RF70: Spotlight

The Voice of Truth

by Nehez Meniooh

Buy the full Rising Firefly Volume 70 here or download the digital version here.

Prophet Neb Naba Lamoussa Morodenibig is the Maakheru of the Schools of Kebtah (The Earth Center), an international organization in the modern world representing the unified form of the Kemetic (traditional African) temples and nomes. The title of Maakheru is highly revered by all Kemmioo (adherents of African Indigenous Spirituality). It is only held by high priests who have achieved a certain level of knowledge, wisdom and personal quality. Throughout Prophet Neb Naba’s life, he worked hard to express that quality and it is proven through the accounts of those who had the honor of meeting him as well as by his prized and only possession - his life’s work. 

Much of Prophet Neb Naba’s life’s work was aimed at inspiring humanity towards returning to worshiping and revering the Ancestral Spirit and assuming its legacy. Kemetic initiatic education has always been clear on the fact that the present must submit to the past. Every human being is just a product of his/her Ancestral line and only by honoring that line will one truly progress towards the future. The Prophet himself was but a product of the history of his predecessors and the work that he left is the contribution he has placed upon the efforts of those who came before him.  He was a child of the Naba bloodline. A bloodline which has produced many prophets, and many men who earned the title of Maakheru. The family’s fortitude to the Ancestral and Divine realms is commendable and they have gained reverence throughout history.  

The Prophet’s Early Life & Exposures

Prophet Neb Naba Lamoussa Morodenibig and the Nabas belong to the Gulmu (Gourmantche) empire. His grandfather Lamoussa Naba was a well-known, powerful M’TAM priest who was also called Maakheru or “voice of truth” because of his proficiency in utilizing the M’TAM Science. M’TAM Science or “The Language of the Gods” is a system that studies the energetic currents emitted and received by Earth and their influence on Earth’s inhabitants. It was a science transmitted to humanity over 70,000 years ago, originating in the temples of Uast (Thebes), Hetptahka (Memphis) and Abtu (Abydos). The Gulmu people have preserved this Kemetic science and are well known for harboring the power and knowledge that it accesses.  

As a Gulmu, Prophet Neb Naba was raised on M’TAM science. As ethnologists say, “The Gulmu people interrogate the Earth about everything, and they submit to the speech of the Earth.”  He and his older brother were initiated into his father’s culture in the village of Morodeni. Through the M’TAM readings, his masters explained that the destiny he and his brother carried would be very challenging. Whoever would carry such a mission would not live past fifty years but, in that short time, would accomplish something very great. With the Prophet’s work ethic and discipline, he became skilled in M’TAM very quickly. He pushed the common level of understanding forward by researching the roots of the science within the sacred resources that his initiation provided.  In his youth, he published four books on the subject: Les Signes Geomantique 1984, Les Conceptes Spirituelles des Signes Geomantique 1985, MTAM I Philosophie de base de la Science Spirituelle 1986 and MTAM II Le Dialogue des Energies 1988.  In his own words, “What has to be done, just has to be done.” He rose to meet his destiny, while his brother shrank back, converting to Islam. 

Proud and ready to stand for his Ancestral heritage, he often expressed this gratitude to his initiates, “I must say I’m very lucky. My father is Gulmu and my mother is Tem.”  The Tem culture is found spread across the territories of East-Central Ghana, Central Togo and West-Central Benin.  This culture is also heralded for the power it has preserved within the Kemetic legacy.  The name itself comes from the Kemetic Neter (God) Tem, a creator Neter of the first Trinity of Hetptahka. The territories the Tem people occupy are known for being full of Deities and they are the keepers of various temples and nomes.  Prophet Neb Naba’s uncle (grandfather on his mother’s side), Kondoh ? was a well known high priest who, today, is still highly valued and called upon as a great Ancestor in the temples of various traditions throughout the country of Togo.  

The Tem have also preserved many important treasures of Pharaonic culture such as the Opening of the Mouth tradition which has been written on extensively by modern Egyptologists. The Prophet spent a lot of his childhood in his mother’s lands. The community in which he was reared is known historically as a city of Warrior-kings. Their powerful drumming culture presents the roots of human interaction with the spiritual field. Prophet Neb Naba was initiated at a young age into the Tem culture and the culture of the drum.  

