In this article, Nwoba Chika Nwoba discusses the concept of kingdom and explains that his community, Ekpelu in Ikwo LGA of Ebonyi State, is not a kingdom.
He emphasizes that Ebonyi State and some other states in the South East of Nigeria do not have kingdoms, except for Nri and Onitsha in Anambra State.
Nwoba goes on to provide a standard definition of kingdom and mentions some ancient kingdoms in Nigeria that strictly adheres to the demands of kingship. He concludes by stating that it is ignorant to call traditional rulers in communities outside of Onitsha and Nri “Eze of… Ancient Kingdom.”
Join Nwoba Chika Nwoba, as he delves into the fascinating world of kingdom and provides you with a deeper understanding of this concept.
Concept of Kingdom
Ekpelu community of Ikwo LGA of Ebonyi State where I come from is not a kingdom. Ebonyi State has no kingdom. There’s only two kingdoms in the South East and they are Nri and Onitsha, Anambra State. Calling your community a kingdom is a show of misconception of the concept of kingdom. Let’s look at the standard definition of kingdom: “Kingdom is a politically organized community or major territorial unit having a ‘monarchical’ form of government headed by a king or queen”.
Southern Nigeria has a few kingdoms such as Onitsha, Nri, Warri (Itshekiri), Calabar (Efik), Benin, Ile-Ife, Iwo, Kalabari, Agbor. These are very ancient kingdoms with strict adherence of, and compliance to the demands of kingship.
In Northern Nigeria, the following and more constitute kingdoms: Igala, Ebira, Kano, Tiv, Jukun (Kwararafa), Idoma, Ilorin, Nupe, Gobir, Zazzau, Offa, Bauchi, Katsina, Gwandu, Borno, Sokoto, Argungu, Yauri, Zuru, Bashar, Zaria, Kontangora, Opanda, Lafia etc.
Ebonyi, Imo, Abia, Enugu states don’t have kingdoms, let alone ancient ones. It’s ignorance at its peak to call the traditional ruler of your community “Eze of …. Ancient Kingdom” in every other community apart from Onitsha and Nri in Anambra State. Apart from these two, others in the South East are communities, not kingdoms. As large as Onitsha North and South LGAs, only one traditional ruler rules them, Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, Obi of Onitsha!
This analysis is original of Nwoba Chika Nwoba.
NCN.
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