The traditional institution highly revered by everyone especially in the South-east is being desecrated for selfish gains as AMAECHI OKWARA reports.
Over the years, many communities in Igbo land have experienced serious crisis due to kingship tussles. The ugly situation has led to the death of several people including the monarchs.
Historically, the role of traditional rulers in some communities in Igbo land were not properly defined, even though they were custodians of tradition and culture.
The selection of an Eze, Igwe or Obi title holders, as case may be, has become contentious because of the their powerful nature in decision-making and the benefits attached to it.
In most cases, the selection process to this all-important traditional stool is faulty because it is no longer given to the deserving person.
Over 50 percent of the cases are in the various court of competent jurisdiction to challenge the process of selection, appointment or election.
As a result of this, the kingship has been seriously bastardised in Igbo land. It has been revealed that several important personalities have been brutally killed across the five states of Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi especially those who strongly stand for the truth.
Statistics
In the past, before the 70s, when the traditional stool has not been bastardised, communities have a perfect way of ruling themselves without any problem.
Some of the affected communities in Igbo land are, Awka Etiti, Obosi, Ogidi, Adazi-Nukwu, Awka, Uke in Anambra, Ivo, Ishielu, Ohaozara in Ebonyi, Mgbanaoha Nkerefi, Umuode, Enugu Ezike and Nkanu in Enugu, Izombe, Obinugwu in Imo and Egbudu- Aka, Idumuje- Ugboko in Delta state, amongst others.
Factors responsible
One factor is that in the late 70s the military government introduced the revenue sharing formula that made provisions for the traditional institutions. The elites in Igbo land reasoned that the only way to benefit from the package was to appoint traditional rulers for the various communities, which led to the balkanisation of most towns into autonomous communities.
While other major causes of the kingship tussle were the monopoly of the governing post and the imposition of the unwanted people.
In most cases, rich people with questionable characters like fraudsters, ritualists, politicians occupied this traditional stool through intimidation, threat to life and killing. They bribe those that make things happen in the communities.
In most cases, some of these traditional rulers who usurped the stool never lasted; they usually died in their sleep through stoke and death by assassination, while very many others who are not traditional rulers died mysteriously over their involvement in chieftaincy tussle.
Few years back, a chief priest mysteriously died in Awka for allegedly approving the dethronement of a reigning king which was condemned by some of the elders in the community said that what happened was an abomination, saying a new king cannot be crowned while the old one is on the throne. They maintained that the consequences are grave and highly spiritual. As a result of this abominable act, the chief priest involved often die mysteriously.
Many times, kingmakers and chief priests also conspire to install an unwanted king thereby causing serious crises in the town.
Division among brothers
In Egbudu- Akah community in Aniocha South local government area of Delta state, two brothers, Obi Paul Nzemeke Obiokolie and Solomon Oguagu fought dirty over kingship immediately after the death of their father, HRH Obi Alfred Okolie (JP),
The kingship tussle finally claimed the life of one of the brothers, Obi.
Some elders, chiefs and community leaders in the community had vowed that they would never allow it to happen, saying that the deceased was not their king and was never accepted as their traditional ruler, even after government official recognition.
These chiefs of Egbudu-Akah however blamed Delta State Government for the death of their son. Even some of the community leaders also accused the state government of instigating insecurity and communal crisis that led to loss of lives and property in the town.
According to some of the kingmakers and council of chiefs, the government deliberately undermined the customs and traditions of Egbudu-Akah on kingship installation but gave official recognition to Prince Obi Paul to desecrate the sacred throne which had resulted in his death.
He has been in crisis over the royal stool with his half brother, Solomon Oguagu, who seemingly has the backing of some Umu-Illoh royal family also known as the kingmakers.
The kingmaker of Egbudu-Akah, Chief Stephen Osiegbu reportedly said after the death of HRH Obi Alfred Okolie, who was the former king, the palace chiefs and heads of the three quarters that make up the kingmakers had followed due customary and traditional processes to choose and install Prince Solomon as the new Obi of Egbudu-Akah, who then sat on the throne to commence the burial rights of his father as tradition demands.
“We were baffled to observe a rebellion from Paul and some of his brothers that the stool belongs to him as the first son and he went on to plan and did another funeral for the late king, claiming he had been installed king.
“While, we were finding amicable approach to resolve the tussle over the throne, Delta State Government, through the Office of the Deputy Governor hurriedly and callously gave the staff of office to Prince Paul Obiokolie without consulting or clarifying from the elders who are custodians of our customs. The last time we saw him in this community was that same day of presentation of staff of office to him. Now where is he today?” the Onishe (kingmakers) explained.
The head of Umu-Illoh ruling family, Elder Francis Enemokwu reportedly said that he has the prerogative to announce the would-be king to the kingmakers after thorough selection process.
“Aside being the head of the Umu-Illoh ruling house, I am the next direct family member in line to their father the late king Alfred Obiokolie. It is sacrilegious to fight for the stool; any member of the family who struggles for the stool, when he is not the rightful person to ascend the throne will be met with mysterious calamity and the consequence is abominable death as it has happened to Paul.
“I saw when all of them were born and so I am in a proper position to tell the circumstances of their birth. Our tradition is a variant of direct primogeniture. You may be indeed the son, but the circumstances of your birth could disqualify you from ascending the throne.
“Basically, our tradition disallows a male child born by an adopted wife like in the case of Paul, though he was the first son, but the mother was first married by their father’s elder brother who even had a son, Emmanuel an elder half brother of Paul, who is even still alive.
“But in the case of Solomon, the mother was the virgin wife of their father the late king. He was barely one year and six months old when he was removed from Egbudu-Akah community away from the king and the palace to the palace of Idumuje-Ugboko, for royal tutelage and upbringing as Egbudu-Akah custom demands. So from birth, he was being prepared as king and that is why I presented him to the kingmakers and the community on the demise of our late king.”
In the period of tussle, some homes would be deserted, brunt, some people will go into exile for the fear of unknown. In most cases, the chieftaincy disputes last for several years with or without solution.
The traditional usurpers have also devised a divide- and- rule tactic making brothers to quarrel among themselves with fathers and sons belonging to various factions for personal or selfish interests.
Traditional stool is now used to settle political loyalists thereby leading to crisis with opposing parties. Investigation by Blueprint shows that to become a traditional ruler, all one needs is how to press the right button.
The worrisome aspect of it is that state governments in most cases impose traditional rulers on the people for political interest, thereby denying the people their traditional right of choosing their kings themselves.
Stakeholders are of views that communities in Igbo should go back to the drawing board by allowing the father-to-son type of kingship in order to put an end all these kingship crises.
States government should hands off imposing unwanted and unpopular person against the wish of the people while community leaders should also avoid selfish or personal interest in selecting or electing traditional rulers as it attracts untimely death.
