24/03/2021
The Igbo word "Di" does not 'literally' mean husband,
the word Di goes beyond that,
"Di" actually in the literal sense means "master" or "Lord" thus in the Igbo dispensation and understanding of the family, the "husband" or "Dianyi" is both the master of the home, and a master over his wives,
In this dispensation "Di" can be used in other words such as
Dinwenu (Master that owns heaven/all, Lord)
Dianyi (our master- used for father, older brother or elder)
Dinta (master of the hunt)
Duru - Di+uru (master of prosperity)
Diali - Master of the Land (a son of the soil with full land rights and right to ownership of land)
D**e - Master of Strength (for warriors)
Dimkpa - Master of Importance (when a young man grows up to the age of importance, when he can start doing ihe eji nwoke eme, that is providing for the family and protecting the family
Dibia - Di + ibia/Abia, master of divination, Abia was a kind of wand which the diviners used as part of their oracle consultation rituals.
Diochi - Master wine maker or palm wine tapper
Dimgba - Master Wrestler
Diokpara/Diokpa - for first sons or men if seniority,
okpa or okpara has a similar etymology with Nkpara, that is to say staff of authority, in gerentocratic igbo society staff of authority was passed in order of seniority to the "otochara", in other places via first borns,
Thus Diopka or Diokpara means master of authority
© Kaycee Alozie
