Ichongo

Key takeaways

Ichongo belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Ichongo to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Ichongo from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Ichongo is an ancestral figure in the oral history of the Tiv people of central Nigeria. He is traditionally believed to be one of the two sons of Tiv, along with Ipusu, and the ancestor of one of the two main divisions of the Tiv genealogy. The Tiv lineage is traditionally divided according to the descendants of Tiv, with accounts varying on the makeup of both sides.

Oral history According to one version of the Tiv genealogy, Takuruku married Aliwe and had two sons, Tiv and Uke. Tiv left his parents and led a separate life with his wife Ayaaya, who gave birth to two sons, Ipusu and Ichongo, who both had numerous descendants that became the two main divisions of the Tiv genealogy. Nomishan refers to their respective descendants as Ipusu-akem and Ichongo-akem. The relationship is traditionally represented as:

The name Ichongo is linked to circumcision in one version of the story, with Ipusu being the uncircumcised. Nomishan cites Akpenpuun Dzurgba’s version, which links the word Ichongo to a fox and trickery, as Tiv killed several foxes while Ayaaya was pregnant with him. Other traditional accounts vary on the makeup of the descendants of Tiv.

Descendants and lineages There are varying claims on the composition of the descendants of Ichongo. According to Ndera, the six main divisions of the Ichongo lineage are Iharev, Ikurav, Masev, Nongov, Turan and Ugondo, with Shitire, Ukum, Kparev and Tongov belonging to Ipusu. Akiga Sai’s version of the oral history contains a more comprehensive list of the descendants of Ichongo. Among the sons of Ichongo are Ihar, Gondo, Nongo, Ikura, Ikôrakpe, Mase, Tongo, Ityul and Iwan. These names are linked to the later groups of Iharev, Ugondo, Nongov, Ikurav, Turan, Masev, Tongov, Ityuluv and Iwanev. He highlights the variations in the Tiv oral history, as Tongo appears in the list of the descendants of Ichongo, yet he is also stated to be the son of Ipusu, along with Shitire, Kpar and Kum, from whom the Shitire, Kparev, Ukum and Tongov clans originate. Consequently, Tongov is stated to belong to both Ichongo and Ipusu in some traditions. The main divisions of the Ichongo genealogy traditionally include smaller groups of descendants. According to Lanshima, the following groups fall under the main divisions of the Ichongo lineage:

Iharev: Mbagwen, Nyiev, Mbawa, Raav, Mbakpa, Mbabai, Mbasaan and Mbadwem; Nongov: Kaambe, Segher and Nzorov; Masev: Njiriv, Ingohol and Yonov; Ikurav: Ikurav-Ya and Ikurav-Tiev.

Role in Tiv social organisation The Tiv society traditionally used the genealogical divisions as the basis of segmentary lineage organisation. Paul and Laura Bohannan described the Tiv social organisation as being based on the principle of the division of the society into social segments of patrilineal descent. According to Laura Bohannan, the basis of the Tiv genealogy can be used to understand present-day Tiv society, as she describes genealogy as “a charter”. Different variations of the Tiv genealogy describe different aspects of the Tiv social organisation, endogamy and marriage practices. The Tiv genealogical divisions traditionally correspond to migration and settlement patterns. Nomishan described how according to oral history, Tongov, Ikurav, Nongov and Turan “migrated towards the Barakuv, Wo-Mondo and Ityough-Ikegh Hills”, while Masev, Iharev and Ugondo “also moved towards the plains of Ibinda”, alongside Shitire. Similar to other variations of the Tiv oral history, the differences in the Tiv settlement patterns serve as the basis for the differences in the Tiv genealogical organisation. Other researchers highlight the complexity of the Tiv settlement patterns, as the archaeological research indicates that the distribution of Tiv groups is not always congruent with the genealogical divisions, as various groups from different lineages could be found in the same area.

Variations in the genealogy The oral history and genealogical organisation of the Tiv people vary regarding the ancestry of Tiv and the descendants of Tiv. Different variations of the oral history describe Tiv as the father of the Tiv people, while others describe his ancestry to Takuruku, Anyamazenga, Karagbe, Shon, Gbe, Akem and Awange. Torkula describes a tradition, which linked Ichongo to being the elder son of Tiv, who became the ancestor of Gondo, Ikyura, Nongo, Ihar, Mase and Turan, while Ipusu was the ancestor of Shitire, Kum and Kpar. According to Ndera, the six main divisions of the Ichongo lineage are Iharev, Ikurav, Masev, Nongov, Turan and Ugondo, with Shitire, Ukum, Kparev and Tongov belonging to Ipusu. On the other hand, Akiga Sai’s version of the oral history contains a more comprehensive list of the descendants of Ichongo, who are also referred to as Tiv. Among the sons of Ichongo are Ihar, Gondo, Nongo, Ikura, Ikôrakpe, Mase, Tongo, Ityul and Iwan, who are linked to the later groups of Iharev, Ugondo, Nongov, Ikurav, Turan, Masev, Tongov, Ityuluv and Iwanev. The Tiv people have a plurality of traditions rather than a singular, undisputed history.

See also Ipusu Tiv people Tiv (ancestor) Ayaaya Aliwe Takuruku

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ichongo

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ichongo claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ichongo before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ichongo ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ichongo

In research: Ichongo appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ichongo in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ichongo is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics African mythology, Legendary people, Legendary progenitors, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ichongo outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Ichongo in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ichongo means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Ichongo out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ichongo in simple terms?

Ichongo is an ancestral figure in the oral history of the Tiv people of central Nigeria. He is traditionally believed to be one of the two sons of Tiv, along with Ipusu, and the ancestor of one of the two main divisions of the Tiv genealogy.

Why does Ichongo matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ichongo?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ichongo.