IGBO TRADITIONAL GUN

Nkponala being prepared to shoot.

The igbo traditional gun commonly known as Nkponala is a gun like  no other, though not used for violence, it serves more as an announcer for the igbo community.

This gun is commonly used for ceremonies especially for burials, it is used to announce the arrival of the deceased to his compound or shot after the deceased have been buried. It is also used to announce the presence of an important personality during festivals like the Ofala festival, sometimes it is used to send warning to the village or to alert villagers of an important meeting or to announce the passing of an important person like a king, or a titled man.

The making of this gun is popular among the Awka blacksmiths, during the Biafran war, Biafra scientists with the help of Awka blacksmiths developed the famous dreaded ogbunigwe which caused much havoc during the war.   

Though not used for attack, it is still feared maybe not among the igbos who are already familiar with this gun, the loud bang of this gun is enough to suck the life out of you. Normally the person operating the gun will be asked to mount the gun in an area distant from where the the occasion is taking place and also away from cars as the sound can shatter the windscreen  of cars.

The nkponala  is not like any gun you have seen before, nor is it

Lined up Nkponala

like the olden days cannon, it is cylindrical in shape with a pointed end and a round  opening. The pointed end is struck deep into the ground with the aid of a hammer to avoid it flying into the air and probably causing injury or death. A single nkponala shoots once, so the operator comes with many depending on the occasion, every occasion in igbo land that requires the nkponala has different number of gun shots, during burials seven to eight shots are taken to announce the presence of the deceased to his compound from the mortuary, subsequent shots during the burial may range from three to five depending on the activity at the moment.

This gun makes use of a gunpowder known as nsiegbe, the nsiegbe which is usually in liquid form is poured around the gun then a match is struck and dropped into the liquid while the operator runs to safe distance and watch the gun light up and releases a heavy bang. 

Effect of the loud bang.

  
Depending on the occasion, the gun is lined up and the liquid poured around the number of guns, as the first one shoots, it lights up the sencond and it continues in that sequnce till it gets to the last before the operator goes and removes it to prepare it for another round if necessary.

Watch short video of of Nkponala below.