18/05/2025
Had a long conversation with my father just now, and honestly, Igbo traditions can amaze you as a man.
If your father is still alive — please, do everything you can to get close to him. Especially if you’re a man.
It’s even a must If you are the first Son.
There are things you’ll never hear outside that father-to-son talk.
One part of our discussion that had me thinking deeply was the tradition of keelinng a cow when your father or mother d!es.
That part is even normal.
Where it gets interesting is this — if your father or mother is still alive, you need to ask them:
“Did they k!ll cow for their own parents when they
d!ed?”
Because if they didn’t, then no matter how fine their burial is, traditionally, a cow must still be kelled for their own parents — even if it’s years later.
I even heard of someone who had to kpai seven cows — for his grandfather and great-grandfather — because it wasn’t done when they d!ed.
Now my head full with questions:
🔹What does the cow even symbolize?
🔹Is there a spiritual title they collect in the spirit world when the cow is kelled?
🔹Apart from umu nna collecting the meat, what exactly is the value?
🔹Is it true that if you kpai the cow well, things will start moving for you?
🔹Is this tradition just cultural or is it tied to something deeper?
Omo, this cow matter no be small something.
Maybe it’s time someone explains this thing clearly.
Because the more you hear, the more confused you get.
Is this cow kpaing everywhere in Alaigbo.
Or just Enugu state.