Borrowing from the Gods: Oracular Deities as Traditional Sources of Credit among the Igbo of Nigeria

Title

Borrowing from the Gods: Oracular Deities as Traditional Sources of Credit among the Igbo of Nigeria

Project Year

2009

Region

West Africa

Country

Nigeria

Project Description

This study derives from a concern with traditional credit institutions in Africa, an area of research that has come under increasing focus in the study of local economies in transitional societies. The study focuses on the role of oracular deities as traditional sources of credit among the Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria. Borrowing from the gods, as the study conceptualizes the phenomenon, is a seemingly dynamic autochthonous tradition among a limited number of local communities of the ethnic Igbo noted for their powerful ancestral deities. The central objective of the study is to use the experiences of three ethnic Igbo local communities to enhance the understanding of the history, operation, opportunities and externalities of the relatively unknown fetish divinity credit institution.

Researcher(s)

Kenneth Omeje

About the Researcher(s)

Kenneth Omeje is a Professor of International Relations at the United States International University (USIU) in Nairobi, Kenya and has 20 years of professional academic experience. His educational qualifications include: PhD in Peace Studies from the University of Bradford, MA degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the European Peace University in Burg/Schlaining, Austria; as well as M.Sc. degree in International Relations and B. Sc. (Second Class Upper Division) in Political Science and Sociology both from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Citation

“Borrowing from the Gods: Oracular Deities as Traditional Sources of Credit among the Igbo of Nigeria,” Institute for Money, Technology & Financial Inclusion (IMTFI) Research Projects, accessed March 29, 2024, https://imtfiresearch.omeka.net/items/show/6480.

Output Formats