Mkpụ as Protective Medicine among the Igbo of Nigeria

Résumé

This paper investigates an aspect of African medicine among the Igbo of Nigerian called ‘Mkpụ’. Popularly known as Ọdịeshi from the utterances of the uses of this type of medicine, Mkpụ is believed to render war weapons of various kinds ineffective on their wearers who now rely on this medicine for both wholesome and sometimes malevolent activities. The researcher’s interest came from the events of the popular Aguleri/ Umuleri intercommunity wars in the late 1990s and the activities of the Bakkasi boys at about the same period. This study therefore uses participant observer and culture- area approaches as well as interviews and above all, analyses of the presented facts to arrive at its conclusions. It observes that the claim to Mkpụ and its various kind as Bullet proofs, and protections against metal, bottle and wooden cuts or attacks is not an empty one but part of the medicine man’s many feats in the traditional Igbo setting that her people are supposed to embrace. This is actually based on the fact that all the ingredients of this medicine are found to be in line with the traditional components of Igbo and African traditional medicine, which are largely, and quite unfortunately, denigrated or totally discarded by the supposed elite population. We therefore advocate for more study into this aspect of Igbo/ African traditional medicine in order to encourage its practice for more positive values.