The Symbolism of the Pre-Colonial Concept of Anikanmadu among the Ibusa People of Aniomaland

Abstract

This work attempts a deep exploration of the concept of anikanmadu among the Ibusa people of Aniomaland, an Igbo group, who inhabit a section of the western bank of the Niger. While considerable scholarly attention has gone into studying ani, the earth goddess, a powerful deity all over Igboland, the political connotation of ani (land) as the community has not received much consideration. The current paper focuses on understanding ani as a political force akin to the state by employing the pre-colonial Ibusa political order as a case study. The study focuses on locating and discussing political power relations within the community by exploring the deeper political meaning of the importance of the state being greater than the individual. While noting that ani occupies a unique position in Igbo cosmology and greatly influences behaviour, this work explores the more profound significance of ani, representing the community as a kind of leviathan that towers above all in society and commands the respect of all. Focusing on the pre-colonial Ibusa community and using primary sources, this work also explores the anikanmadu group as a vital political organ that operated nocturnally and clandestinely while enforcing the will of the community in a way that demonstrated the supremacy of the community over all individuals. The work concludes that the concept of anikanmadu that underlays the secret executive organ, also known as anikanmadu, was instrumental in maintaining the oneness, well-being, and sovereignty of the community while ensuring that societal rules and laws were applied enforced and sanctions placed on recalcitrant members of the community.