From Village Square to Internet Square

The people of Illah gathered at the ilo (public square) to watch the annual wrestling match. Nnam Azuka circles his opponent. He stops, squats in the middle of the now huge circle formed by the young and old trying to catch a glimpse of one of their famous wrestlers. From the squatting position, he lowers his right knee, striking an h position. He extends his right hand to the opponent, who takes it. Their hands lock as if in a handshake, and he pulls his opponent toward him, grabbing the opponent's right arm with his left hand. He does a counterclockwise swirl under him, heaves him up and slams his back to the ground. Similar to the public space in Umuofia ¹ where Okonkwo defeated Amalinze the cat, this ilo is also the space where the elders convene the public meetings under the leadership of the Obi. This is a common practice in UmuekeAgbaja: the ofo holders (chiefs) and ndi dibea (shamans) meet in the central market place to make new laws. ² As was the case for acephalous nations like Igbo, so was it for foragers like the !Kung of Namibia; it was not different for stratified nations such as Yoruba under the rulership of an imperial King.