Anyanwu, meaning eye of the sun, is the sun deity of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, venerated within Odinani as one of the Alusi, spiritual forces created by the supreme being Chukwu to fulfill a role in the natural and spiritual order. As the solar deity, Anyanwu embodies light, truth, good fortune, knowledge and wisdom, and is understood as the visible eye of Chukwu on earth, representing the principle that nothing escapes the supreme being's gaze. Anyanwu is more prominent in northern Igboland, particularly among the Nri-Igbo, and is credited within Odinani with supporting healing, purification, agriculture and fertility alongside these solar duties.
Facts
Attestation
Veneration TodayHistorically attested; no continuous cult 1 HistoricityNot a historical person: a divine or other-than-human being 1 Function
Domain / Function Belief
TheologyPolytheistic: many gods 1 Sources
1. The Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend
Anthony S. Mercatante, revised and expanded by James R. Dow, Facts on File
2. Encyclopedia of African Religion
Molefi Kete Asante and Ama Mazama, editors, SAGE Publications
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