Enugu-Ezike is a community in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State. It is made up of over 36 villages and having Kogi and Benue States at its borders.
In Enugu-Ezike, one of the areas of their culture which is highly held sacrosanct is the stool of Onyishi (Eldest Man) It is not political and as such is not contestable. There is the belief that anyone who out of greed, maneuvers or sharp practices ascended the throne is bound to be visited with death within a short period of time after his coronation.
Enugu Ezike people have so many cultural heritages but one of the most striking features is the marital infidelity known as “Ndishi Tradition”
Ndishi has drawn mixed reactions from so many quarters such that some see it as obnoxious or discrimination against women folk.
Findings show that it is widely held in the community that any married woman who commits adultery runs mad or faces death by the gods.
It was further learnt that Ndishi is a spiritual being seen only by those who violated the tradition of marital fidelity.
A traditional ruler from Amachalla village in Enugu-Ezike, HRH Igwe Agbedo, corroborated other sources, saying that Ndishi tradition is as old as Enugu-Ezike itself as it was instituted by Ezike Oba himself the founder of the community.
Igwe Agbedo explained, “The Ndishi tradition is binding on every child of Enugu-Ezike. It revolves around having extra-marital affairs with another man’s wife or even an obvious intention to do so through kissing or having your hand across the waist of another man’s wife which is seen as synonymous with sex”
“Once a lady’s bride price is paid, she cannot for any reason have an affair with another man other than her husband.
News Echo also gathered that a widow is forbidden to have an affair while inside her late husband’s house or risk the death of her first son. If she wants to do such a thing she must be relocated to another house.
“If she gets tired and wants to come back to her late husband’s house, she will confess of her escapades, appease the gods and then return after a cleansing ceremony”, an Enugu Ezike indigene said in an interview.
An Enugu-Ezike man is forbidden to have a sexual relationship with another man’s wife. Such acts attract the wrath of Ndishi and are highly punishable.
A married woman is forbidden to make a monetary donation or contribution to her family or any other person without the knowledge of her husband or risk being arrested by Ndishi.
One other aspect of the culture is that a married woman while taking her bath cannot answer a call from another man except her husband.
It is against Ndishi to knock on the door of a married woman when she is alone in the room or house.
How Ndishi spirit is appeased:
The gods are appeased to avert death, madness, delayed labour, pulling out of the person’s tongue or stiffing of the neck.
The process begins with an open confession of the man or woman stating all parties to the crime as well as the number of times involved. A handful of sand is raised and thrown into the air to show they are uncountable.
After the confession, rituals are performed with goat, yam, kola nut and palm wine to appease the gods. The woman forfeits to the Onyishi the clothes including the inner wears which she wore on the day she committed the act.
Ironically, Ndishi will kill the man instead of the wife if a man discovers the infidelity in his wife and keeps quiet, sleeps with her or eats her food. This is why when a man suspects his wife, he will be enchanting “Ndishi Nso” to plead his innocence and ignorance to Ndishi as well as seeking his protection.
It was also gathered that a man whose wife was caught by the Ndishi spirit stays away when his wife is confessing her sin. The news is normally relayed to him through his sisters. Equally, he cannot partake in the items used in appeasing the gods.
What, however, that stuns many people is that men are allowed to keep mistresses but should have no extra-marital dealings with a married woman. This development has attracted mixed reactions especially from people outside Enugu-Ezike community.
Largely, Ndishi phenomenon is seen as a good omen as they contend that women in view of the loss of moral values, recourse to loose lifestyles especially going to the extent of sleeping around without thinking twice.
Perhaps because of the obvious fact that once you do a public confession, your dignity has gone forever, making many people to think deeply of the implications before engaging in an immoral act.
Be that as it may, despite western civilization and the coming of Christianity, efforts by some people to truncate the Ndishi tradition had remained a mirage in Enugu-Ezike community.
