Odinani comprises the traditional religious practices and cultural beliefs of the
Igbo people. Odinani has
monotheistic and
panentheistic attributes, having a single
God as the source of all things. Although a pantheon of spirits exists, these are lesser spirits prevalent in Odinani expressly serving as elements of Chineke (or
Chukwu), the supreme being or high god. Chineke is a compound word encompassing the concept of
chí the divine masculine force and (
nà)
ékè the creative and divisive feminine force. The concept of
Chúkwú ('supreme chi') was largely propagated by the
Aro-Igbo of
Arochukwu in eastern
Igboland who wielded much spiritual force over the eastern
Niger Delta in the 18th century due to their operating of the
Ibini Ukpabi oracle.