Mkpuru-Ihe

Mkpụrụ-Ihe, An Understanding of

Nwanyanwu Christopher

Philosophers through the ages never realised the enormity of human language and its usage within human communication. They made their postulations within the feel that anyone that comes across their works will clearly understand what the content of their postulate wears. For some of them, the reality of difference among human beings with regard to language specifically is never a problem since whoever must taste and eat their food must be ready to learn the language in which their food was born. This was the case with most of the Greek philosophers if not all of them.

However, as this magnificent human enterprise within the surface of learning continues to marry development; some other gentlemen of the class became interested in such a goings-on. Most of them that got engrossed, coupled and donated in the adventure were never disturbed about the language of their food. In fact, some of them believed that to eat their food in the language of its preparation is a step towards proper understanding of their sayings.

Hence, the 20^th Century analytic gentlemen like Russell and Wittgenstein informed them in their graves and those awaiting theirs that language is very important in communication. It was our beloved linguistic brother Wittgenstein who averred that language actually is a game and that this game is culture and society dependent, such that only those who suck in air and munch within a particular space could understand the language of their possible ways of communication. That is why the many languages of different people in the world today are respected. And unless one gets humbled in whatever style, he/she cannot contain the content of the communication among people of the same language.

Among the local and international languages of the world, there is one of them that has received extensive attention. The cause of this wide attention may not be the language itself with regard to the language qua language. Perhaps the very reason why it has received such plentiful attention is because of its owners. This language is universal. It is not universal in the sense that the whole world is using it as a universal language at the moment; rather it is universal because there is no part of the world that it is not being used in communication. If we accept the foundation that the owners are everywhere and anywhere they are not, that place is not inhabitable, then we must accept that this language is universal. This language is widely spoken and principally in Nigeria. It is not just spoken in Nigeria as a National language; rather it is spoken by the famous people that dominate the Eastern part of the country. This people are no other but the Igbo people and the language we have been talking about is the Igbo language.

The Igbo language like every other is made up of words which are the parts of a sentence in which the language is buried. Many of these words are used to convey one meaning or the other alone or in combination with other words so as to convey a worthwhile message. Some of these words are handed over from generation to generation while some others are manufactured by the present day speakers. However the words are got hold of, they stand as vehicles of communication. It is worthy to note also that while some of these words are invented to express derogatory situations, some of them are for the differing. Hence, within the Igbo language we find many expressions that are used derogatorily. One thing to also note is that the users of some of those expressions have actually examined them critically and find out in them an inherent meaning which may have been lost or rather ignored by the users. This is the case with such expressions as Kpim, Gbomgbom, etc.

At the moment, there is very famous expression among the Igbo which has been used derogatorily so to say without actually bringing out of it that which it could convey in its fullest forms. This expression has been for many years and the historical trajectory is worth following provided one has the power to question those of the users who have gone to use it in the graves. This expression is no other but Mkpụrụ-Ihe. This expression has been used recently in another way as distinct from its very usage in the before now. Still retaining its meaning, it is being shown to the nearest observers in the way and manner it could be used well than in the former.

However, before we continue to drive this horse to its place of rest, it is admirable to show vividly its meanings from its atomic parts. This is very proper; for in the thoughts of logical atomists, unless we break statements to its atomics parts, an understanding or a grasp of its sayings will be lost.

MKPỤRỤ-IHE Explained

Mkpụrụ in Igbo Language means seed. Ihe means (a) thing. Combining the two Igbo words, we get the seed of a thing. The seed of a thing ordinarily is taken to be the empirical seed of fruits and other things we have in the world. But beyond that, the seed of a thing we mean by that expression is not the empirical seed but a trans-empirical seed which only the empirical seed represents. The empirical seed is not the seed qua seed but the representative of the real seed. It is the confirmation of the seed. This is true because since the seed begets the whole of the thing when it decays (as for plants/fruits), what remains after the decay of the seed is that thing which actually brings about the whole of a thing. The physical seed is just a potential actual whole of the plant or fruit. Between the potential seed and the actual whole of the plant or fruit lies the main seed. It is this main seed which can never be seen with the naked eyes that give way to the whole plant and fruit.

