weighed her down and, ultimately, Woyengi
vehemently denied Ogboinba’s request, angrily
reminding her that the choice she made was hers
alone. In her fear, Ogboinba retreated into the
eyes of the pregnant woman, where the Ijaw
believe she remains today.
The Ijaw have many variations to this creation
story, with each one varying in small details, but
all are consistent in the concept of a maternal cre-
ator permitting the free will of the creation. As a
people living along the Niger delta, the story of
Woyengi as a creator falls in line with the tradi-
tional human characterization of spirits and gods
in traditional Ijaw religion. Above and beyond
their sheer dominance and power as gods, Ijaw
deities often took on human qualities, both
strengths and limitations. Woyengi’s emotional
response to Ogboinba’s request is just one exam-
ple of such personification.Tracey Michael LewisSeealsoNkulunkulu; OludumareFurther Readings
Okpewho, I. (1992).African Oral Literature:
Backgrounds,Character,and Continuity.
Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Okpewho, I. (1998).Once Upon a Kingdom:Myth,
Hegemony,and Identity. Bloomington: Indiana
University Press.Woyengi 727