By HRH Eze JC Nwaogu & Okenze George Nkwoji.
INTRODUCTION
The concept of a people, their royal throne and Eze (King) revolves around their origin, leadership and the person who occupies the office of the supreme leader. A people refers to a tribe or ethnicity with a common ancestry, religion, history, traditions and culture. On the other hand, their royal throne is conceived to be that seat on which their supreme leader sits.
We, as Ndigbo are a typical example of a people with a common ancestry, religion, customs and tradition. However, our challenge as Ndigbo is that our origin, ancestry, customs, tradition and the royal throne are in the main based on oral history as they were not fully documented.
ADVENT OF KINGSHIP
In the absence of verifiable documents on the origin or advent of Kingship in Igbo land, we shall rely on the history of Israel and their Kingship since they are written in the Bible for easy comprehension.
The story is that at a stage in their history, the people of Israel were said to have demanded of God to give them a King like their neighbours. In response to their request, God said to Samuel who was their Chief Priest at that time that “… they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them”(1Sam8:7). From this verse and God’s response, we can understand that God was the original King of Israel. Unfortunately, for being intimidated in wars by the Kings of their neighbours the people of Israel became dissatisfied with God, an invisible King. This is the advent of temporal Kingship as we see it today. Otherwise, God is the King and remains so till date.
MYSTERY OF THE THRONE AND THE KING.
The relationship between the throne and the King who sits on it appears to defy comprehension owing to lack of knowledge. In Igbo land for example, some ignorant people attach fetishism to Kingship and that Kings are not Christians. However, contrary to that misconception, the truth is that God is the invisible King sitting through a human being who we see as the King. This is the mystery of the throne and the King.
Going forward, let it be known that God is the King. The Bible says that God is the Creator, Owner and the Ruler of the universe (Gen1:26). In Prov. 8:15, God says ” By me Kings rule and Princes decree justice”. The Bible also says “The Lord is our King”( Is.33:22). Can we now comprehend why the Bible commands us thus: “Fear God. Honour the King” ( 1 Peter 2:17).
Going by what the Bible says, it is incontrovertible that God is the Ruler of every community. This means that a King rules his community on behalf of God as personally said by God : “By me Kings rule and Princes decree justice” (Proverbs 8:15).
Now that we have come to the truth that God rules people through humans as traditional Rulers, it will therefore make sense to comprehend the relationship between a people, their throne and Eze.
For us to grasp this topic, let us once more look at ancient Israel, their Kings and the throne on which they sat. According to the history of Israel, God was personally ruling them until they demanded for a King that would reside with them. That was the stage at which He vacated that throne for a human being as the King. This is to say that God made Saul the King of Israel to represent Him on that throne. That was how God started ruling Israel through human beings. This is the relationship between a people, their throne and the King.
The Eze of a community is the supreme ruler. He is the Royalty, the symbol of their existence, history, culture and traditions.
The seat of an Eze is the throne of the people and belongs to them. It is a symbol of the people’s existence, sovereignty and what they stand for. The throne is the people’s history, religion, culture and tradition.
The throne embodies the people. The two are therefore inseparable. The throne is not owned by the King. It is owned by the people.
When an Eze ascends a throne, he becomes the symbol of the existence of the people and what they stand for. By implication, any act that diminishes the throne is an act against the people’s sovereignty. It is deemed an act against the people’s existence and who they are.
By implication of its existence, the throne is a sacred seat. It is not an ordinary seat where anyone can sit, No. It carries the people’s authority. From the throne, the King speaks on their behalf. He is to be obeyed. It is a seat of law and Justice.
Kings come and go but the throne stays. The throne belongs to the community from where law and justice are dispensed.The people therefore hold it very high and defend it strongly.
In conclusion, let us know it that a person ceases to be an ordinary human being immediately he is crowned as the Traditional Ruler of his community. He should be seen as God’s delegate to “rule and decree justice” over the people of that community.
The Traditional Ruler of your community may be your son, your youngest brother or even the son of the poorest family. These are the much which may be known about him. He is however, no longer an ordinary person. He is to be honoured in line with the teachings of the Bible: “Fear God. Honour the King”(1Peter 2:17).
While the King is to dispense justice, the people are mandated to assist him to do so by saying the truth before him. We are barred from deceiving the King with falsehoods. We are required to be honest for peace to reign in the community. God’s mandate to the people is this “… Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates”(Zachariah 8:16).
