Opinion
By Obike Ukoh
THE geographical area occupied by Igbo speaking people, is among the areas described by Eurocentric historians as stateless.
Stateless in the sense that they do not have a unified authority, as other indigenous Nigerian people like Bini ethnic group, with their Oba as an over lord.
However, some pockets of Igbo communities, have unified central traditional institutions and authority.
However, frontline Igbo historians, like Prof. Kenneth Onwuka Dike, the father of African Historiography and Prof. Adiele Eberechukwu Afigbo, among others debunked the stateless classification, accusing the colonial historians, of looking at Igbo societies through the prism of European perspective.
They stressed that though the Igbo people are not empire builders like Bini, they have institutions through which their societies were organized.
It was as a result of British policy of Indirect Rule in Eastern Nigeria, with the resultant appointment of Warrant Chiefs, that created unified chieftaincy institutions in many communities.
Undoubtedly, and unarguably too, Igbo people are not monarchical.
It is therefore surprising that in this modern time, people of Igbo extraction now want to export chieftaincy institutions beyond the shores of Igboland, exporting institutions that are not even well rooted in their homeland.
The struggle for the Eze Igbo title, by Igbo businessmen living outside the shores of Igboland, regularly occupy the media space.
There are regular echoes of the struggle for the positions in far place like Ghana, South Africa, among others.
The Ohaneze Ndi Igbo and even the federal government were compelled to step-in, to check the chaos associated with the struggle for Eze Igbo title and its image problem for Nigeria outside the country.
Then minister of State for Foreign Affair, Bianca Odumegwu- Ojukwu, when she addressed the Imeobi of Ohanaeze expressed federal government’s displeasure over the image problem, the title chase is causing Nigeria outside the country.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who is now substantive minister, stressed that nobody is against any ethnic group staging cultural festivals abroad.
An analyst and commentator, Azuka Onwuka, in his article: “Eze Ndigbo absurdity among a people that never had kings,’’ decried the mad chase for the title, by people of republican ancestry.
Onwuka recounted the universally known
Igbo republican governance system, with major decisions taken by the general assembly.
He wrote inter alia,“Unlike in most Nigerian and African communities, the Igbos had no central leader who had power over life and death.
“That is why in history, one could read about the Kanem Bornu Empire, Benin Empire, Oyo Empire, Songhai Empire, Mali Empire, but no Igbo Empire or Aro Empire or Nri Empire.
“ As a result, no Igbo community tried to expand its territory or rule over another community or dominate any other group.
“The Nri people were priests who went round communities administering rites and performing sacrifices. The Aro people marketed their deity, Ibina-Ukpabi, as the supreme deity,’’ he stressed.
After watching for many years, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization and the South East Council of Traditional Rulers (SECTR) have stepped in to check this absurdity.
SECTR has insisted that, in order to preserve and protect Igbo cultural heritage from abuse, no Igbo leader outside Igboland should go by the title of Eze Ndigbo.
This decision was taken during the Dec. 11, 2025, delegates meeting of the SECTR held in Enugu. Delegates at the meeting were drawn from across the country.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, they reaffirmed that Igbo leaders in Diaspora shall use the title Ndindu Ndigbo (Igbo leaders).
The chairman, SECTR, Eze Emmanuel Okeke, said the decision is aimed at protecting the sacredness and sanctity of the title of ‘Eze’, which is reserved for recognised rulers within the South-East region
Eze Okeke, who is also the chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, said, “The decision is to preserve Igbo culture to avoid abuse, political maneuvering, and general disrespect of the traditional ‘Eze’ stool.”
Furthermore, he said that ‘Eze’ is a sacred title for “recognised monarchs within the South-East, and requires specific traditional rites and governance,” not honourary titles or awards.
National Chairman of Ndindu Ndigbo N’Uzo Ije (Council of Igbo Leaders in Diaspora), Chief Aloy Obi, who spoke lauded the royal majesties on their firm, courageous, and principled stand on the sensitive issue of the appropriate title of Igbo leaders outside Igboland.
Obi, who lives in Oyo State, said the decision of the SECTR to uphold the title of Ndindu Ndigbo, in place of Eze Ndigbo, in spite of the pressure and lobbying to do otherwise, demonstrated uncommon integrity, uprightness, and fidelity to the sanctity of Igbo cultural institutions.
“I want to start by commending the South- East Council of Traders Rulers for refusing to bow to the pressure of allowing some people to be answering Eze Ndigbo outside Igboland. That simply shows that they are people of integrity, courage, and uprightness who are out to defend and, also, protect Igbo customs and traditions.
“This position has further reinforced confidence in their leadership as a people who are guided by principle, rather than sentiment or convenience.
“By stoutly defending the traditional structure and spiritual essence of Igbo chieftaincy titles, the royal majesties have preserved the dignity, integrity, unity and cultural heritage of the Igbo people for present and future generations.
“Such a leadership quality reflects true royalty and a deep commitment to the values entrusted and expected of traditional rulers.
“Posterity would forever be kind to all of them for the legacies that they have left in the sands of time,” Obi said.
In his contribution, John Greg Ezebuadi, who led the delegation from Lagos State, noted that they went to Enugu based on their resolution of 2010, where they met and agreed on the title of Onyeisi Ndigbo, but the SECTR insisted that the title of Igbo leaders in Diaspora should be Ndindu Ndigbo.
To give sealed of authority to the decision taken in Enugu on Dec. 11, 2025, the SECTR on Friday, May 29, in Owerri, inducted 32 `Ezeigbo’ in Diaspora into main Igbo traditional rulership and renamed their title Ndinduigbo N’uzo Ije(Igbo leaders in Diaspora}.
The induction and renaming were presided over by the Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Emma Okeke.
He expressed delighted over the epoch-making event.
”Today, history is being made all over the world and Igbo speaking states in particular.
“This is the day the derogatory statement that Igbos have no kings has come to an end.
“It is a day that traditional rulers in Igboland and Igbo leaders in Diaspora decided to come together to give honour to whom honour is due and speak with one voice for the betterment of the Igbo ethnic group and for posterity.
“ People avoided Igbo activities due to alleged corruption/ bastardisation of traditional titles by some Igbo leaders in the Diaspora.
“We are calling a spade a spade. Enough is enough on the sacrilege, and we believe that going forward, all our values, traditions and prohibitions shall be sustained, guided and enforced,” he said.
John-Greg Ezebuadi, Chairman of Council of Ndinduigbo N’uzo Ije, Lagos State Chapter, who chaired the occasion, said the event was aimed at reconciling long-standing nomenclature dispute between traditional rulers in the South-East, and the ones outside the geopolitical zone (formerly Ezeigbo in Diaspora).
One of the inductees, Chukwudi Ihenetu, from Ghana, who spoke on behalf of other inductees, thanked South-East state governments and South-East traditional rulers for their efforts in ensuring resolution of the issues.
Stakeholders and contemporary observers are hopeful that the recent action by SECTR would bring the issue to an end. They stressed that monarchies evolve not created, stressing that this is not the age of despots, as the contenders are just seeking for ennoblement.
The Igbo communal spirit of self-help does not revolve round chieftaincy institutions, they noted. (ENDS)
***Obike Ukoh is the former Deputy Editor-In-Chief, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
A.I
June 4, 2026
Tags: Azuka Onwuka Chief Aloy Obi EZEIGBO Obike Ukoh Prof. Adiele Eberechukwu Afigbo Prof. Kenneth Onwuka Dike