The Gulmu and Tem cultures have a long history that is solidified by tribal pacts (See Rising Firefly, Volume 57: Benben - Tribal Pacts).  Their harmony and respect for one another is very strong. But, during the Prophet’s childhood, Tem culture was under heavy attack by Islamic invaders. The Prophet watched as his beloved Ancestral ways were being traded for Islam.  This situation and the fighting spirit he inherited from his uncle’s Ancestry motivated him to begin his cultural activism early. His piercing logic and proof of wisdom gained the respect of many. His Gulmu heritage, discipline and knowledge of the traditions gained the attention of the Tem royalty of the area. And at a young age, he served as an advisor to the King of Kings of the Tem Tribes. 

The Prophet’s knowledge was not only in high demand by the Kings of his mother’s lands.  In his adolescence his mother, Abibatani Aliya Kondoh was surprised by the amount of government officials and people of high positions who were coming from all over to her humble home inquiring about her son.  She finally broke down and asked, “Who are you really?  Why are all these people coming here for you?”  By then, his name and reputation had already traveled very far. His cultural activism was spreading fast.

He purchased eight radio stations with an ambitious plan to promote traditional values and self-determination from the Togolese coast up through Burkina Faso all the way to Niger. He was not one to hide himself and once the Togolese government became aware of his plans they seized his radio stations and he was sent back to his country of Burkina Faso and imprisoned.  When his village and initiatic community heard that he was arrested they marched to the police station demanding his release. He was freed and seemed only fueled by the resistance he saw.

He was a young man during Africa’s independence movements.  He watched as Thomas Sankara led the revolution in Upper Volta that would bring about the name Burkina Faso. Actually, though he let few people know, he had grown up with Sankara, starting a childhood band in which Naba played drums and Sankara played guitar. A very artistic youth, Naba published four books of poetry between 1978 and 1985 (La Tornade, La Lune, Silence & Chanson d’elidja - no longer in print).

The Burkina Faso revolution had sparked an interest in Burkinabe to do for themselves, fortifying their identity and traditions and protecting the fruits of their labor. The Institute of Black People started by Sankara’s regime was dedicated to this aim and was doing a lot of influential work among the Faso (people of the country). The Prophet’s knowledge of the traditions was highly valued by these revolutionaries. So much so, that whenever the government of Burkina Faso held a public event they always had an open chair reserved for him.

The Kemetic Renaissance / The Kemetic Revolution / Initiating Kemetic Institutions

In a time when so many of the brightest minds of Meritah were being recruited to contribute their ingenuity to European governments in exchange for big salaries and stable careers, Prophet Neb Naba, though equipped with a university education, was interested more in investing his knowledge and creativity into his heritage and cultural structures. In the traditional initiatic culture, all serious initiates begin initiating others into the traditions. The Prophet taught in the lands he grew up in and traveled through the Sahara desert teaching amongst the Kel Tamasheq (Tuareg people).  He traveled around the continent visiting temples, learning and teaching within various initiatic cultures. He took on his first few disciples while living in Togo. 

Learning from his travels and what he was witnessing in the Burkina revolution, he realized that a revolutionary institution like the Institute of Black People being so intricately tied to a political regime was destined to fail.  It was only a matter of time before it would be destroyed or abandoned for the next political ideologies. So, in the 1980s, he started the organization Khepra, that would bring traditional men and women together in order to protect and take responsibility for the future of Meritah. Khepra was built on the philosophies and values of traditional Meritah that withstood the test of time and political instability. It was established for the youth of the time to build their future utilizing and obeying the wisdom and values of their forefathers whose values and accomplishments are at the heart of humanity’s true development. 

Continuing to build traditional institutions, in 1983 Prophet Neb Naba started a second organization dedicated specifically to the Kemetic traditions of medicine and spiritual technologies. Ankhkasta Natural Healing is a network of traditional healers and priests who strive to strengthen and protect traditional healing techniques while at the same time making them available to people outside of Meritah (Africa).  Together these priest/healers work to stop imperialists and capitalists from usurping indigenous knowledge.

The Prophet’s Travels

His quest for knowledge and mission to recover the grandeur of Kemetic history brought him into Europe.  Unlike many who travel to Europe for wealth or university education, he was travelling to visit the museums and recover the wisdom contained in the scrolls that had been removed from Kemet.  Once museum workers realized he was reading the scrolls, he quickly came under scrutiny.  Library officials interrogated him, government officials visited his home investigating what he was doing in the country.  In Europe, he gained more students and followers who were willing to help with whatever they could assist with. 