Another feature of this main seed is that it is usually at the centre of existence of the thing it brings about. In its trans-empiricality, its centre place in a thing may not be seen with the naked eyes; yet it manifests its centre place with another thing that may have physically taken the centre place of a thing. More still, the main seed of a thing comprises the whole of a thing such that without it that thing becomes useless or non-existing in all possible ramifications.

More so, it is worthy to note that a thing has only one main seed. But it could also have particular main seeds of its different parts. That is why in a goat for instance, the main seed of the goat is different from the particular main seeds of its different parts. Hence, the eye of the goat has its own main seed which of course is different from the main seeds of individual parts of the body of the goat.

Furthermore, the human body as a whole has its own main and real seed which is invisible. This seed stands for the essence of the life of a human being. In a more particular and distinctive aspect, just as the human body is made up of many parts, so also has the various individual parts their main seed which of course is invisible. It is worthy to emphasize here again that while the representing object of the main seed could be seen, the main seed itself cannot be visible. Having asserted this, it is worthy to make an example with a part of the body whose parts and constituents will help us in understanding the nature of this main seed we have been talking about.

Biologically, pregnancy starts when a male’s sperm fertilizes a female’s ovum (egg). From this, it follows that just like the ovum, the male sperm is essential for reproduction. Now, the sperm is produced by the testes, which means that without them, there cannot be sperm and reproduction by extension. Giving this as the case, one may be tempted to call the testes the main/real seed of the sperm. On the contrary, the real seed is beyond the empirical and as such the main/real seed of the sperm cannot be seen but may be manifested in the function of the sperm. It is worthy to point out here that people have used the term mkpụrụ-ihe in this manner expressed just above. But that is not the case. The main and real seed of the sperm is only manifested by its role in the human body. But the main seed itself cannot be seen.

From the foregoing, we have been able to establish the fact that the term mkpụrụ-ihe has the character of being at the centre of anything such that in it, and through it, we arrive at the cause of the being of anything. Also, we have also noted that it is trans-empirical but is known as it manifests itself in the being of the thing it accounts for. Philosophically, the attributes mentioned above belong to the essence of things and since our term mkpụrụ-ihe shares in those features, we can rightly say that the term mkpụrụ-ihe means essence. In other words, mkpụrụ-ihe as a term means the essence of a thing. Synonymous to the word essence, we could have such terms as Core, heart, quintessence, soul etc. which also could be said to be the meaning of mkpụrụ-ihe.

Arguably, this may not be the absolute meaning of the term, but then it could serve under the explanation given above. A word or an expression could have several meanings and so in addition to what the term has been used for/ as and what it is likely to be used for/as in future, we can say that it also means the essence of things. Things here refer to anything existing be it a human being, plants, objects, works, etc.

Consequently, to further make our exposition clearer, we could say the following:

The mkpụrụ-ihe of education is to inform the mind. The mkpụrụ-ihe of the seminary is to prepare the Church’s future ministers very well. The mkpụrụ-ihe of liturgy is the glorification of God and the sanctification of man. The mkpụrụ-ihe of Ojukwu’s life is the Nigerian-Biafran war (here the term means the core or the heart of Ojukwu’s life). Therefore, we could use the term as essence, core, heart, etc of things. It is also good to note at this point that in making use of it in a written sentence, it has to be differentiated from other words so as to show its uniqueness. Of course only to the tolerant mind will it be used for.

Finally, my presentation is meant primarily for all those who believe that inherent in our local languages are philosophical terms that can actually be used in our communication. It is also meant for all those who are seeking to have a better understanding of what this Igbo term really means. It is my hope that a better and fuller understanding of this term will be made one day as I look forward for another meaning of the term mkpụrụ-ihe. The mkpụrụ-ihe of this my work is to show that this term mkpụrụ-ihe has another good understanding/meaning different from the former usage and that there is the possibility of having other meanings of the said precious Igbo term.

Use it, enjoy using it and be proud to use it, for the mkpụrụ-ihe of using it is to show that our local terms are philosophical!