In Igbo mythology, Ala is the earth goddess.
Ala, also called Ani, is the earth alusi in Odinani, the traditional religious system of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. Her name is connected with the Igbo word for earth or land, expressing the idea that she is not merely a deity who rules the ground but the sacred earth itself.
Ala governs fertility, agriculture, morality, creativity, and social custom. She is also associated with the underworld, where the dead are believed to rest within her womb. Because she oversees moral order, a taboo or serious offense may be described as an insult or desecration of Ala. Igbo law and customary practice are closely connected with this sacred relationship to land.
The python is one of Ala’s important symbols and is revered in many Igbo communities as her messenger or living representative. Shrines dedicated to her have traditionally served as places for offerings and important communal decisions. Amadioha, one of the wrong options, is instead associated chiefly with thunder and lightning, while Chukwu is the supreme creator deity in many Igbo accounts.