IGBO REPUBLICANISM
The traditional Igbo had a deep sense of community. The popular sentiment among the Igbo, as found in most other Africans is as J.S. Mbiti (1969:108) puts it:
“I am because we are and since we are, therefore I am.â€
Individual existence and freedom are appreciated, but they are delicately balanced with the underlying philosophy of life-in-community.
This life-in-community is captured by the Igbo concept of Umunna/Umunne/Ikwunne. Part of Igbo problem is using foreign concepts to define Igbo life and thought. Umunna is a spiritual idea embedded in Igbo origin. The concept of democracy (á»ha, umunnakwuru) which is contained in the Igbo philosophy of republicanism is deeply rooted in Igbo life and thought as embodied in the Ummuna concept. Before taking any decision, the Igbo have the tradition of gathering together to discuss matters of interest in order to arrive at a consensus and agreement. This is call in Igbo Igba izu (consultation). This is the basis of Igbo republicanism which E.G. Ekwuru (199:134) calls the Consensus philosophy, but referred to as Unanimity by T.U. Nwala (1985:168). Thus modern democracy is not after all foreign to the Igbo because it has its root in Igbo origin and thought. The Igbo life did not start with colonization rather before the advent of the Europeans Igbo already had a philosophy, established structure of government, education and technology.
According to Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary, republic is defined as an affair, interest, a state or nation in which the supreme power is rested in the whole voting community which elects indirectly or directly, representative to exercise the power; a group whose number are regarded as having a certain equality or common aims, pursuits, ect. in other words, republicanism is a system with clear pattern of organization and a mode of behaviour.
Here we find that the republican idea recognizes individual worth and input. People who deliberate and take decisions that arc of common interests, Ndi Igbo live and still live in units of villages, and clans called Umunna. The relationships among them are so close from the family to the clan level including the age grades system. Similar close relationships are found in the Eastern and Western Igbo. Power resided with Umunna or Ọha. People to represent each unit are chosen on the basis of age, ability and character. There is consensus, constant consultation covering every aspects of their lives from individual to group levels – including marriage, education, funeral. It is common to hear such expressions like:
Ihe anyị kpara akpa- Something discussed/agreed
Igwebụike/á»ha bụ ike- Umunna is strength
Umunnakwe- Umunna agreed
In Igbo republicanism, individuals and groups of individuals up to the clan level aspired to relevance, had rights and responsibilities, worked harder to better their lots and welfare and contributed to policies (Nwajiuba, 2001:19-25). Igbo republicanism is hinged on people’s rights and founded on forthrightness, hard work, truth, and character.
The democratic spirit in Igbo checks any possible excesses arising from seniority, status and achievement. This is further strengthened by the Igbo principle of equality and equivalence which Prof. Afigbo rightly says is fundamental in Igbo democracy.
Ndi Igbo don’t worship people; they don’t even have sanctions against rude people. They respect people. In fact, there is great respect to the elders in an Igbo society but they allow people express themselves. Ndi Igbo do not tolerate of acts of rudeness to their elders. Osagie Jacobs’s generalization and insults against Ndi Igbo in his (This day, September 17, 2002 page 11) where he claimed that Igbo do not respect the elders, and that they respect money not age is unfortunate. Osagie himself knows that he is dishonest, rude and crude, how because of one person he has the guts to insult a whole race. Igbo people respect their elders, but they resent oppression and authoritarianism. It is reported that during the slave trade period Igbo slaves who were constantly starved by their European masters organized a revolt to resent their starvation. They had to be fed by force. They refused to be treated as sub-humans.
In modern times it could be seen that Nigerian colonial Politics had remained passive until the arrival of the lgbo intellectuals on the scene in the person of Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe, Mr. Mbonu Ojike, Dr. Akanu Ibiam, Dr. Nwafor Orizu, etc. Igbo republicanism does not mean the freedom to insult, maltreat or abuse people because of one’s position. It should be noted that the Igbo expressions like:
Igbo-ama-onye-ukwu
I na-enye m nri
Igbo enwe-eze
were not in traditional Igbo thought. They have become Igbo expressions in the mouth of those who harbour envy, hatred and jealousy for others, those who do not appreciate ‘excellence,’ people influence by the Hebrew saying: “a prophet has no honour in his own community.” They served a colonial interest of destabilizing Igbo unity.
I have become personally worried that even our Igbo intellectuals are accepting the expression – Igbo enwe eze – as reflecting traditional Igbo situation. It does not and it is arrant nonsense. It has its origin in the early colonial European writers who spoke about the Igbo in particular as people without any universal conception of God (CI), and without history. We must take note of the fact that Igbo history did not start with the advent of the white man. The man who denied that you had a history could not possibly come to believe you had a ‘king’ or ‘chief’ which ever title you may prefer.
