THE AMBIVALENCE OF EVIL: EKWENSU, MALEVOLENT SPIRITS, AND HUMAN AGENCY IN IGBO COSMOLOGY

Abstract

This article explores the philosophical problem of evil within Igbo cosmology, focusing on the ambivalent figure of Ekwensu and the relationship between malevolent spirits and human agency. Through a hermeneutical and ethnophilosophical approach, the study examines oral traditions, proverbs, ritual practices, and scholarly interpretations to uncover the complex moral landscape of Igbo thought. The analysis reveals that within this cosmology, evil is not an absolute metaphysical force opposed to good but a relational disturbance within the moral order of the universe (ụwa). Ekwensu, often mischaracterised under Christian influence as the “Igbo devil,” emerges as a morally complex being symbolising conflict, ingenuity, negotiation, and the testing of human virtue. Methodologically, the study integrates textual exegesis and phenomenological interpretation of indigenous narratives to elucidate how malevolent forces (mmụọ ọjọọ) are perceived as manifestations of moral imbalance rather than intrinsic depravity. The findings demonstrate that human agency plays a decisive role in sustaining or disrupting harmony within the cosmic and social order. Evil, in this sense, becomes a moral event rather than a metaphysical substance. The article concludes that Igbo cosmology provides a sophisticated moral anthropology, where the ambiguity of Ekwensu invites reflection on the ethical tension between freedom, responsibility, and cosmic balance an insight with enduring relevance for global philosophical discourse on the nature of evil.