Gbagyi is one among the many ethnic groups that are domiciled in the Middle Belt of Nigeria, spilled within the North Central States of Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa as well as Abuja, the nation's capital and also in the Northwestern State of Kaduna.
The Gbagyi are Nupoid speakers, and share common cultural practices with tribes like Nupe, Igala, Ebira and Kabba. They also share common ancestry, tracing their migration routes from similar region, alongside internarriages, trade, war alliances and other interactions.
The Gbagyi are renowned farmers, men who work relentlessly on farms from dawn till dusk farming maize, sorghum, yam and other crops. The women assist in farming vegetables, cowpea, soy beans, potatoes and spices. The Gbagyi are not known to cultivate cash crops, but relying on traders from other lands to purchase cotton for manufacturing clothing and other necessities.
The Gbagyi are also renowned hunters. They live in Savannah region of Nigeria where the game include deer, antelopes, warthogs, various rodents, birds, monkeys and others.Uniquely, the Gbagyi people cherish their religions. They special priority to their gods and ancestors. It is believed that ancestors who have ascended to the ancestral plane or realm require sacrifices and worship for them to bless and strengthen their offsprings. The methods and practices of Gbagyi traditional worship is natively called "A'shna".
Chief among the gods in Gbagyi traditions is Shekwo, the overall sovereign Creator and Lord of all things. Shekwo is purported to live in heaven, far above the clouds in the sky. Shekwo once lived on earth, and to mere humans he was a giant. He created the earth, rivers, mountains and give rain. When yhe earth was set and beautiful, he ascended to heaven where he watches all things and bless his worshipers. However, there was influence and interference from Shekwo's main adversary and opponent, "Guzhe" who is the devil and the face of all evil.
Shekwo then sends his minions, servant-gods to live among the people and administer justice and blessings. They also interfere in human errors which became too frequent and wars were regular among the people, all attributed to Guzhe. These are called "A'ko singularly, plurally called "A'kwai ".
The A'ko is mostly an ancestor of Gbagyi families or clans who while alive, were blessed by Shekwo with outstanding abilities, virtues and characteristics. These include fortitude of wisdom and understanding, prosperity in farming, healing, fertility, height, indomitable in war and great wealth. When they die and ascend to heaven, their spirits are said to live in the hills and rivers that surround villages. The A'ko in the hills are called "A'ko 'pe" while those in the rivers are called "A'ko o'dna"
One of such gods, Sauri is an A'ko o'dna. According to legend, while he was alive he was formidable in fishing and all aspects of riverine activities. He was an excellent swimmer who reached the deepest points of the river to bring back an axe that fell into it. Once, a canoe capsized and it was he dived right into the river in the nick of time and ensured all seven passengers held him by the arms and he swarm ashore with them. His net always have the biggest and largest catch of fishes in every fishing exhibition. One time during a fishing festival, Sauri walked into a river, spent almost half the day inside. When he emerged, he was completely dry and even emitting smoke with a calabash of steaming tuwo and kuku soup. When he died, he was buried in the river, where he was said to have transformed into a huge fish himself. His village is called now known as Kasnaya, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where his shrine is located just by the river bank at Kasnaya River. His sacrifice requirements are a hen, 2 tubers of huge yam and a corn cob. Also, the first fish picked from a fishing exhibition is returned to the river to avoid "eating" Sauri.
The gods of the hills, A'ko 'pe are worshiped and revered for blessings and breakthrough on farmlands and livestock, protection from enemies and war as well as fertility and abundant rainfall.
The Gbagyi people believe especially in incarnation. Incarnation forms a basic belief in Gbagyi traditions. Children's behaviors are observed carefully and delicately, then compared with some dead ancestor or relative. Specifically, when an elderly person dies and a child is born within that same period in the same family, it is said that the child is an incarnation of the dead person, which is true with visible resemblance, physically attributes and behavioral patterns.
The villages are composed of clans and families, each with it's own A'ko. The Chief among them becomes the overall god of the village and it's priest becomes the village head, called Sa' or Etsu. This Sa' is a traditional position with supernatural powers to enchant charms, gourds, gauntlets, calabashes and other instruments for worship, safety of the village and protection from Guzhe and all evil.
However, most of these worship are defunct and extinct due to conversion to Christianity and Islam. Some Gbagyi people however remain faithful to these beliefs and follow the ways of the A'shna.
References
- Shekwo, Joseph (1984). Understanding Gbagyi folktales : premises for targeting salient electronic mass media programs (Thesis). Northwestern University.
- Rosendall, Elias (1998). Aspects of gbari grammar (Thesis). University of Texas at Arlington.
- Oral account from Sa' Kasnaya, Danjuma Bawa Maikada.