Everywhere he travelled people sought to study with him.  In Ghana, he entered the Rastafarian community which opened their arms to him because he similarly wore locks (a hairstyle originating with the Kemetic priesthood).  He admired the Rastafarian movement in that it led Africans around the globe to resist the system and its corruptions and closely guard what they put into their bodies.  It brought their attention to their homeland, following Marcus Garvey’s prophecy of Haile Selassie’s enthronement. However, the Prophet soon saw the movement quickly infiltrated by colonial forces and misdirected back towards Christian and Judaic religious rhetoric (the Bible). In the Ghanaian Rasta community he built many alliances and took on some students including a well known revolutionary musician, Nii Noi Nortey.  Nii Noi ran the Anyah Arts Library in the capital city of Ghana, a cultural center presenting the music and literature of the spirit of colonial resistance around the continent. It was there, the Prophet presented some of the publications he had been working on like the Bayuali Magazine; a magazine showcasing monthly bayuali readings following the contemporary format of monthly horoscopes. 

With the example of Rastafari, it was clear that an effective revolution would have to be waged on the most fundamental level targeting how Kemmioo perceive themselves, and the world around them in space and time.  In 1989, the Prophet published one of his most monumental works.  He restored the original calendar of humanity, the Sidereal Calendar. With it he struck a huge blow against the control the colonizer maintained on the modern human being through the Gregorian (political) calendar. He continued in his priestly duties: assisting Kings, hosting big personalities, musicians and celebrities lucky enough to hear of his abilities.

As one initiated into Kemetic culture, Prophet Neb Naba knew the importance of challenging himself by putting himself in unfamiliar situations and difficult circumstances. At a certain level, a priest is encouraged to leave his/her home in order to travel to an unfamiliar territory to begin his life again. In this tradition, the Prophet’s devotion took him to many places. He spoke thirteen languages fluently and traveled to many countries around the world. He travelled, seeking the support of the Grand Divinities of Kemet for the mission he would lead in the world representing the Kemetic culture in the re-education and recovery of Kemet’s children.

The Birth of The Earth Center

In 1995, after building his plan and seeking the support of the spiritual traditions of the existing Kemetic temples of Meritah he approached the Gulmu royalty.  He explained his mission to his majesty Yoabili.  His Majesty gave his blessings to Prophet Neb Naba’s travels to the United States of America and the continuation of his work.  In August 1995, he arrived in Iowa and the Bayuali Magazine in time was expanded and renamed Choices Magazine.  As his reputation grew in his community, he began to offer his assistance to those who came looking.  His spiritual and philosophical writings gained popularity and more and more individuals were interested in learning from him.  He started The Earth Center as a non-profit organization in 1996.

Word began to spread that a Dogon priest had begun activities in Iowa. He was soon invited to speak at a conference of Washetaw Moors in Louisiana and to join the African Festival of the Arts in Chicago, Illinois. At the festival, he presented Kemetic medicinal herbs from Ankhkasta Natural Healing. He had been healing sick people in Iowa and began healing Chicagoans of incurable illnesses, rescuing them from a lifetime of prescription pharmaceuticals.  After the festival a handful of people familiar with his writings and reputation pleaded with him to return in order to begin classes.  After moving to Chicago he brought on more writers and changed the name of Choices Magazine to The Chicago Firefly in order to avoid confusion with a pre-existing magazine of the area under the same name. 

Maintaining his focus on the expansion of his mission he consistently presented cultural treasures integral for the recovery of the diaspora. In 2000, he published the Great Book of Divine Ordinances (77 Commandments) which he had translated from the original Medu language from the papyri of Nw, Insa & Nebseni which had been preserved by the traditional secret societies. By abiding by these seventy-seven rules, our Kemetic Ancestors were able to resist the corruption of their surroundings. It had proven itself to be effective, providing the foundation for all Kemetic society and withstanding the test of time. If a successful revolution was to take place it would have to be done by assimilating these original laws of humanity.

In 2001, he opened the doors of initiation and resurrected the original M’TAM Schools of Kemetic Philosophy & Spirituality - the first system of initiatic education.  There he taught the original language of humanity, and the current language of the most sacred initiation camps of Meritah: Medu (Egyptian hieroglyphs).  He taught the original form of meditation, Ka’at Ibi, and the Kemetic traditions of healing, Sounnt. He led his initiates on the first Earth Center pilgrimage where they visited Burkina Faso temples and royalty, the slave castles of Ghana and the Tem Lands.  

In 2002, he published the Mandala of Denderah (Original Map of the Sky) exposing the original Medu names of the constellations and the Divinities governing each of the portions of the sky. He taught his initiates the original form of spiritual purifications and daily spiritual activities.  This form of daily prayer/worship/meditation was lost by many ethnic groups around the continent with the bloody conversions that took place after the turn of the first century.  The process contains original Medu prayers and the original names of the Grand Neteru (Gods) of existence and the creation of humanity. 

