"Igbu Ichi" or facial sacrification in Igboland, by Anayo Nwosu

By Anayo M. Nwosu

Ichi was facial ritual scarification worn by mainly men of the Igbo people of Nigeria.

The scarification indicated that the wearer had passed through initial initiation into the highest society Nze na Ọzọ, thus marking the wearer as nobility.

The scarification was found among men in today's Anambra areas and among a few women in the Awgwu and Nkanu areas in Enugu State. Its wearers were authorized to perform ritual cleansing of abominations and to confer titles on people.


People with facial marks were regarded as Nri men and were less likely to be taken as slaves. Other parts of Igbo land might have started wearing Ichi as a result of this.

There are two styles; the Nri style worn in the Anambra areas, and the Agbaja style worn in the Awgwu and Nkanu areas. In the Nri style, the carved line ran from the center of the forehead down to the chin.

A second line ran across the face, from the right cheek to the left. This was repeated to obtain a pattern meant to imitate the rays of the sun.

In the Agbaja style, circles and semicircular patterns are added to the initial incisions to represent the moon. (Culled from Wikipedia.)


Only people from Umudioka in the present day Anambra state were authorised to perform this noble art of Igbu ichi.

My grandfather, Nwosu Ezeechedolu and his father, Nwosu Ezeonwaneti performed this ritual.
I would rather wear a tattoo instead of igbu ichi. Tattoo is more modern.

You can see, once things change, they remain the same.