Environmental determinant of religious names

A study of Úgwú and naming among the Nsukka-Igbo people of Nigeria

Bibliographic Data

ID21493600
AuthorsPaulinus Okechukwu Agbo (0000-0003-1382-5258, University of Nigeria), Christian Chukwuma Opata (0000-0001-9514-0222, University of Nigeria), Malachy Ike Okwueze (0000-0001-9104-8242, University of Nigeria)
Year2022
Volume78
Issue3
Publication date2022-06-10
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0259-9422 • E-ISSN: 2072-8050
PublisherAOSIS (PUBLISHER • ZA)
DOI10.4102/hts.v78i3.6977
OpenAlexW4283644836
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited28

This article makes a contribution towards understanding the correlation between Úgwú (hill or mountain) and personal names among the Igbo people of Nigeria. Sacralisation of the natural environment which include hills or mountains is a belief that cuts across religions. Among the Igbo, the perceived sacred value placed on such natural environment prompted a series of socio-cultural changes. Personal names are usually drawn from deified entities such as the earth, sun, rivers, and so on. Studies on Igbo personal names portrayed the environmental determinant for personal names in different Igbo-subcultures. However, the pattern of Nsukka-Igbo names, influenced specifically by Úgwú has hardly gotten any scholarly attention. This study, therefore, provided evidence that Úgwú is the single most environmental element that shaped the culture of naming among the Nsukka-Igbo people with its psycho-social and economic implications. Drawing from the theory of sacralisation, which stresses on placing religious values on objects, this article showed that the deified Úgwú environment influenced an unprecedented frequency and exclusive nature of Úgwú personal names in the study area. Documentary research, observation and interview methods were used to collect and analyse secondary, as well as primary data for this study. The article drew attention to the increasing influence of Úgwú on personal names in Nsukka-Igbo, and its effects which include the conservation of the environment occasioned by the deification of Úgwú.Contribution: This article shows that the deification of natural environment of Úgwú influenced the increasing frequency of Úgwú personal names and its associated variants among the Nsukka-Igbo people of Nigeria

Archaeology · Art · Ethnology · Geography · Igbo · Linguistics · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Southeastern Nigeria · Anthropology · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · History · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Philosophy · Religion and Sociopolitical Dynamics in Nigeria