He continued to build up The Earth Center’s Maanu (Americas) headquarter location in Chicago, Illinois.  He structured it into three branches: Ankhkasta Natural Healing, M’TAM School of Philosophy and Spirituality and Firefly Productions publishing house.  He started a monthly lecture series in which he invited the public to events where he spoke on important topics from traditional culture such as the Ancestral Spirit, Traditional Education, Traditional Healing, Polygamy, The Family Tree Structure and many more.  

In 2005, he created the Obelisk Awards, an awards ceremony commemorating individuals whose work and efforts have brought a positive influence in the community for humanity and the Earth. He honored three community figures in Chicago, Illinois.  In the same year, he published his first book, written in English, of traditional stories from the Kemetic initiations: Initiatic Tales of Hej-Ptah. He opened The Earth Center as a temple in the modern world.  The public was now able to come and experience some of the oldest ceremonies of human spirituality.  The shrines were open for people to come and bring their wishes and prayers and The Prophet presented the 10 requirements of the Kem which provided the rules to a cultural movement leading back to the Kemetic spiritual system and education.  

Before 2005 ended, he also traveled to New York and opened the second Earth Center location in Harlem, New York.  Shortly thereafter, he conducted a west coast lecture tour which resulted in two more Earth Center locations: in San Diego and Los Angeles, California.  Each of which was run by his elder initiates.  

Return to Meritah

After the 2005-2006 Earth Center annual Pilgrimage he remained in Burkina Faso’s capital city of Ouagadougou where he reestablished himself.  There he opened the first purely Kemetic school on Kemetic soil to be presented in the modern era. It was the Meritah headquarter branch of The Earth Center and was also called Centre Kemetique by the French speakers of the city.  He restarted the French language version of The Bayuali Magazine and extended its format to include not only monthly readings but also weekly readings.  He included articles by his American-born initiates. He appeared on many media outlets and started his own radio show to promote the work he was doing which would later be taken over by his first generation of initiates in Ouagadougou.  

While maintaining his activities around the world he also remained very active and influential in family issues.  In 2007?, he moved the Naba shrine back to the original village his Ancestors settled when they came into the Burkina Faso region.  Shortly after, he led what would be his last Annual Pilgrimage, taking initiates and Earth Center members through the Niger Valley region. The trip started in Bamako, Mali and travelled down (Northeast) the Djoliba River, to Timbuktu before travelling to Burkina Faso and Togo.  On this trip, he shared much wisdom and gave direction to his eldest initiates on how to carry the work into the future.  He set a plan to release his next seven unpublished manuscripts and presented additional projects.  Though he was clearly planning for his transition to the World of the Dead, his initiates, friends, family and followers were shocked at his seemingly untimely death on July 21, 2008 (Heb Senseni 15, 407) in Lome, Togo. 

In 2008, Firefly Productions published Philosophy Podium Volume I in the United States.  After his death it was re-released in a revised edition including the additional philosophical essays that he had written before his passing. On the cover he directed that the wass and oozer be the image, as it represented the authority of Kemet.     

The Kemetic priesthood is one of the most influential and powerful castes in human history.  They represent the power and potential of humanity.  According to Kemetic tradition, “Who you are is not about your accomplishments or what you can do, instead it is what you will not let yourself do under any circumstances that defines you.” 

Before the modern era of confusion, the discipline of the Kemetic priesthood has always served as an example to those wishing to walk the path of purity in pursuit of intelligence and Divine qualities. The Greek forefathers of the modern world have been long revealed as poor students of the Kemetic priesthood. Their ambitions for power and disregard for purity have plunged humanity into a modern world of barbarism. Prophet Neb Naba Lamoussa Morodenibig was peerless in the modern world. He represented a glimpse into humanity’s past, a past full of great men and women who inspired the greatness we see in his work. With that work he repaved the path for us to walk, reinvesting in ourselves and our bloodlines.  He planted a seed and even before it could grow into the great tree it was to become, he returned home to Death. Today that tree is growing mighty and more and more individuals fleeing the enslavement of today’s world are finding shade beneath it. Some are benefiting from its fruits and planting their seeds in order to continue rebuilding the sacred forest of our Ancestors. 

Prophet Neb Naba was a shining example of the wisdom and grandeur of our Kemetic Ancestry, his baton is still raised high by the members of The Earth Centers around the globe.