03/09/2025
The CHI In Igbo Cosmology – Our One True Connection Chiukwu, The Supreme Spirit
To understand the meaning, origin, and essence of Chi in Igbo odinani na omenani, is to attempt to unravel the mystery which is Chi Ukwu, the benevolent creator. It is a feat that our noble Igbo ancestors have attained - for the concept of the Chi in human life and existence is woven deeply into the very fabric of Igbo spirituality, cosmology, and worldview.
Many Igbo sages, Dibias, philosophers and academia have over the years translated and defined CHI in the English, in a noble attempt to educate the world on our spirituality and worldview as Ndi Igbo. And following in their footsteps, we will further explain the concept of CHI for us Ndi Igbo, while touching on the various ways in which our Dibias, philosophers and sages have defined CHI.
CHI, according to Ndi Igbo and our understanding of the universe, can be said to be "a collection of all the Divine Sparks of the Supreme spirit/creator (CHUKWU) that take human form and dwell in the personal world of each human being for the purpose of spiritual training, control, purification, guidance, judgement and power.
The CHI can also be referred to a "personal god/goddess" or 'personal deity". The CHI embodies our individuality, where no two people are the same; and this is embodied in the Igbo saying 'onye na chi ya', meaning "one and his/her chi - One and his/her personal connection to Chi Ukwu/creator".
Ndi gboo, our ancestors, in defining the source of all things (good or bad) in a person’s life, named their children 'ife si na chi', meaning 'things come from the CHI'.
This clearly shows that CHI is the ultimate provider for us in our life's journey. And to further buttress the meaning of 'Ife si na Chi', we believe that the spark of Chukwu/energy/personal deity/spirit being that provides for and guides a man/woman is different from the spark of Chukwu/energy/personal deity/spirit being that provides for and guides the father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, wife, and husband of that person. And as such, our ancient ancestors, who passed down Odinana/Odinani/Odinanla to us maintained that 'Chi awu/abu otu', meaning that the 'Chi is not the same for each and every one of us'.
In Igbo Odinani, as a supreme form of spirituality, a person's CHI is his/her only way to consciously connect to Chukwu (the supreme being). The presence of the CHI in our individual lives directs our morality (ezi omume), the manifestation and actualization of our destiny (akala/akara aka), purification of the soul (nsacha ime mmuo), and our acceptance into Oi Ndi Ichie (the spiritual realm and holy abode of our ancestors, who have become positive co-workers of the supreme being).
In consolidating the meaning of CHI for Ndi Igbo, other Igbo philosophers and Dibias have also called the CHI a personal guardian angel. Even though the word angel (as borrowed from European thought) does not fully express the meaning of CHI.
However, CHI for Ndi Igbo is a divine agent assigned to each human from "cradle to the coffin". This means that the creator, CHUKWU, will assign a CHI to every person before and at the time of birth, and that this CHI will remain with the person for the rest of their lives on earth (Uwa).
The Igbo understanding of CHI expresses it in two different genders. CHI can either be masculine or feminine, although many of our old Odinani sages maintain that a good CHI is the feminine energy, and the male CHI (Oke CHI) can be turbulent.
We see this when a man or woman has a troubled life, and nothing seems to work for them. Ndi Igbo says "Onye nwere Oke Chi", which simply means that the male CHI is responsible for the troubles. It goes to explain the Igbo believe, that the CHI determines a person's successes, misfortunes, and failures throughout his/her lifetime.
According to John Anenechukwu Umeh, in his book "After God is Dibia", in his description of the spiritual important of Otu/Ofu/Ovu/One in relation to Chukwu, he said that the creator (chukwu) is the source and sustainer of all things seen and unseen in the universe, and that the individual CHI is the only link with which all of creation connects to CHUKWU.
He went further to say that "there is only one basis of apparent and transient independent existence and that that is CHI, which is in turn part of Chi-Ukwu (CHUKWU).
In line of the foregoing, he gave the following illustrations based on Igbo adages:
"Onye nyobe Mmuo, O fu Chi ya". Which means "whoever pries into the Supreme Spirit will at the end confront his/her Chi".
This simply means the totality and essence of our spirits is found in our CHI, which is itself a part and parcel of Chi-Ukwu (CHUKWU), the great Universal Spirit (Creator).
From the dawn of time, our ancestors have always believed that and practiced that Chukwu is a Macro-Chi (Chui-Ukwu, the Great Chi), containing and directing countless Micro-Chi (Individualized gods) as seen in humans and other elements of nature.
The concept of chi rests in the Ìgbò belief in duality. It places man side by side with their respective Chi, with the Chi being the spirit double of man as is with all living things in the universe.
Chinua Achebe in his essay "Chi in Ìgbò cosmology" wrote that a person's CHI is his other identity in spirit land - his spirit being complementing his terrestrial human being, because nothing can stand alone, there must be something standing beside it.
This belief in the Ìgbò worldview is expressed in the adage: Ife kwulu, Ife akwudobe ya, literally translated to: "Wherever something stands/exists, something else will stand/exist beside it". And as such, we do not stand alone in our journey through each life we come to. We stand side by side with our CHI.
CHI, according to a renowned Odinani promoter and philosopher, Ekene Okwuba, is a universal spirit that permeates the seen and unseen world. That is why the Igbo people will say Chi efo OR Chi aboola, which means that the day has broken, signifying the universality of the CHI. CHI is everywhere. For him, CHI is the fifth unseen force that holds everything in the universe together. CHI in this understanding is seen as the quintessence - the fifth unseen substance of nature that the celestial bodies are made of, gotten from medieval philosophy.
In his understanding of CHI, Ekene insists that there is nothing demanded of us to fortify the CHI or to make it stronger - that the CHI exists if itself and organizes creation by itself, without our dictation. The trees, animals, and all things in creation possess this CHI.
He went further to say that the Igbo expression of CHI goes beyond its force in creation and also pertains to how it acts on us individually, or our own individual realization of it. In this manner, the Igbo liken CHI to something that is helpful to them. In that sense, a person who helps you can also be said to be your CHI. We see this in the Igbo saying "Ogo bu Chi Onye", which means "One's In-law is his/her CHI". He also opined that if an Mmuo or alusi (deity) comes to one's aid, the Mmuo can be said to be a CHI to you.
The other aspect of Chi which various Igbo Philosophers and Dibias of this generation see from different points of view (even though they mean the same thing), is the aspect of Onye Uwa. In this regard, many of our people believe that Onye Uwa is the same as your CHI because in a former life, your CHI inhabited your Onye Uwa, while others say they are two different parts of us, both working together to help us manifest our destiny.
Ekene Okwuba, in light of the foregoing, believes that Onye Uwa is an ancestor who has foreseen your coming into the world, has made certain mistakes in the past, and then attaches himself/herself to you to help you avoid those same mistakes. And because the Onye Uwa becomes your helper, we can then say that he/she is your CHI.
So, the role of the Onye uwa is for you to fulfill your destiny. This belief, when viewed and juxtaposed with the popular belief that "Onye Uwa is who you were in your past life", we would find spiritual similarities, which buttresses on purpose and fulfillment of destiny.
I would talk more on the connection between Onye Uwa and CHI later.
~ This Article was written by Chuka Nduneseokwu, a Dibia, Igbo Odinala Researcher, African Revolutionary, Igbo Philosopher
