements and create frenzy atmospheres. while there are people who understand what the flute is saying, there are others who are left with merely wondering and asking what the flute is saying. Questions like, "Ọsị gịnị?, Kedụ nke n'eme'?, are common among those who, though they love what the flute is saying but cannot make a meaning out of it yet. The melodies produced by the flute is meaningful also, hence its capability in energizing and awakening slumbering spirits and souls.
ỌJA AS AN INSTRUMENT OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE
The ancient Igbos were highly superstitious due to their strong belief in the existence of supernatural forces. Some of those supernatural forces were benevolent while others were malignant in operations and relationship with the people. Good spirits as well as bad spirits existed. The people were conscious of the existence and presence of spirits of death notoriously known as 'Ogbu na Abalị', and other malignant spirits of untimely death derogatorily referred to as, 'Okoroeto or Ume'; evil spirits of afflictions, badluck, infertility, sorcery, witchcraft, and poverty also existed. Therefore, in most Igbo traditional societies, the ọja flute whose sound was known to travel in the spirits was deployed to drive away the evil spirits of afflictions, untimely death, sorcery, witchcraft and badluck by engaging the flute players during spiritual warfare rituals.
Igbo masquerades represent the spirits of Igbo ancestors, some of whom make annual appearances to the land of the living in order to commune with the people, and to distribute blessings to men of goodwill and rain curses upon the wicked, the crooked, and the evil.
The significance of ọja in a royal environment cannot be over emphasized because it was very often used to herald the king into the palace chambers, popularly known as 'Obieze'. Every Igbo king was regarded as a mini god, therefore, he deserved the spiritual ọja treatment just like the gods. The ego of the king traditionally known as Ịgwe must be massaged as well like any other gods, and his praises must be sang by all men and women of his kingdoms. Additionally, Ọja was used to escort the Ịgwe to very important outings, heralding his arrival, and announcing his departure respectively.
The presentation and breaking of kolanuts is an inherent traditional ordinance and rituals which the Igbos hold in very high esteem. The ancient Igbos always conducted the kolanut ritual with the flute as a spiritual accompaniment to again draw the attention of the gods since the sacred presence of the gods are always needed during kolanut rituals. The breaking of kolanuts is a form of prayer session and supplications requiring the blessings of the gods upon the people. Once again to invoke the presence of the gods during the kolanut ceremony, the ego of the gods requires the usual flute treatment of massage and adorations.
As I said earlier, in this article, without sounding immodest, the versatility of this small wind instrument named Ọja, knows no bounds, and its phenomenal influence in the Igbo cultural anthropology cannot be completely captured in this small piece of article.
However, this phenomenal flute can also be used to pamper the nerves of a mentally unstable individual who may be declining into the abyss of the subconscious of depression and despondency
When it comes to grouping Igbo acoustic instruments together as an ensemble to make good music, the compatibility of ọja is second to none. It virtually blends with drums such as Ịgba, Udu, Ekwe, Ịkoro, Ọsha, Ngedegwu, Ogwe, Ogene, and in most cases, it takes the lead in making atịlọgwụ, Ogene, Ịgba, masquerades, and wrestling music respectively.
In conclusion, people were known to listening to or playing Ọja music for private entertainment and evening relaxations.
Note; A man's culture is like his shadows and no man can run away from his own shadows.
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