Like any other ethnic society in Nigeria, the account of origin of Igbo society remains unknown and therefore goes by guesswork and legends handed down from the ancestors.
Early colonial reports on such subject suggested that Igbos migrated to their present abode from Egypt. This theory was upheld by many anthropologists who based their claims on the similarities between Igbos and ancient Egyptian cultures. This migration theory holds that Igbos migrated from Nile Valley and passed through Sudan into their present settlement.
Another theory hold that Igbos are Hebrews and specifically one of the extended branches of the 12 lost tribes of ancient Hebrew nation.
In the early days, the African scholars rejected the Hebrew/Igbo migration account but the idea gained momentum and became spiral during the Nigeria/Biafran war of 1967-70, when Igbos began to relate their fate in Nigeria to those of Hebrew nation amongst European nations.
Other scholars hold that Igbos migrated from the Niger Benue Confluence and passed into the Nri-Awka, Amaigbo-Orlu and extending to other areas occupied by the ethnic nationality. Beside these suggestions, there are claims over natural indigeneity of Igbos on their land, hence Igbos did not migrate from anywhere. Presently, scholars have started apportioning various communities to either of the three migration claims being Egypt, Hebrew and Benue.
Administratively, the ancient Igbo society was generally gerontocracy.
Gerontocracy is a form of oligarchical rule in which an entity is ruled by council of elders. This system of government is reserved for elders. It can be referred as eldercentric rule.
According to the earliest account by the colonial officers on ancient administrative system of Igbo society, each village was a self-governing entity that recognized no central or external authority outside its own council of “Amalas”. The village comprised of families, compounds and kindred within which there were council of elders that were made of the “Okparas”, “Nzes” (titled men), “Eze Agbara” (deity priests), age grades associations, youths, women and daughters.
For instance, the intelligence Report by (Sqd) I.G. Makenzie of Ahoada Assistant District Officer made the following submission. “The traditional system of administration was based on the Council of Elders. In each family, the elders were the administrative authority for their particular family, and similarly the elders of the compound in meeting were the authority in the compound. The administrative authority in the village was the meeting of the elders in the village, this meeting being known variously as “Nzuko”, these names having no particular significance but merely having the general meaning of “those in meeting” and “meeting”. (34) The council usually consisted of the senior men from the various compounds and other men of influence and ability. There seems to have been no strict regulation as to the membership”.
Beside the republican Igbo societal administration, there were area ruled by Monarchs. Those areas under monarch are referred as Igbos that migrated from Benin/Egypt theory. Example of such area is the Onitsha and some Igbo riverine areas.
There were areas ruled by priest-kings as obtained in Nri-Awka, Arochukwu and some communities that stretch at the Igbo heartland. But the striking similarly is that each system was gereocratic (elders rule).
Governance of elders saw to the composition of villages, group of villages and entire Igbo society and held its administrative authority till the advent of colonial subjugation of the territories.
Imposition of colonial rule on Igbo society destroyed the ancient administrative authority of the “Amalas” or “Ndi Okenye” and replaced them with the Warrant Chiefs after subjugation of the area and subsequent introduction of the colonial system of the territories.
Based on this development, able-bodied men of youth class were warranted either based on their acceptance of the new order or forced to be used as instruments of governance of their people.
Backed by the activities of the colonial officers and soldiers, they took over the rulership authority of their areas. This is the first noticed incidence of transference of leadership from gerontocracy to paedocracy (youths) in Igbo society.
Paedocracy is referred as government of children or youths over a particular area or society. It can be identified as infantocracy. As the colonial rule used instruments as conquests, subjugations, threats and agreements to gain control of the native Igbo lands, it used the Warrant Chiefs as agents.
Villages were grouped to form towns, towns were assembled to make up a sub-district areas which were composed into District areas that were controlled by the provinces.
Colonial courts were established at the District Areas and the Warrant Chiefs were made to sit as judges, court clerks, court messengers and Chiefs. Who by this development deposed the ancient administrative authorities of the areas.
As time went by, the Warrant Chiefs took over the government of Igbo society entirely and been hated by the people and elders.
