Becoming a Dibia; Dibia vs Nwadibia

- Dibiahood cannot be learned into existence: it is earned from God before birth — allotted Chi ketalu Dibia (a Chi that received Dibia as its share), which attracts possession by Agwu; the paraphernalia follow (Ofo Dibia, Ikenga Dibia, Abia Nkita, Akpa Dibia/Akpa Agwu, herbs and ogwu).

- Born attributes (the "signs" of a Dibia): Ifu uzo (seeing beyond the ordinary), Aka ile (potent hand — healing touch, ogwu-creation), Onu Atu (the potent mouth of the creator-god Atu), possession by Agwu (Onye Agwu gulu).

- Nwadibia (pl. Umudibia) — apprentice/"small dibia": an Ofeke who learns herbs and some ogwu through the ritual transfers isa/isanye ogwu (formal disclosure + vesting of potency) or ida ogwu (immersion). Historically tasked with negative chores like ighe nsi (frying poison). Distinct from Nwaadibia — a Dibia's biological child. Mutual taunts preserved as proverbs.

- The one exception to formal transfer: knowledge learned directly from nature (animals, birds, insects) needs no ritual handover.