Inkolo ingesinye sezimo zezenhlalo nezomnotho esinomthelela ongenakuphikwa esintwini noma kuphi emhlabeni. Njengoba kubukeka kungcwele, inkolo ayibalulekile nje kuphela ekuqondeni ukuba khona kwanoma iyiphi isibalo sabantu bomdabu kodwa iphinde ibe nokuhambisana nenqubomgomo ezimweni ezihlukene nezokuthuthuka. Ubufakazi bomlando kanye ne-ethnographic mayelana nokubonakaliswa okuhlukene kanye nezigaba zamagama zesenzakalo senkolo buningi. Isizwe sama-Igbo eNingizimu neNigeria, ezinhlangothini zombili zoMfula iNiger, singelinye lamaqembu amasiko osomabhizinisi abamnyama abakhulu kunawo wonke e-Afrika, anentshiseko yezenkolo engenakuphikiswa ehlanganisa intuthuko esimeme kanye nokusebenzisana phakathi kwezizwe phakathi kwemingcele yaso yendabuko. Kodwa isimo sezenkolo sase-Igboland sishintsha njalo. Kuze kube ngu-1840, inkolo/izinkolo ezivelele zama-Igbo kwakungezomdabu noma zendabuko. Esikhathini esingaphansi kwamashumi amabili eminyaka kamuva, lapho umsebenzi wezithunywa zevangeli zobuKristu uqala endaweni, kwavulwa ibutho elisha elalizogcina lilungise kabusha inkolo yendabuko yendawo. UbuKristu bakhula baba mncane ukubusa kwakamuva. Ngaphambi kweminyaka eyikhulu yobuKristu e-Igboland, inkolo yobuSulumane kanye nezinye izinkolo ezingezona ezemvelo zavela ukuze ziqhudelane nezinkolo zomdabu zase-Igbo kanye nobuKristu. Leli phepha lilandelela ukuhlukahluka kwezenkolo kanye nokuhambisana kwakho nokusebenza ekuthuthukisweni okuvumelanayo e-Igboland. Idonsa idatha yayo emisebenzini eshicilelwe, izingxoxo, nezinto zobuciko. Iphikisana ngokuthi njengoba izinkolo ezintsha zivela, indawo yezenkolo yama-Igbo izoqhubeka nokuhlukahluka kanye/noma ukuzivumelanisa, noma ukuhlanganisa noma ukuhluka phakathi kwezinkolo ezikhona nezisafufusa, ukuze kuphile ama-Igbo.