The war between elders (Amala) and youths (Warrants) ensued till 1927 when the colonial government introduced taxation to raise funds for transformation of the local government system into more efficient structure.
This idea was opposed by natives and aggravated to women’s riot of Aba in 1929 as the Warrant Chiefs in the area started counting of men, women and children for the sake of census but misunderstood for adding women and children on the proposed taxation.
The Aba women Riot of 1929 sent a signal to the colonial officers that the natives do not love the taxation as well Warrant Chieftaincy system. The colonists came up with the fundamental Revision of the Local Government system in the Eastern province.
When concluded, the reform gave room for more native participation of colonial rule of their area. People were meant to choose their own Chiefs and present them as representatives.
This reform gave the elders of more opportunity to rule over the affairs of the communities and hence reduced or totally eliminated the powers of the colonial appointed Warrant Chiefs. By this act, the elders gained ground again on affairs of the people.
At this period, the school system has passed out some scholars who began to question the credibility of imperialism. Also some of the Igbo elites like their counterparts in other parts of Nigeria begin to gain employment into government facilities as clerks, treasurers, Military/Police services, journalism and other societal values. While some of the elites were comfortable of the colonial rule, others became anti-imperialist and used various instruments as organized protests, journals and mass education to press down their visions.
This group of elites at that point were made of youths who began to exercise authority over the elders that were composed or limited to their local areas.
Some of the Igbo anti-imperialists (Pan Africanism) travelled abroad for their education where they had glimpse of universal freedom fighters and ideologies like Garveyism. Some of them joined other African freedom fighters of Ghana as been led by thoughts of James Aggrey who held that Africans should go for the best, travel abroad for education and return to effect changes. This ideas captured the interest of Igbo elites like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Mazi Mbonu Ojike, Michael Okpara, K.O. Mbadiwe, Nwafo Orinzu, Jaja Nwachukwu, Pius Okigbo and others who used organized protests and journal abilities to fight against colonial compromisers and sue for independence of Nigerian nation.
Although, the freedom fighters started as youths, but with time they became elders and represented their communities as well as Igbo society at large on formation of Independent Nigeria nation.
On independence of Nigeria, many of them were elected by their people to represent them in various levels of government and they tried to carry along the interest of Igbo society in their political activities.
The Igbo elites formed themselves together under Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zikism) and formed the National Congress of Nigeria and Cameroon (NCNC) which was tool they used to gravitate against imperialists and marginalization in Nigerian society.
The Zikists saw that the Nigerian structure could not favour Igbo man if it fails to have political union or understanding with the northern political blocks. Hence, NCNC went into accord with Northern People’s Congress (NPC) to form alliance that brought them victory on pools. The alliance favoured the Igbo political leaders as they were made part of government at all levels. On this East/ North accord, Igbos produced Nnamdi Azikiwe as President of Nigeria, Nwafor Orinzu became the Senate President and later the Acting President that handed over power to Maj Gen. Agunyi Ironsi (another Igbo man) and other lots of juicy appointments at federal level. By this event, Igbos produced the highest military officers and commanded major military divisions. Igbos were reverend in Police appointments and promotion. Truly Igbos enjoyed tremendously under the post independent government of Nigeria.
The Northern and Eastern politicians’ romance took Chief Awolowo and his Western party as opposition and worked in unity to suppress the West, set division amongst their key political players that put forth riots and crises in the west. This romance became short-lived as some youthful officers of Igbo extraction in the Nigerian military carried out coup d- tat and on the course killed major political elite of the Northern Nigeria. The coup been led by Major Chukwuma Nzogwu was seen as Igbo’s attempt to eliminate the Northern political figures for its quest to have control over other regions.
As the coup did not survive, it had negative effect as it appeared one sided (killing of both Northern and Western elites without much casualties in the East). The coup failed and Major General Aguyi Ironsi took over the leadership of the federal republic of Nigeria.
As an Igbo military officer, the Northerners expected his strong reaction on the botched coup plotters and since he did not do as expected of them. The Northern young military officers led by then Col. Gowon took over the government in a coup that killed Maj. General Ironsi. This another round of ugly development brought stalement and progrom in the North that saw to the killings of many Igbos residing in the North.
