By Nwankwo Tony Okoboshi Nwaezeigwe
As the Odogwu of Ibusa my primary allegiance goes to the ancestors of Ibusa and not the people living. As a believer in the efficacy of our Ancestors, I have always strived to adhere to the tenets of our customs and Tradition, particularly those aspects that are not contrary to the golden laws and principles of Chukwu Okike—the Almighty God the creator. I am a witness to the fact that the dead are living somewhere potently watching over the living unseen.
This explains why I had had running battles with the Obuzo of Ibusa Obi (Prof) Louis C. Nwoboshi, who incidentally is my mother’s second cousin and thus my uncle.
Unfortunately, the same traditional Diokpa institution I staked my life to uphold, defend and sustain against the back-drop of Obuzo’s opposition has turned out to be the fraudulent destroyer of itself since the ascension of Onowu Paul Ijeh as Diokpa Ibusa, with the same Obuzo currently ironically playing the role of its defender and protector of our cherished time-honored customs and tradition.
I decided to state the following facts concerning the Odogwu traditional chieftaincy title of Ibusa which I currently hold by right of ancestral heirloom following a short video clip transmitted to me detailing how a kangaroo meeting of few people from Omeze (Umueze) Quarters claimed to have suspended the Obuzo of Ibusa His Royal Highness Obi (Prof) Louis Chelunor Nwoboshi. His purported crime was his refusal to recognize an impostor Odogwu of Ibusa created by Mr. Fred Ajudua named Charles Okonkwo alias Charlie coupe, a known 419 kingpin and cyber fraudster as the authentic Odogwu of Ibusa while I am still in my present exile.
One does not need to go into the legality of such action which only adds to the already odious carriage of Ibusa Clan as the seat of 419 in Ibusa and the Enuani town with the most degenerate abusers of their time-honored and tested customs and tradition.
We know that such renegade act by a renegade bunch of insane customary illiterates beyond being a collective insult to the noble image of Ibusa has no place in law. However we have state the facts only for the sake of posterity.
I have been watching with subdued shame clothed in rage the precipitous disorder that now envelopes Ibusa, courtesy of retired advance fee fraudsters (419) led by Mr. Fred Ajudua; whose stock-in-trade revolves round confiscating village ancestral lands unconnected with his family, intimidating hapless citizens with threats of death, and conferring or sponsoring the conferment of traditional titles against the norms of Ibusa native Laws and Customs.
All these acts of criminality point to nothing short of his vile intent to assume the Obuzo of Ibusa title which intent he once informed and which I out rightly opposed. The point however is that it is foolhardy to wish for the death of your king for the reason of appropriating the throne because no one knows who will die first—the King or the one wishing him dead.
Indeed, when I look at what are taking place in Asaba and Issele-Uku today with respect to upholding and regal celebration of their time-honored traditional value systems I celebrate with every sense of pride as an Enuani man because they are making Enuani people proud of their heritage.
But accompanying this pride is the shame of Ibusa my ancestral hometown which has turned into a den of roguish traditionalism driven by a punitive incubus of disused 419 brains.
I am mostly disturbed by the reckless manner with which our revered traditional red cap is abused by those who by Ibusa customs and tradition are not permitted to wear it.
Apart from Eze title holders, the only people permitted to wear the red cap regularly are the Ikwelle, Odogwu, Uwolo, Iyase and the Omu. But in most instances they wear the red cap under the traditional multiple-feathered Okpu-Ubili crown as in the case of the three war chiefs, while the Omu adorns her red cap under Okpu-Ata crown.
The next category includes members of Ogbuu Warrior society who adorn the red cap during their initiation rites, during the Ina-Ebunu n’Akpu burial rites of a member, during the Otu Ogbo (Age-grade) meetings, and during marriage ceremony outside the town.
The red cap is also permitted among the relatives of an Eze title holder during his burial rites. It is also permitted for the relatives of an Ogbuu title holder during his Ina-Ebunu n’Akpu burial rites.
A freeborn Ibusa son who clearly understands the traditional values of his forefathers and wishes Ibusa to be respected among the comity of Enuani towns cannot recklessly adorn the red cap outside the confines of Ibusa Native laws and Customs, even if such a person is conferred an honorary chieftaincy title by another town.
You cannot see such idiotic expression of disrepect to one’s time-honored and tested customs and tradition among the sons of Asaba, Okwe, Ogwashi-Uku, Okpanam, and Issele-Uku, among other towns of Enuani.
It is therefore an indissoluble abuse of Ibusa Native laws and Customs for any man who considers himself a free-born Ibusa to recklessly put on the revered red cap for the purpose of assuming what he is not in tradition. I am further discturbed whenever I see the Chairman of Oshimili North Local Government Council Hon. Innocent Esewezie adorning the cap before the Diokpa of Ibusa and the Obuzo of Ibusa without the requisite traditional titles that grant him the permission to do so.
This is most customarily scandalous. Being the Chairman of a Local Government Council or even a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not grant one the impudence to abuse his people’s customs and tradition, the same he is expected to respect, uphold and protect. Such cannot be permitted in Asaba, Ogwashi Ukwu or Okpanam, among other prominent Enuani towns.
The young lady who now parades as the Omu of Ibusa is my second cousin, her paternal grandfather Apostle Michael Nwannabuogwu was a first cousin to my maternal grandmother Adaozele nee Enenmo. When she informed me as her cousin of her intent to take the Omu title, I clearly told her that she was not qualified to be the Omu of Ibusa under Ibusa customs and tradition. I enumerated the conditions one must meet before she assumes the Omu title. These include:
First, the person must be of the age of menopause. In other words, such a woman must have passed the age of menstruation and urge for sexual intercourse. So she was not qualified on ground of the first condition because she is still within the age of menstruation. The reason is that the Omu is not only the head and protector of Markets but most importantly the spiritual mother of the town who derives her authority from the Mother-Deity of Ibusa—Oboshi.
