The Imaba-Erechi Ancient Prayer Home (IE-APH) was
rediscovered years back following several severe communal wars that broke out
around the Omabala region many years ago. The accuracy of the periods of these wars
had been lost to time. That was mostly because, a good number of the villagers at
that time could neither read nor write. However, the effects of those wars were
said to be so devastated, especially on the communities that settled eastward across
the famous Omabala River which formed a tributary with the River Niger. The
aborigines of these communities are the occupants of a landscape that is known
today as ‘Ayamelum Local Government Area’ of Anambra State, Eastern Nigeria. In
fact, it was the negative effect of the war on these communities comprising:
Omor, Anaku, Umolum (or Umerum), Umumbo, Ifite-Ogwari, Igbakwu,Omasi and Umueje
that made the enlisted communities to collectively take up the name “Ayamelum”,
which literally translates to: “I’m a victim of the war”. Before the serial wars,
the “Nkolo Imaba” which is known today as the Imaba-Erechi Ancient Prayer Home
was almost forgotten after its keepers were all wiped away by the deity – for
going against the laid down rules of the home. Several years after; no one
keeps or fellowships in the home until after the deadly war which was estimated
to have started around 1804 or thereabout.
As the saying goes, “it’s only a tree that hears it will be
cut down and it still stands; human beings hear that and run for dear life”. In
one of the several efforts to hide away from the arrows and spears of the
invaders in a nearby bush, the villagers stumbled upon a small hut built with
mud and roofed with rafters and elephant grasses – right in the middle of the
mysterious “Abo Opuduru” (Opuduru Forest).
Mystically however, in spite of the fact that this hut was very small by mere
looking at it, it was said to have contained as many people that ran into it
for refuge. After the war had ended, the villagers then sought to know more about
the mysterious mud house and at least, to show some appreciations to whomever
was the owner. Then, by means of “Ogbodo-aga” (Urim and Thummim), the villagers
discovered that the hut is a home to Imaba (Iyom Eze Nwanyi) – the goddess of
fertility belonging to the ‘Opuduru Dynasty’. The only surviving male child of
the Opuduru lineage at that time was named Erechi. It was on the shoulders of
the young Erechi that the responsibility of performing the rites to this
goddess eventually rested. This was how the name Erechi became attached to the
name of the deity to read Imaba-Erechi.
Chronicling the descendant of Erechi till date, it was Erechi
who begot Onuorah; and Onuorah begot Obene (Obiefuna). It was Obene who begot
Nweke (Igwe Mmili gaaa!) who is the present Chief Priest of the ancient home. To
translate (from vernacular to English language) an eye witness account by one
of the elders who addressed the “Gathering of The Warriors” in 2005, the statement reads: “During the colonial era, Nkolo
Imaba resisted the colonial masters from gaining entrance into this village which
remained the first-choice settlement destination for the prominent ‘John Holt
Group of Companies’ (a British conglomerates) that eventually relocated from
the famous Ose-Imaba River bank (out of unknown frustrations) to settle by the
shores of Ose-Okwodu river bank at Onitsha. From time immemorial, any time
there was war or an invasion in this village, Nkolo Imaba (as small as it was
at that time) harbours the entire villagers who would always run into the
little hut to take refuge. This made strange warriors to always meet the
village deserted each time they tried to besiege the village. There was this
popular story of how Agbaja people wanted to invade the village in the past. To
the surprise of all, the villagers woke up one morning to found the corpses of 47
Agbaja emissaries and their weapons mysteriously drown in the Imaba River. That
was how we began to refer to Imaba as ‘Iyi
n’eli Umu-Agbaja’ (the mighty water that drowns the Agbaja people)”.
Continuing, he said, “It was upon this latest discovery that the villagers
recommenced the payment of homage to this revered home, and that gave birth to
what we know today as the ‘Imaba-Erechi
pligrimage’ which had become an annual event ever since then”.
Truth is that, since the rediscovery of this wonder land,
nobody has visited the home with any problem and went back home with the same
problem. It had remained a home where you can discover the truth of the ages
past…experience the real fear of God through reverence to Ajani (the
Omnipresence Spirit of God). It’s a home where you can recover everything that
has been stolen from you spiritually and otherwise. Therefore, I encourage you
to make some efforts today, to have a crude encounter with some crude blessings
from a crude village. Establishing contacts with this crude destination will
not only announce you to your world, but will set you free from every form of
setback in your life; free also from disappointments; free from fake pastors
with their fake prophesies; free from the oppressions of the wicked.
For a very long time, the testimonies that had been recorded
on this alter are coming from the following categories of people:
§ People
with the issues of barrenness.
§ People that
are seeking political appointments.
§ Staffers
that seek promotions in their workplaces.
§ Men and
women who are being threatened with death.
§ People
who are looking for prosperity.
§ Business
contractors that crave for contracts.
§ Music artists
that need sponsorship or promotion to stardom.
§ People
that want an all-round protections from the evil arrows of the wicked ones.
§ Sports
men/women that need recognition.
§ Men and
women searching for a life partner.
§ People
that are seeking for healings from terminal diseases and demon-afflicted
illnesses.
§ People
who are at the verge of losing lands or any other properties to influential
persons.
§ Individuals
who want to travel abroad.
§ Individuals
that want happiness in their marriages; and lots more.
In particular, God had been using this home to record those enumerated
testimonies above in truth and in spirit. What truth are we talking about?
Even in a society like ours today, which is mostly characterized by lies, greed,
and the love for money, the home (till today) does not keep record of its debtors;
neither does it compel any participant to pledge anything. It’s always as the
participant is being led in his or her heart. Moreover, the pledge becomes
redeemable only when the prayer requestor has determined in his/her heart that
the prayers have been answered. It’s actually between you and your own
conscience. As a rule here, we believe that it’s your problem(s) that brought
you to the home. So, we always place your problems first – not the size of your
offering or appreciations or whatever. You know why? That is our own calling,
and because it’s not by our own powers, we always use it to glorify the name of
God. So, why not give yourself a chance today, by taking up this opportunity?
Call: 0803-647-4078 or send e-mail to: imabaerechi@gmail.com and give your life a form. You can as well go
through our ‘F.A.Qs’ page to know more about us.
Igo-mmuo of Imaba Erechi 2018 has come and gone. We give God all the praises for making this year's atonement a successful one. We now pray that the night of watch and the festival proper will equally be great. May the gods visit us with abundant blessings in this remaining second half of the year. God bless every participant!!!
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