To defend the lives and properties of Igbos in the North or any other place in Nigeria, Col. Emeka Odumegwu, Ojukwu who was the military governor of the Eastern Nigeria raised opposition to the government of Gen Gowon and when the dispute could not be resolved, led to the much heated Nigeria Biafran war of 1967-70.
From the coup of Col. Chumuma Nzogwu, the Igbo youths rose to power once more, Col. Ojukwu who was later to be appointed Governor of the East was himself a youth and everything appeared as a youth affair. The elders as led by Nnamdi Azikiwe were not listened to. The Igbo youths rallied around Col. Ojukwu and encouraged him to declare war.
At the end of the war by 1970, it was found that Igbos lost virtually everything they own as a people, lost every position in the Federal government and Civil service, lost all their acquired properties in other cities and, lost their status, integrity, relevance and trust from other part of the country. The political romance turned against Igbos as the north and West jointly prosecuted the war, shared all national positions and values to themselves and agents. That was what Igbo nation enjoyed from the Igbo Paedocratic government. After the war, Igbos started afresh virtually in everything and been excluded in Federal government positions and honours.
This trend continued till 1979 when another democratic dispensation came up. At this period, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and other Igbo elders came up with another Igbo democratic political party- Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP). With the belief of alliance, the NPP went into accord with National Party of Nigeria (NPN) a Northern dominated party. And as done previously, the nation gave the parties victory on Presidential election.
With the account, Chief Alex Ekwueme (an Igbo man) was the Executive Vice President while the speaker of the Federal House of Representatives became Chief Edwin Umezeoke and Joseph Wayas became the Speaker of the Senate. This was a very good and rapid improvement on the political status of the Eastern especially the Igbos.
In 1983, the democratic government headed by Alhaji Shehu Shagari/ Alex Ekwueme was toppled by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. The Igbo political leaders played underground with their Northern political elites for romantic relationship that would be harnessed during forth democratic rule. This arrangement bore fruit on the days of President Ibrahim Babangida’s administration as Igbos featured prominent activities of National Republican Party. The party choose Chief Sylvester Ugoh an Igbo man and former minister of finance of the defunct Biafran government as its Vice Presidential candidate. many governors in Igbo area were voted under N.R.C.
Three out of the four states in Igbo area were won by NRC. As the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won the election by the capability of personage of Chief Moshood Abiola, the northern/eastern political elites wheeled behind President Ibrahim Babangida to annul the election. The Government of IBB succeeded in this attempt by the support of Chief Arthur Nzeribe’s Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) that went to court and had order for the annulment of the election that was successfully won by Chief Moshood Abiola. That brought another stalemate at the western region as its people demanded for the restoration/declaration of Chief Moshood Abiola was the winner of the elections.
The romance between the north and eastern political elites played actively during Gen. Sani Abacha’s regime when he called for convocation of national constitutional conference to ease the tension that rose from the annulled June 12 election. At the conference, the north and eastern delegates jointly honoured the Presidential initiative while their western counterparts boycotted it. The outcome of the conference were more of the north versus eastern interest and that made the westerners to reject it entirely. The north versus eastern romance appreciated seriously in the days of Gen Sani Abacha’s rule and visible when another young man from Igbo called Kalu championed youths quest for Abacha to be transformed to civilian president. The Igbo elders supported the move and was working to have another Vice Presidential candidate behind his candidature. This was obstructed by the death of Gen. Sani Abacha.
During Obasanjo’s regime, Igbo ethnic society did not secure much opportunity but settled for the post of Senate President. At this period, was the emergence of the Movement of Actualization if Biafra by Chief Rapheal Uwazuruike.
MASSOB, rose as another torn challenging the arrangement of Igbo political elders and with short period gain acceptance amongst Igbo youths who saw Uwazuruke as their savior and Biafra nation as their promised land.
With activities of MASSOB, the Igbo elders lost control of the territories, the northern elites lost trust on the Igbos and that became another era of paedocracy on Igbo society.
