Kingship Title in Igbo Land

Kingship Title in Igbo land refers to the leadership style that is peculiar to the Igbos who live at the Eastern part of Nigeria. The title is referred to various towns across Igbo land as Igwe, Eze, and "Obi".

For instance, we have

• Igwe of Orlu
• Eze of Urualla
• Eze of Umudioka ancient Kingdom
• Obi of Onitsha

and so on.

The Origin of Kingship Title in Igbo Land

The Origin of Kingship Title in Igbo land has been a subject of inquiry among many young Igbos all across Nigeria especially in the Eastern Nigeria where the Igbos reside. There have been debates on this. Let's set the record straight as we hear from notable elders and igbo sons.

The Origin of Kingship in Igbo land according to Mazi Festus Ejiogu

One of the most striking revelations concerning the Origin of Kingship Title in Igbo land was opined by a great Igbo son and elder by name Mazi Festus Ejiogu also known as "Dee Boss". He wrote this during a recent discussion about this topic at a forum of great minds known as "BPS Osina 92":

• Let me reveal to us the main very reason why the leprous man hates the Igbo man up till tomorrow. That will give you more clue to navigate the fact that Igbo land had no kings, igwes, ezes or whatever rubbish as we know it today.

• When the white man came to Nigeria, through Badagary, they met Yoruba kings (Obas) and through these obas they were able to get hold of Yoruba territories by bribing these obas with immaterial gifts like hot drinks and the likes and deceived them into submitting to their supremacy over them (the Yoruba race).

• From there they sailed down to the creeks of Bonny, the riverine areas of Biafra land. Over there though, there were some kingdoms such as the Opobo kingdom, Itshekiri kingdom, Ijaw kingdom, as well as Benin kingdom etc. But these kings resisted them and whatever they stood for to be imposed in their lands (kingdoms). But thank God, at least they had audience with them. Only just being stubborn they thought. Hence the need to revisit them.

• But, to their greatest dismay, when they came to Igbo land, there was no king, eze, igwe or whatever to welcome them. Absolutely no one. Worse still, there was no one person anyone could point at as the leader of the people. Even when they were directed to the compound of oldest man in any village, this man would not allow them to say anything until other elders arrived.

• As the Igbos are used to say; agwo otu onye huru wu eke. And this made it very very difficult for them to be able to penetrate them against their people. As another Igbo adage has it that; adighi agbaji ukwu aziza agbaji mana odiri otu otu, okwe mgbajisi. On this premise therefore, they hated the Igbo people till this very day for that their democratic nature.

• And when they then came to the north, they found out that the people not only had kings (emirs), but that they could not do anything outside what their emirs said. So, they found them as a very loyal, useful and willing tools to achieve their mission. Hence the origin of the problem of Nigeria till this day, haven amalgamated them after their conquest of all.
• Think of it, you heard about the dethronement of Aalafin of Oyo of the famous Oyo empire by the whites, Oba of Lagos, Oba of Benin, King Jaja of Opobo, Nana of Itshekiri etc. Have you ever heard of the dethronement of any king in Igbo land? There were no kings in Igbo land to dethrone. So, what they now did was to engage them in wars, town by town, village by village, clan by clan, until they conquered them all. But the Aro people were a very hard nut for them to crack. Though they later also fell to the supremacy of their weaponry.

• I think by this last submission, you maybe able to understand better that kingship was never original to Igbo race but rather alien. We were ruled by Council of Elders and the Umuadas (Umuokpu).

• Do have a wonderful night rest all of you.

Mazi Festus Ejiogu, (Dee Boss)

More revelations

We're expecting more revelations on this topic and wish to preserve them here for future generations.

Compilation by Hilary Umeoka