By Jude Atupulazi
Often when I watch our Traditional Rulers at Government functions in Anambra State, I tend to pity them. Why? They are Traditional Rulers only in name. This is because they are supposed to derive their powers or authority from their people, depending on their tradition.
They are supposed to be revered even by the Government. They are supposed to be independent and to be able to look Government officials in the eye and tell them the truth. Indeed, the Government ought to fear them rather than the reverse. But, alas, they have now become the appendages of any government in power which will then control them as one would control one’s television with a remote. Too bad.
In fact, I used to read that Traditional Rulers are insulated from politics, meaning that they are not supposed to be partisan. They are supposed to be fathers of all and to all. These days, though, that hitherto revered institution has been hijacked by the Government, both at federal and state levels. But I choose to dwell more on this as it concerns my state, Anambra.
It wasn’t long ago that the incumbent Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, suspended the Traditional Ruler of Neni in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state, for conferring a chieftaincy title to a rival politician. Soludo gave his reason for that as the Neni monarch not getting clearance from him. Can you imagine that?
That reason was as preposterous as anything I had heard at that point and what rankled me the more was the hypocrisy of that reason. Rather than Soludo coming out to say he was unhappy that the Traditional Ruler gave the title to his rival, he chose to hide under the excuse that his, Soludo’s authorization, was not sought. Yet, I have known that before then many Traditional Rulers had been giving chieftaincy titles to anyone they deemed fit.
The only aspect of Soludo’s opposition to Igwes conferring titles to people that I support is the aspect of conferring such on those without character in order not to mislead the younger generation that the end justifies the means.
I was sure, as I am today, that if the Traditional Ruler of Neni had conferred the title to, say, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Soludo’s party, he would not have protested. This was where the hypocrisy came in.
Again, as I earlier stated, the same Traditional Rulers that are barred from being partisan have been endorsing Soludo for second term. They are doing this without Soludo upbraiding them for supporting politicians. But imagine if tomorrow they endorse another candidate what will Soludo do to them.
There was also the time I read that civil servants had endorsed him; yet these are the same people barred from being partisan. The man who was the State Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council at the time of the suspension of the Neni Traditional Ruler, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, had condemned what he described as the interference of Government in the Traditional Institution. Shortly after this, Achebe was tactically eased off as the Chairman of the body. So you can see that the Traditional Institution has been bastardized.
In order to make this stick, the State Hose of Assembly went ahead to amend the Traditional Rulers’ Law, 2007, which was later passed into law. The amended law established the State’s Traditional Rulers Council, constituted through Government recognition and selection by the Governor, ensuring equal representation from the state’s three Senatorial Zones.
It also revealed that the Governor shall appoint a Chairman from among the council members on a rotational basis, serving a three-year term, with a possible one-year extension under exceptional circumstances. Additionally, there would be three Vice-Chairmen, one from each Senatorial Zone, serving as Zonal Council Chairmen for a single three-year term.
With this development, one can see that the emasculation of the Traditional Institution was complete. No wonder the Traditional Rulers are these days falling over themselves to endorse the Governor and thus further diminishing themselves before the government and their subjects.
During the time of Willie Obiano as Governor, some Traditional Rulers were derobed for ”daring” to visit former President Buhari in Abuja without the Governor’s permission. They were later asked to apologize in order to regain their stools. Absolute balderdash, you must agree.
My take is that the Traditional Institution should be removed from the apron strings of Government, with their emergence being solely determined by their people after which they will then present them to the government for recognition as their monarchs. This way, there will be no interference.
What the government should demand will only be proof that such monarchs’ emergence represent the wishes of their people. Their presentation to the Government is only for formality so that Government will know them as coming from so and so communities.
But even in these times of servile Traditional Rulers, a few still stand out and have been able to command respect. One of these few is the Obi of Onitsha. He is one monarch that can say his mind and damn the consequences. The government respects him too and cannot dare to touch him. Before now we had the Traditional Ruler of Enugwu Ukwu, the late Igwe Osita Agwuna.
This man commanded so much respect and would never plant his feet at any Government House. Anyone one – be it Governor or President – that wished to see him must visit him at his palace. I remember one military President doing so. Osita Agwuna would be the last man to go to the airport to wait for a President or come to Government House to wait on a Governor. He was easily one of the most respected Traditional Rulers of his day. That is how it should be.
Today, at Government events, ordinary mortals jostle for space with their Traditional Rulers to enter the hall. I understand that at the end of such events they are usually given transport fare. This is how lowly the Traditional Institution has fallen.
The Government these days also make their cronies monarchs and thus those monarchs feel obligated to canvass for votes for the Government that enthroned them, even if such enthronement is against the wishes of their people.
Because of the cheapening of this all-important institution, all manner of people now wear white and red caps, posing as Nze, Ozo or whatever. It has become a fad with the younger generation. In fact, these days too, any rich looking man is addressed as ”chief” by people, regardless of whether they are real chiefs or not.
It is an indication that our society believes that chieftaincy has to do with wealth. You have only to attend functions and see this play out during introductions. Every person wearing a red cap and looking big becomes a chief and worse still, such a person doesn’t say he is not one.
Even among those who are real chiefs, you see people of dubious backgrounds. They are members of the various cabinets of Traditional Rulers. It has become a situation where once you can afford to pay the Traditional Ruler what he demands, you become a chief. Your age, experience, integrity, and track record don’t matter. It is just a matter of crispy cash. To cap it all, most of these people don’t even know the traditions and culture of their people. It is just too bad.
This malaise isn’t just found in Anambra State. It is all over Igbo Land. Chieftaincy has become a matter of cash and carry and it is no surprise why no one respects them anymore, talk less of the Government. Indeed, sometimes when I attend the ofalas of some Igwes I get ashamed on their behalf because of what I see.
What do we therefore do to stop this anomaly? First of all, the Traditional Institution should purge itself of gluttony. The Traditional Rulers should first emerge through a credible process in their communities and should refrain from giving out titles on the basis of money.
Nothing says that a respected member of their community, even if it is a retired teacher, should not be made a chief and a member of the Igwe’s cabinet. Their knowledge ought to be something that should be craved by the communities and not their pockets.
Then, Government should respect the wishes of the people and stop interfering. The Igbos should emulate the Bini Traditional Institution. Government never has a hand in choosing an Oba and that is why Obas are more respected than our Igwes. Same goes for the Alaafins, Oonis and Emirs in the west and north.
Don’t mind the fact that some latter day Governors have been having running battles with some of the Obas and Emirs because of politics. But even at that, they are still largely respected. I don’t think an Oba of Benin or Emir of Sokoto, for instance, would regularly come to Government House to receive transport fare after every event. Why cannot ours do same?
At the moment what we have in our land are compromised, weak and subservient Traditional Rulers and as long as this continues, expecting them to have respect will be like expecting beggars to be respected.