With MASSOB, the youths saw the elders as failures and saboteurs/sell-outs and irrelevant in government activities of the Igbo land. Youths were seen openly abusing the Igbo political elders and tagging them as saboteurs, fall outs and been resistant to correction.
The MASSOB gave way for IPOB who on its own became more aggressive towards Igbo elders, very quick to molest the elders and ready to reject any council of the Igbo elders. This is the ugly situation we found ourselves right now.
The activities of this agitators especially the hate speeches have put more distrust on other components of the nation against Igbo people and earned the Igbos a quit threat from the northern youth as well as political instability in the Southeast on the surface of the secession bid. Appointments are denied Igbos, our youths are been killed in the protest and our integrity degraded.
As a concerned Igbo citizen, our youths must reconsider their position against our elders in homes, communities and every other level of society. This little account will open it to them that Igbos are geneacratic in governance and never has our elders disappointed us. They led us well during our pre-colonial days, our colonial days and pro-independent days.
All prestige and values of Igbo people are the effectiveness of our elders. Igbos control commerce and economy in Nigeria. They were political relevant before the war and still hooked up as intelligent people with Northern romance that our youths envision as arch-enemies of Igbos.
In conclusion, Igbo society is gereotocratic not paedocratic. Youths que behind elders on rulership affairs. They do not come forward and intend to rule unless there is no elder around. We must go back to our traditional values. Look at the commercial lives of Igbos, formally, our youths obediently surrender themselves as apprentices to their masters and with short period, they will be settle. What are we seeing at this time? No one want to serve an apprentice both in trade of craft. We should rethink if we must take our place as leading tribe in Nigeria.
The PDP elder council proposed for an Igbo president come 2015. This idea was truncated by the death of Late President Musa Yaradua and succession of Dr Goodluck Johnathan whom the people viewed as occupying eastern Igbo’s position but this was wholly wrong. Since the proposal of 1994-95 constitutional conference, the South-south was carved out and its citizens saw themselves as people outside of Igbo colony. This is same of North-Central versus North-west/East.
Adoption of President Goodluck as representing Igbo interest was a political miscalculation that brought setback to Igbos presidential bid. Goodluck must be seen and treated as from South-south where he belong and South East stood to contest for the presidency with their usual allies.
At this Present Buhari’s administration, Igbos gained only Deputy Senate President.
It is almost assuming that whenever the Igbo have alliance with north, they succeed but when in alliance with other group, they fail. When a child accompany an elder on a journey, if he does not eat kola, he will eat alligator pepper.
What a child hides from his father to know, at the fullness of time, it is still his father that will settle it for him.
The northern elders have been apprehensive and appreciative to alliance with Igbo elders and benefited from the romance. While the youths have often looked forward west and all times met failures.
When a child does not follow the path of his father, he will enter into the trap of his father’s enemies. In 1950s saw emergence of 3 regions. Before the Nigerian civil war, Ojukwu knew that no single region can strive since modern politics revolves on numerical strength. He reached accord with Obafemi Awolowo, released him from prison custody in Calabar with intension for him to open up another war front through declaration of Oduduwa nation. Awolowo turned down the gesture, supported one Nigeria project and shortly accepted to serve as Minister of Finance an office he used strongly against Biafran agitation.
At the instance of Awolowo’s disappointment, Igbos were left to suffer alone/ lost in their quest and their positions and inheritants were shared amongst West and Northern people. After the war, Ojukwu came back to Nigeria and served as one of the candidates that attended constitutional conference where it was decided that Nigeria will structured into six geo-political zones. If the arrangement works, until 3 units agree over succession the project cannot go. Two against four zones cannot even make it but when three agree to go their ways against the wish of another three zones, such can bring the secession project into realization. Therefore youths must listen to elders and learn than misleading the masses. The succession agents included the entire South-south area as for Biafra nation. This opinion was never real but only worked in social media and attracted reactions from the elders and youths of the South-South who distanced themselves from the Biafran struggle. This is a total proof that each of the geo-political zones are conscious of their existence and cannot wish to be colonized by any other.
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