Iguafo Igbo (Igbo Calendar)

In the traditional Igbo calendar a week (Igbo: Izu) has 4 days (Igbo: Ubochi) (Eke, Orie, Afọ, Nkwọ), seven weeks make one month (Igbo: Ọnwa), a month has 28 days and there are 13 months a year. In the last month, an extra day is added.

The traditional time keepers in Igboland are the priests or Dibia.

The new year in Igbo calendar starts on the 3rd week of February.

No.	Months (Ọnwa)	Gregorian equivalent
1	Ọnwa Mbụ	(3rd week of February)
2	Ọnwa Abụo	(March)
3	Ọnwa Ife Eke	(April)
4	Ọnwa Anọ	(May)
5	Ọnwa Agwụ	(June)
6	Ọnwa Ifejiọkụ	(July)
7	Ọnwa Alọm Chi	(August to early September)
8	Ọnwa Ilo Mmụọ	(Late September)
9	Ọnwa Ana	(October)
10	Ọnwa Okike	(Early November)
11	Ọnwa Ajana	(Late November)
12	Ọnwa Ede Ajana	(Late November to December)
13	Ọnwa Ụzọ Alụsị	(January to Early February)

Months and meanings

 Ọnwa Mbụ

The first month starts from the third week of February making it the Igbo new year.

Ọnwa Abụo

This month is dedicated to cleaning and farming.

Ọnwa Ife Eke

Is described as the hunger period.

Ọnwa Anọ

Ọnwa Anọ is when the planting of seed yams start.

Ọnwa Agwụ

Ịgọchi na mmanwụ come out in this month which are adult masquerades. Ọnwa Agwu is the traditional start of the year. The Alusi Agwu, of which the month is named after is venerated by the Dibia (priests), of which Agwu is specifically worshiped by, in this month.

Ọnwa Ifejiọkụ

This month is dedicated to the yam deity ifejioku and yam rituals are performed in this month.

Ọnwa Alọm Chi

This month sees the harvesting of the yam.

Ọnwa Ilo Mmụọ

A festival called Önwa Asatọ (Igbo: Eighth Month) is held in this month.

Ọnwa Ana

Ana (or Ala) is the Igbo earth goddess and rituals for this deity commence in this month, hence it is named after her.

Ọnwa Okike

Okike ritual takes place in this month.

Ọnwa Ajana

Okike ritual also takes place in Ọnwa Ajana.

Ọnwa Ede Ajana

Ritual Ends

Ọnwa Ụzọ Alụsị

The last month sees the offering to the Alusi

The names of the day's have their roots in the mythology of the Kingdom of Nri. Eri, the sky-descended founder of the Nri kingdom, had gone on to break the mystery of time and on his journey he had saluted and counted the four days by the names of the spirits that governed them, hence the names of the spirits eke, orie, afọ and Nkwo became those of the days of the week. These spirits, who were fishmongers, were sent down by Chukwu (Great God) in order to establish markets throughout Igboland which they did by selling fish.

An example of a month: Ọnwa Mbụ

Eke	Orie	Afọ	Nkwọ
		1	2
3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26
27	28