Egbesu is the god or deity of

justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...

of the Ijaw people of the

Niger Delta The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. It is located within nine coastal southern Nigerian states, which include: all six states from the South South geopolitic ...

region. Egbesu is also perceived as the spiritual foundational force for combating

evil Evil, in a general sense, is defined as the opposite or absence of good. It can be an extremely broad concept, although in everyday usage it is often more narrowly used to talk about profound wickedness and against common good. It is general ...

. The Egbesu force can only be used in defence or to correct an injustice, and only by people who are in harmony with the universe. The symbol of the divine force is the leopard, panther, and lion. Egbesu has both a philosophical and spiritual dimension, the latter of which has been more prominent during recent times due to conflicts in regions where the Ijaw reside.

Beliefs

Belief in Egbesu dictates the Ijaw philosophical principles of war and the Egbesu force is believed to be able to provide spiritual attributes to Ijaw fighters. The philosophical aspect incorporates elements of a

just war The just war theory ( la, bellum iustum) is a doctrine, also referred to as a tradition, of military ethics which is studied by military leaders, theologians, ethicists and policy makers. The purpose of the doctrine is to ensure that a war i ...

. Egbesu conduct for just wars dictates that the only justified cause of war is self-defence. Therefore, the Egbesu force can only be used to correct an

injustice Injustice is a quality relating to unfairness or undeserved outcomes. The term may be applied in reference to a particular event or situation, or to a larger status quo. In Western philosophy and jurisprudence, injustice is very commonly—but n ...

and only by people who are considered in harmony with the

universe The universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological description of the development of the universe. ...

. Egbesu war ethics also incorporates a reward element, where victors are granted rewards for winning just wars. Egbesu is also expressed in cultural practices. This includes a hierarchical organization of community members into an Egbesu

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

(chief priest), high priests (Okparans), followed by other priests and foot soldiers (Kulikuliwei). Chief priests are the only ones allowed to declare war, and only in their absence are Okparans allowed to undertake this duty. The Egbesu force is also believed to be able to grant spiritual powers to fighters. This includes protection from enemy bullets.

Current Practices

The

ancient Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cov ...

Egbesu cult of the Ijaws declined after the successful

British occupation The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

of the Ijaw lands in the late 19th century. This minimized the prominence of Egbesu for some time and most Ijaws only knew of the deity and its philosophy through

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

and traditional war songs. However, the Niger Delta conflict, which arose due to tensions between

foreign Foreign may refer to: Government * Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries * Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries ** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government ** Foreign office and foreign minister * United S ...

oil corporations and minority ethnic groups in the region, has centered current Egbesu practices around the spiritual defence mechanism Egbesu can provide for the Ijaw people. Oil extraction projects conducted by the Nigerian government and foreign oil corporations often lead to conflict between the two sides as the Ijaw people struggle against state suppression and socioeconomic

marginalization Social exclusion or social marginalisation is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. It is a term that has been used widely in Europe and was first used in France in the late 20th century. It is used across discipline ...

Militant Groups

The Niger Delta conflict has prompted contempt from many locals militant groups to evoke Egbesu war ethics as a way to mobilize and recruit members in the fight against the Nigerian state and the Nigerian petroleum industry. The most important aspect evoked is the protection Egbesu power provides from enemy bullets. In order to receive said protection, groups are supported by mothers of the community, male elders, and priests. Youth militants also use white chalk to paint their faces and place medicated

plant leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...

on their foreheads for protection. Groups formed around Egbesu include the Egebesu Boys or the Egbesu Boys of Africa, Red Egbesu Water Lions, Reformed Egbesu Boys of the Niger Delta, and the Egbesu Mightier Fraternity. These groups have both worked with and been in conflict with other groups, with the Egbesu Mightier Fraternity being involved in. These groups were involved in the 2016 Niger Delta conflict, but have signed a ceasefire as of late August 2016.

Egbesu Boys

As a response to the Niger Delta conflict, the Egbesu Boys emerged during the early 1990s. The group took up arms to fight against authorities in the

in response to environmental and other problems caused by the

petroleum industry in Nigeria Nigeria is the second largest oil and gas producer in Africa. Crude oil from the Niger delta basin comes in two types: light, and comparatively heavy – the lighter has around 36 gravity while the heavier has 20–25 gravity. Both types are ...

, including the lack of investment of oil revenue in the local economy. Many young men have joined the cult, undergoing secret initiations by priests who impart the spiritual powers of Egbesu. The initiation involves the subject being etched with cicatrices on some hidden part of the body, and some members also wear amulets. The followers often believe the talisman and the cult initiations make them bulletproof. Reports of their activities include kidnapping of oil workers, sabotage of oil installations, and attacks on Nigerian authorities. However, it is difficult to attribute specific activities to the group due to the presence of multiple other militant groups in the area. The group is active across six southeastern states in the

, with their traditional headquarters located in Amabulou,

Bayelsa State Bayelsa is one of the states in the South-South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta region. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. Yena ...

.Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (2006). Nigeria: Egbesu Boys; Leadership, Membership Recruitment Practices, Activities, and Treatment by Authorities. UNHCR. Retrieved 19 October 2021.

References

Rebel groups in Nigeria History of Nigeria Religion in Nigeria Traditional African religions Ijaw {{religion-stub