The truth which historians have agreed on is that all the ethnic groups in Nigeria, it is only the Igbo that really resisted the white man, not months but several years. Igbo historians have also agreed that the Europeans had a basic dislike for the Igbo whom they found ungovernable and what was worse irreverent in their attitude to members of the ‘master race’ (Afigbo, 1981:2). Put simply, they hated the Igbo. This is what informed their introduction of the indirect rule in Eastern Nigeria. This colonialist created the warrant chiefs. These chiefs were installed to serve the interest of those who established them (Nwajiuba 2001:25): 1), to assist them hold down the Igbo 2), to serve their economic interest including collection of taxes and settlement of local cases. The colonialists distrusted the original Igbo chiefs. Thus the colonialists used the Indirect rule to remove and destroy the legitimacy of Igbo rulers and them imposed their own subjects who ruled in their stead.
We must not forget the fact that right from time in Igbo history there is what we call ‘Igbo pride.’ The Igbo saw himself from time as a superior race. King Jaja of Opobo treated the European traders and administrators as his inferiors. They latter feared him and tricked him to go aboard the British warship for friendly discussion but was carried away into exile where he died. Do we not know the implication of the fact that he died in exile, he died with the history of his people in his memory. The Ará»chukwu people and most Igbo royal princes never removed their hats or stood up or prostrated for the British colonialists unlike most other subservient African tribes. Specifically in 1896 at Aba an Aio man refused to remove his hat for a white man (Isichei, 1976:59) (Leonard, 1966:191), because he felt he was superior to the white man. Have we even bothered to ask why up till today ‘Eze Nri’ is not listed among the first class chiefs in Igbo1and (along with Eze Ará», Oguta, Nnewi and, Obi Of Onitsha). Nri model. Of kingship which controlled many parts of the Igbo land for several centuries was finally liquidated by the British imperialists to exploit the Igbo (slave trade). The truth of the matter in our view is that the Igbo enweEze concept was introduced into the Igbo psychic, and in practice by installing warrant chiefs in order to destabilize the Igbo society and make it impossible for them to retain their ‘Igboness,’ their uniqueness, their industry, their confidence and their pride/identity as a people.
You will realize that this concept is introduced into our ‘Culture,’ the very essence of a people. It has succeeded to work like magic in the Igbo nation which presently is the most destabilized and disunited ethnic group in the world. It brought the culture of disrespect and greed as well as that of falsehood thereby destroying every evidence of a well laid down functional leadership pattern prior to the advent of the white man. How else could we explain that our people in government could not be united to promote Igbo cause. We saw what happened in the period of Shagari government. It was a near impossibility for the vice president and the governor to work together to promote Igbo interest. It is what is happening today. Today many of our state governors are in conflict with our people in government at the federal level. Does it happen elsewhere? Indirect rule is not yet over. Igbo land still remains its testing grounds. This sys em was and is still the basic instrument being employed to destabilize the Igbo race, incapacitate and frustrate any plan of the Igbo people to form a common force where together they can challenge the ills done to them. There is hope. This ray of hope comes from the Ará»chukwu example. The modern Ará» understand the- Igbo enwe eze concept as an instrument of destabilization. They are the only community in Abia state that has up till today rejected the creation of autonomous communities. They know that creating many autonomous communities is creating many autonomous troubles and it will destroy their kingship institution and traditions, which is centered on Eze Ará» as an institution, and not as a person.
Let me ask you, who is afraid of Igbo unity? The Igbo people say: Igwe bụ ike = unity/strength is power. We know even as the Igbo Bible puts it, that divided we fall, but united we stand. Igbo enwe eze concept is strange to Igbo psyche and history of the origin. It should be discarded, forgotten and formal education at reorientation of every Igbo undertaken. A family regarded as the smallest unit in a locality has the ‘father’ as the head, how much more a village, a clan and a tribe. Let the issue of Igbo enwe eze be laid to rest. We Igbo people are not crabs; we are men and women with great propensity for leadership and followership we do not need to invoke the expression to support our philosophy of republicanism for self-reliance. Nor as a way of checking the excesses of any Igbo leader.
Lastly, Igbo republicanism goes with the consensus philosophy of Igbo-kwenu. Emeka G. Ekwuru (1999:134) has drawn attention to the importance of Igbo-kwenu in his recent book. In Igbo 1and it represents constituting symbol of the gathering of Umunna, which allows for the full deliberative and consultative participation of every adult for decision-making. It not only recognizes the freedom and right of each individual but more importantly it awakens the Igboness in every Igbo person. I agree with Emeka Ekwuru that Igbo-kwenu in the Igbo land underscores a social formula of action, a call to order and unity and collective will vital in all Igbo relationships to fashion its destiny as a people. There was a time when we hear – Igbo kwe – Enyim Mba Enyi – we see with our eyes Igbo solidarity, the clearest expression of Umunna. W need to recover that time and to offer to our country the best that is in us, because we have what it takes to move Nigeria forward.
