Abstract
The Igala people of Kogi State, Nigeria, endowed with rich cultural and religious practices, believe that an Igala-born child is reincarnated through an ancestor, who lived a fulfilled life while on earth. In Igalaland, it is believed that a child reincarnates through a departed soul and even through incarnate beings. Naming systems in African society, Igalaland inclusive is considered a very important rite because the birth of a child in the land is celebrated with great joy as the rite introduces the newborn child to the family and the community. Hence, the aim of this work, therefore, is to unearth the traditional naming system and reincarnation among the Igala people. The work found out that with the advent of Christianity and civilization, traditional institutions and values started changing. A child in Igalaland in the past was not named until the circumstances surrounding his birth had been examined. This concerns the parents' beliefs about God and their ancestors. Hence, the traditional naming was described as “heathenish” and was given Hebrew and European names which were meaningless to them. Added to the above, the work equally found out that even though it is Ojo (God) that put a baby there in the first place, the Igala believe that the living dead and other forces are also recognized as being responsible for the malformation and development of a child. The work suggests that despite the impact of
Christianity and modernization on the indigenous practices of the people, aspects of Igala culture said not to be outrageous or inimical to the gospel, be incorporated into Christian practices. The study combined the use of historical observation and a phenomenological approach.