Amongst abolished ancient practices in Igbo land is twin killing.
Twin killing happened in some ancient Igbo communities as twins were considered a bad omen sent by the “Gods.” They considered twins as supernatural beings that could bring devastation and calamity upon society.
Human beings took the form of nso ani, considered an abomination to be eradicated before polluting society. Communities abandoned these children in the evil forest, believing deities would take them. Instead, the children often died from hunger, exposure, or wild animals. This practice continued until missionaries first arrived, found the children, and cared for them.
The survival and prosperity of early Christians caused the Igbo to question their deities’ power and existence. The natives obeyed oracles and priests due to faith and fear of punishment. However, Christians defied these gods without facing any consequences. This demystified the Igbo deities, showing they were harmless or perhaps nonexistent. As a result, natives flocked to the missionaries, believing that the Christian God and his Son had proven their superior power through the well-being of their followers.
Mary Slessor, a poor Scotswoman inspired by David Livingstone, set out for Calabar in southeastern Nigeria in 1876. She arrived during the European scramble for Africa. Her fervor to “civilize” the Kalabari peoples shaped her early intolerance for local “heathenism.” As a white woman close to British colonial authorities, she leveraged her status to work with King Eyo VII to end the practice of killing twins. Allegedly, the Presbyterian Church supported the British military’s 1901 invasion of the Arochukwu kingdom, the oracle site in present-day Abia State.
In conclusion, the colonial era changed Igbo society and ended practices like the twin killing.
Christian missionaries, Colonial authorities, and local elites all made this possible. Today the legacy of this period continues to influence the Igbo society.
