Recently, Enugu state experienced a plethora of protests by communities against their traditional rulers. CHUKS NWEZE recalls
Igbo cherishes independence
There is a saying among Ndigbo that: Igbo do not have kings. In other words, Ndigbo do not recognise kings – Igbo enwe eze. What this simply means is that whether one is a king or not what the Igbo man cherishes his independence and works hard for his money. Too, he does not look up to any ruler for his daily bread. In Igbo land, traditional rulers cannot lord it on their subjects, everybody is given his due and recognition, whether wealth which must be gotten through genuine means or endowed with physical strength.
That was the way most warrant chiefs were chosen when the British colonized Nigeria.
Because the Igbo man is not used to calling somebody Igwe, he does not have much regard for ordained or coroneted traditional rulers which is alien to their culture.
But today, things have changed because almost every community in Igboland now has a traditional ruler who is called Igwe or Eze in some areas. This is a creation of state governments just as the white men created the warrant chiefs in Igboland before independence.
The governments in Igboland decided to crown people Igwe because it will help them administer the rural communities to make it easier for them to reach the people for government programmes and to even get revenue for the government.
Imposed rulers
Like the Israelites of old that didn’t have kings and had to ask God to give them one, today, governments, even without the people asking for kings, have decided to create kings for the Igboman, and the people have no option than to live with it, though not whole heartedly because they are not used to monarchy and organized hegemony. This diffidence and non-acceptance of kingship is somehow playing on the psyche of the people as people are not trying to politicize the Igweship and are even ready to fight because of the things that accrue to the Igwes who are recognized by the government instead of the people the Ezes are supposed to oversee.
Averse to dictatorship
The anarchy that greets the kingship in Igboland is that the people are averse to dictatorship and tyranny which some kings become once they are given the opportunity to ascend the throne. Some kings are rejected by the people and they try everything possible even intimidation and sheer force to coerce the people to like them which often alienate them the more to the people. This type of behavior breeds chaos and anarchy that occasionally lead to communal wars and ritual killings.
Autonomous communities
Before now, people did not give much heed to the kingship but since government created autonomous communities with the Igwes to rule them, the Igweship stool has become admirable and even desirable because governments treat the kings well and pay them stipends as well as other perks that go with it, hence the politicization of the kingship with the attendant rancor and acrimony that go with it.
Ever since the kingship was thrust on the people, it seems the people have developed liking for it and that has somehow pitched the people with the government and their traditional rulers in some cases. This is why any time there is misunderstanding in any community, especially with their kings, the people mobilize themselves and embark on protests to government houses to register their discontent and grievances.
Recently, Enugu State has a plethora of protests embarked by communities against their traditional rulers. The other day, the people of Odoru/Eburumiri Autonomous Community, in Nsukka Local Government Area, stormed the council headquarters to protest alleged imposition of Mr. Emmanuel Ezema, as the traditional ruler to be on them by the council.
The protesters numbering hundreds made up of aged men and women as well as youths arrived the council chanting angry songs.
Placards
They carried placards bearing “No to imposition of Emmanuel Ezema as Igwe on our community”, “We stand on the agreement that Odoru based on seniority should produce first traditional ruler”, “Our mutual agreement stands”, “We say No to government interference”, among others.
In a protest letter addressed to the council chairman, Chief Patrick Omeje, signed on behalf of Odoru/Eburumiri Autonomous community by the Onyishi of Odoru, Chief Ogbu Anthony, Onyishi Oha Eburumiri, Chief Ozioko Joseph, Secretary Oha Odoru, Chief Ogbu Anthony and Chief Okoh Ngwoke Eburumiri, among others, they alleged that the community made up of Odoru and Eburumiri had unanimously ceded the traditional ruler’s stool to Odoru being the most senior village.
The letter reads in parts, “With utmost humility and thanksgiving to the Almighty God for the creation and approval of new autonomous communities.
“The entire people of Odoru/Eburumiri in collaboration with the Development Union, Oha in council, village heads, stakeholders, leaders of thought and youths movement have unanimously resolved that the Igweship position should go according to village seniority.
“In this vain, the people of Eburumiri community ask Odoru community to produce traditional ruler based on seniority that will serve Odoru/Eburumiri community.
“The mutual agreement and understanding will help to stop further acrimony, violence, character assassination and underdevelopment in the community.
“Overriding public interest supersedes individual or personal interest.
They added that, “We heard that someone has been projected to take the position as the traditional ruler. We have come to tell the government that we don’t want Mr. Emmanuel Ezema as our Igwe.
“Sir, we have considered and unanimously adopted Chief Godwin Eze as the traditional ruler (Igwe) of Odoru/Eburumiri Nsukka Autonomous Community of Enugu State.
“Chief Eze has contributed immensely to the growth and development of the community than any other person.
Suspend traditional rule
Similarly, the people of Amaetiti Achi autonomous community in Oji River local government area of Enugu state the other day pleaded with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to dethrone their traditional ruler, HRH Igwe Edmund Onyekwuru.
The people of the community, who made the plea during a solidarity visit to Governor Ugwuanyi at Government House Enugu, thanked the
Governor for suspending the traditional ruler last month, but urged him to take a further step by dethroning him.
The community presented their request in a letter they submitted to the governor during the solidarity visit, where they also pledged to support the governor’s reelection bid in 2019.
Addressing journalists after the visit, the spokesman of the community and the President General of Amaetiti Achi autonomous community, Arch. Emezie Ikeanyionwu, said they were happy for their royal father’s suspension, which he said has brought peace and tranquility to the community.
“We came in thousands to tell him (Governor) that we are happy for what happened because all this while we have been having series of
problems, series of misconduct from our traditional ruler. Then recently, on the 17th April 2017, he was suspended, and for that we are happy.
“He (traditional ruler) was actually suspended for a lot of misconducts which are inconsistent with peace and order in the community and state as a whole. He is one man who has been ruling us as a sole administrator, dictator and a tyrant. He has no respect for our constitution. Our Igwe has constantly and consistently violated our constitution by not even having a cabinet, by not even having a council that he is ruling us with.
Military dictatorship
“He ruled us with military dictatorship, by writing letters and issuing us instructions on what to do. So this is exactly against the ethics of democracy which we are practicing now and what we are really here for is to ask His Excellency to please go further, take further steps
to make sure that he dethrones him so that we have peace in Amaetiti autonomous community,” he said.
Similarly a member of the Igwe’s cabinet, Ozor Ikenga Cletus Chukwu accused his traditional ruler of maintaining an illegal detention camp in his palace where he locks up people at will, as well as ruling without his cabinet in the last two years.
This goes to show that although government has made the people to accept, willy nilly, the kingship introduced to them, they are still not comfortable with the arrangement, hence uprising in many quarters in Igboland against their traditional rulers.
Struggle for Igweship
The fight and uprising against the kingship becomes acute any time an Igwe is dethroned or dies and a replacement is being shopped. Any time this type of thing occurs, it leads to disagreements that often lead to killings and uproar in the communities involved. Without mentioning any particular community in Enugu State, some communities had to stay for more than ten years after their king dies because they could not easily agree to agree to pick a replacement immediately and an Igwe dies or is dethroned for a genuine reason.
In spite of the acclaimed good leadership style of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, most communities still do not know peace because Igweship tussle, but this is worrisome because it has come to stay. Notwithstanding the troubles, in Enugu state every community must have an Igwe, because it is statutory.
