'Onwudinuba' Philosophy: The Hermeneutics of Death as a Component of Wealth in Igbo Cosmology

Abstract

This study x-rays the philosophical meanings, interpretations, and intersections of death and wealth in the African Igbo cosmology. Using such tools as oral interviews, ethnography and participant observations, the researchers extracted data from both primary and secondary sources to clarify some misconceptions surrounding wealth and death in Igboland. This research is timely because amidst a growing literature on the Igbo people and her culture, discourses on the complementarity of death and wealth have lacked attention over the years. This work fills this gap through the application of hermeneutic approach which enabled an informed conclusion that the Igbo believe in two types of death: the bad and good deaths. The findings provide a better understanding of African Igbo culture, death, wealth, and the meanings they attach to life which is equally important for a harmonious relationship and a stable social order. The paper calls for a re-examination of the narratives surrounding peripheral interpretations given to this aspect of Igbo culture. It further contributed to the growing volumes of literature on Igbo history, indigenous philosophy, and religion, among others.