My previous article on ‘Igbo Culture, Customs and Traditions on Royal Stools’ had its rider that evoked a question, ‘Are these Igbo cultures, customs and traditions on royal stools under threats in Imo communities?’
The reasons that are usually attributed to the conflicts over succession of ‘dead monarchs’ are simply that some of the communities in that category would either not follow their traditions over succession or that there are political interference which could trample the royal traditions of the communities as they affect their royal stools.Investigations have shown that breaking with the traditions that are associated with the royal stools in some communities would give no results but ‘conflicts and crisis’.
A nonagenarian (now late) who spoke to me in this direction, revealed that the essence of carrying on the traditions of succession of dead monarchs especially in a hereditary system is that when the community king makers ‘Ndi Oshieze’ ignorantly or deliberately deviate from the traditions that are leaned on the ‘ezeship stool’, it could lead to their departed saints and elders (‘Ndi Ishie’) losing their rest in graves and more to that, according to the 98 year old man, is that the community might bear the traditional brunts which he refused to clarify, keeping me in suspense and may be, my readers too.
The Dictionary of Contemporary English(2003) defines culture as the beliefs, way of life, art and customs that are shared and accepted by people in a particular society, the attitudes and beliefs about something that are shared by a particular group of people. The same Dictionary defines custom as something that is usually done by people in a particular society because it is traditional.
According to the Chambers Dictionary (1981),tradition has generally been defined as handing down from generation to generation of opinions, beliefs and customs of what things obtained in the past and still in the current history of a people called ‘Omenala’ in Igbo parlance. Deducing from all these on Igbo cultures, customs and traditions, each autonomous community in Imo has her own cultural traditions and more importantly, has them on their royal stools, and also rely on such, whether written or oral, on the succession of their own dead monarchs.
In her book, Elements of Government, Alaneme J.C, a Lady who hails from Umunachi Osuama in Isiala Mbano of Imo State and versed in studies of Government and Public Administration, recalled the authority structure in Igbo land even under the pre-colonial era in Nigeria. The Community Assembly, would deal with judicial, administrative and executive matters and that everything affecting life is regulated by the customs of the community. Even in the modern system where the powers of government are divided into three arms, the legislative, executive and judiciary, the autonomy of the communities under the modern systems are left with the cultures, customs and traditions for the replacement of their dead Monarchs.
Political interferences in several occasions are not in any way going in tandem with the laid down communal rules over their Ezeship stools or are they? This trend would only pave way for the imposition of the ‘Eze’ of who should be the choice of politicians to the detriment of the cultures, customs and traditions of the autonomous community. The factors of political interferences have usually entailed conflicts, tearing the communities apart. They lead to polarization of such communities, springing up parallel wings among the youths, women and elders.
In Imo, a question that must be asked is whether the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs is living up to expectations as to allow the peaceful flow of customs and traditions on the royal stools of the autonomous communities over their dead monarchs?.
Investigations have also revealed that some power brokers and politicians (both elected and appointed) who are members of these autonomous communities instead of using their good offices, exulted positions and big influences to attract dividends of democracy through the local, state and federal governments, they instead resort to violating the cultures, customs and traditions of their own communities over their royal stools with the intentions of selfishly shielding their own interests over choices of monarchs.
A certain politician from Orlu geo-political Zone who spoke to me on grounds on anonymity said that some of them in that game do so in order to use the influence of the royal fathers to proselytize the people of the communities to toe the lines of their political interests. Too bad or is it not?. In Imo, there are a few but unique communities that practice hereditary system with respect to their ezeship stools. I would always refer to such ancient communities to buttress my points. How have the processes for the replacement of the dead monarchs followed in such communities that have hereditary system of ezeship? Are they following their traditions properly?
Investigations also have revealed that there are usually peace in the communities which do not separate their hereditary system of Ezeship from their traditions. Though, under hereditary systems, when the guarding traditions are violated or when there are gaps filled with political interferences and intrigues, conflicts and crisis would trail them. Socio-economic developments would be stalled. Insecurity would set in. The community would be faced with dishonour and disrespect and at times,her members would die in silence.
In Nnaramabia community in Ahiazu -Mbaise L.G.A,Imo State, their royal stool is hereditary where the Nwaturuocha royal family has held tenaciously to that based on traditions. In Egbu ancient Kingdom where there is hereditary system of Ezeship under the Orisakwe-Egbukole royal dynasty, traditions have been followed from the first Eze to the second, to the third, to the fourth, to the fifth, and now to the present sixth which is the current reign. The Egbu Kingdom could not afford to toy with the traditional processes and so, cannot give room for political interferences.
Every autonomous community like Emekuku, Egbu,Nnaramabia,Oguta,etc should rather enlighten the government on their cultures, customs and traditions and not the other way round as is observed at times in some other communities in Imo State.
In Emekuku, which stands out as an epitome of ancient kingdom, how were the traditions and customs applied by both the principal members of the Obi Ejeshi Ajoku Abuba dynasty and the council of the Ezelukwu Emekuku that peacefully replaced HRH Eze Obi Ejeshi Ajoku Abuba, the Omutara Oku zuru uwa (1900-1923)? How were the same traditions and customs of the same ancient kingdom of Emekuku applied that peacefully replaced HRH Eze K.G. Amadi Obi II of Emekuku (1923-1977)?.
His Royal Majesty, Eze Peter Ugochukwu Obi (III) KSAM ,a direct son of the late Eze Obi Ejeshi, the Ezeukwu I of Emekuku and a brother of the late Eze K.G Amadi Obi II was reported to be unanimously crowned by the people of Emekuku at the traditional ground, Nkwo Emeke and was also recognized by the state government in 1979. How were the traditions and customs of the Emekuku ancient kingdom applied that led to his PEACEFUL replacement of the late Eze K.G Amadi Obi II, his predecessor?
Those cultures, customs and traditions, based on investigations are still there mingled with their relics that fly with tranquility and dignity. In Igbo land, in line with cultures, customs and traditions on royal stools, Emekuku ancient kingdom is among the? few leading communities that are identified with the hereditary system anchored on culture, custom, tradition and the question is ‘How have the Obi royal family, the council of the Ezeukwu and the community at large protected their prestigious ‘royal stool’ against political interferences given the fact that the entire Igbo race and other races in the World view the age-long Obi Royal Family as a standard for archival and royal stool for generations to copy and imitate?’ I come with peace.
Chinedu Max Egere writes from Owerri
“Investigations also have revealed that there are usually peace in the communities which do not separate their hereditary system of Ezeship from their traditions. Though, under hereditary systems, when the guarding traditions are violated or when there are gaps filled with political interferences and intrigues, conflicts and crisis would trail them. Socio-economic developments would be stalled. Insecurity would set in. The community would be faced with dishonour and disrespect and at times,her members would die in silence”
