3 Nigerian myths about the beginning of the world and the creation of humanity

Nigeria is a country replete with several myths woven around the traditions, customs and beliefs of the people. One of the topics that is usually discussed in the mythological culture of the country revolves around creation and how humans came to be in the first place.

True enough, the creation and existence of humans on planet Earth is one topic is very prevalent in the world. Virtually everyone is interested in knowing where people came from and how it is we exist.

In trying to discover this truth, many cultures and people have made up theories and stories that they believe to explain the origin of humanity.

They have expressed this beliefs of theirs by passing it across from generations to generations. Over time, it is believed that although these myths of creation that differ with every single tribe or geographical setting in Nigeria may not be exactly what happened, they hold true to the people who share them.

Hence, Legit.ng has thought it good to compile 3 myths of creation prevalent in Nigeria.

1. Yoruba myth of creation: The Golden Chain

According to the Yoruba people, the world (earth) was created by a Supreme Being called Olorun or Olodunmare. Before then, life existed only in the sky. Up there, the Superior Being had a lot of deities worshiping at his feet. In turn, he provided them a baobab tree where they got everything they needed.

One of these deities was Obatala. But rather than be contented with having everything he needed under the baobab tree like everyone else, this god was curious and he wanted to explore. He looked down beneath the sky and he found that there was a vast ocean beneath it.

After consulting with Orunmila who could read the future, he was prompted to go down into the world. With the help of the other deities, Obatala was able to amass gold from the deities which he then moulded into a long golden chain.

With this, he set out to journey down the sky. Before that, he gathered all the sand in the sky into a snail shell, added baobab powder and also took the sacred egg containing all the personalities of the seven deities there were in the sky.

He then travelled down the sky for seven days with the long chain. Once he got down to the ocean filled earth, on the prompting of Orunmila, he poured the sand onto the ground. It solidified the earth.

Another version said the deity had come along with a hen which started pecking on the sand he brought from the sky till it made itself into an entire vast land. Moving from this, Obatala's sacred egg cracked while his heart was beating with fear and it released a bird called Sankofa.

This Sankofa was what made all the hills and grasses and mountains and forests in the world. This beginning was called Ife - a place that divides waters.

After creating earth, Obatala went ahead to create humans by moulding them out of clay. Another progenitor named Oduduwa became the first king to rule Ile-Ife. He had seven sons and these children of his were given kingdoms in several parts of the world now believed to make up the entire Yoruba community.

2. Edo myth of creation

The Edo cosmological account of the universe was fashioned after the Egyptian one. According to them, Osanobua, who is called God, decided to populate the world. Then, he asked His four sons in Erinmwin (Heaven) to choose whatever gift of nature each wanted. The oldest chose wealth, the next in age chose wisdom, the third chose mysticism (spiritual energy) and as the youngest was about to announce his choice, Owonwon (the Toucan) cried out to him to settle for a snail shell.

Upon venturing down on earth, there was only water every where and the four sons were in a canoe, sailing, drifting, propelled by the power of eziza (wind.) In the middle of the water stood a tree on top of which lived (Owonwon) the toucan.

When the children got to the middle of the water, the youngest son turned his snail shell upside down just like his father directed him to. What this led to was an explosion from the bottom of the water that forced a mass of sand to rush out of the water and fill up space around them for as far as the eyes could see.

With the explosion, the four elements of creation, amen (water) eziza (air) arhen (fire) and oto (sand or land) were put in place. Due to the non material choice he made, the youngest son of Osanobua was the only one out of the four sons who had the physical human body attribute on stepping on the land.. The other sons remained deities and so could not walk on the face of the universe.

This made the youngest son the ruler of the earth. He represents innocence and so is susceptible to the powers of the deities, his brothers. The junior brother, however, wanted his older spirit brothers to remain with him on his land.

Hence, the oldest brother chose to take his spirit gift and manage living in the water. The other two brothers accepted junior’s invitation and disposed of their spirit selves and gifts on the land as soon as they stepped on it from the canoe.

This youngest brother called his land agbon (earth) and himself, Idu, which means he is the first human on earth. He decided to walk around and explore what now belongs to him. In talking to God, the youngest son asked for food and then he said he wanted a human companion as he did not want to be the only one.

Osanobua then told Idu to take sand with both palms from the ground and stretch his hands close together in front of him. As soon as Idu did as he was told, Osanobua called forth a female person, pointing His staff where she appeared in front of Idu. The spirit-human exclaimed on beholding the beautiful female person standing in front of him.

She smiled gratefully and went down on her knees to greet Osanobua, looking at Idu who she also greeted. He held her hands in response and hugged her. Osanobua said, “She is Eteghohi (a woman) and you are Etebite, (a man.) In marriage you would multiply to ensure there is no shortage of hands in the management of the earth’s resources.”

Things went well after this and Idu and his wife, Eteghohi, started giving birth to children. With time, offsprings of the extended family of Idu started to migrate into several parts of the earth, setting up communities, villages and towns.

3. The Igbo myth of creation

For the Igbo people, they say the heavens were in good condition as all the Gods and Goddesses who they believed existed before humans lived together in one part of heaven. However, each one of them was selfish, and therefore very anarchical.

This then became the cause of great worry in the heavens as jealousy and greed came upon these Gods and Goddesses. These deities were fighting against themselves just so they could obtain the powers of other gods. To stop this domineering attitude, a plan was then made by Chineke, the overall God. This was targeted at creating more people.

Now the God, who is referred to as Igwe and the Goddess called Ala whose domain consisted of the sky and earth, created mankind. They created eight humans, four males and four females. In creating mankind. In doing this, they used four kinds of material; sticks from the Ofo tree as bones and clay and chalk for flesh.

After they were formed and dried in the sun, Ala wrapped them in Umune leaves from the Umune tree for taking care of and nourishing the five senses. These Supreme beings had the task of educating the humans on the seven cycles of life and about Chineke who is till date regarded by people in the Eastern side as the benevolent creator of the universe.

A ceremony presided by Ala and Igwe was later held which taught the eight created humans the seven principles guiding living on earth as well as answered their questions.

Although these myths are very extensive, one thing that can be said for all of them is the fact that they seem to agree that there was a world above from whence the one beneath originated.

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Source: Legit.ng