New Book: Ekene Philosophy and Mysticism: Developing the Universal Significance of the Theology and Shrine Culture of Devotion to the Ekene Water Spirit of Agbarha in the Niger Delta
Oluwatoyin Adepoju
This book is an exploration of the universal significance of the theology and shrine culture of devotion to the Ekene water spirit of Agbarha in the Niger Delta through reflection on its synthesis of nature, humanity and spirit.
The book constructs an understanding of existence and seeks to penetrate into the essence of reality through the image of the mobility and nourishing force of water understood in terms of consciousness.
The work operates in terms of scholarly analysis, poetic meditation and devotion and imaginative creation. The first part is largely a piece of scholarly, critical exploration. The second part employs poetic meditations as a means of pursuing a relationship with Ekene, the water spirit. The third part imagines Ekene reflecting on the future of his worship. Apologies if any inaccurate portrayals of Ekene and the culture of devotion to him occur in that section. The book closes with another cycle of scholarly exploration.
The verbal text of this composition is complemented by images of the work of Niger Delta artists Salubi Onakufe, Afuevo Onakufe and Bruce Onobrakpeya, the communicative force of the images amplified through commentary on the works of art. Also included is a picture of Orisa religion mystic Susan Wenger in meditation by the Oshun river, understood as embodying the goddess Oshun, a contemplative image incidentally exemplifying the ethos of Ekene culture represented by reverential relationships between humanity, nature and spirit.