Second, an Omu must not have a living biological mother, father or grandfather. Her mother is still alive and even though her father is dead, at the time she purportedly assumed the title her grandfather was alive. The reasons are clear. The Omu is an Nze title of even superior rank to Eze (Nze) title holders and she is buried in the form as the Eze title holder. It is therefore a taboo for an Ibusa man to take not only the Eze title in his father’s or grandfather’s lifetime, but even the lower Mkpalo (Ndichie) title. So the conferment of Omu of Ibusa title on her by whosoever is a taboo against Ibusa Native Laws and Customs.
Third, the Omu is the mother of the whole town and it is a taboo for the Omu to be a mother to her biological mother while both are alive. One cannot mother the womb that conceived her or father the manhood that begot him. It is like somebody taking Alo or Eze title while his father is alive, an act clearly defined as taboo in Ibusa.
Fourth, once somebody becomes Omu, she automatically transforms into a man and subsequently returns to her paternal family compound. Indeed an Omu is not required to eat the same food cooked in one pot with her biological children. She is not also required to sleep under the same roof with her biological children. The point here is that if her biological mother dies tomorrow, it will be a taboo for her to participate in both her traditional burial rites of Ikpu-Eshi and Ikpu-Nnu, because she can no longer perform the roles of a normal woman.
Fifth, the Omu is in charge of the second and final burial rites of women called Ikpu-Nnu. Everybody in Ibusa anchors Ikpu-Nnu burial rites on the Omu. Indeed, the Omu does not attend both Ikpu Eshi and Ikpu Nnu burial rites of a woman. This explains why the first act any woman aspiring to Omu title is to conclude every aspect of her mother’s burial rites. How then can the Omu perform the Ikpu-Nnu burial rites on her behalf and to herself?
After enumerating the above conditions and clearly informing her that she was not qualified to take the Omu of Ibusa title, her response was that, “But we can change the tradition.” Well I told her if she thinks she has the authority to change our time-honored tradition then good luck. Of course, if I were in town at tht moment such abhorrent act of insane taboo should not have taken place.
But Fred Ajudua told her to go ahead, assuring her that the people of Ibusa have no ancestors to fight their cause. And she went ahead; the same manner Fred Ajudua propped up an unadulterated illiterate impostor-Uwolo against Chief Amaechi Nwaenie, as well as a tired 419 kingpin called Charlie Coupe to assume the position of Odogwu of Ibusa in my absence. His dubious is to construct a ring of fraudster-kangaroo traditional chiefs around him to support his bid for Obuzo of Ibusa title.
Ordinarily I should not have bothered to engage anybody over the Odogwu title but for the recent purported ostracism of the Obuzo of Ibusa Obi (Prof) L. C. Nwoboshi by a group of disused native brains masquerading as Izu Otu-Odogwu over his non-recognition of Mr. Charles Okonkwo alias Charlie Coupe as impostor-Odogwu of Ibusa.
This readily explains why it is necessary to put the customary facts on which the Odogwu title is hinged on the right pedestal of Ibusa history and thereafter allow the people to judge between Nwankwo Tony Nwaezeigwe and Charles Okonkwo who is by native law and custom as well as by the extant provisions of Delta State Traditional Rulers Council and Chiefs Edict of 1998 the rightful Odogwu of Ibusa. I am also not just calling on Mr. Charles Okonkwo to write a rebuttal of the facts I present below but if not possible for him, to employ a legal practitioner to do so on his behalf since I am fully aware he lacks the intellectual capacity to do so himself.
First, the Odogwu of Ibusa title belongs to Ezukwu Quarters, just as the Ikwelle of Ibusa, the two most senior traditional chieftaincy titles in Ibusa; the others being the Uwolo, Iyase and the Omu. The first Odogwu of Ibusa was my great-great-great-great maternal grand-uncle called Odogwu Okwugbea of the present Alo na Diokolo Village, Ezukwu Quarters. His ancestors migrated from the present Aboh Kingdom.
He commanded the Ibusa army that defeated the army of Benin Empire which had invaded the town to restore their King, Obi Ezechi who was sacked by the people and consequently exiled to the present Ejeme Aniogor town in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, where his descendants live today. Odogwu Okwugbea’s victory over the Benin army was directed by the powerful Iyioji Deity of Ezukwu Quarters who further instructed after the victory that the whole Ibusa accord rabbit the status of totem. This explains by the eating of rabbit in Ibusa today is a taboo.
It further explains why every substantive Odogwu of Ibusa must be initiated into the priesthood of Iyioji Deity, and in some special cases like mine, into the priesthood of Oboshi Deity. This further explains why any person from Omeze (Umueze) Quarters who assumes the Odogwu of Ibusa title holds the position on regency right (Okwo) and not on substantive right, because such a person cannot be initiated into Traditional Priesthood of iyioji Deity. And of course initiation into the traditional priesthoods of both Iyioji and Oboshi deities formed part of my initiation rites of passage.
It is equally instructive to point out that the first five successive Odogwu of Ibusa title holders were from Ezukwu Quarters, until Omeze (Umueze) people pleaded for concession to enable them share the title with Ezukwu; just as they pleaded for the first title of Obuzo to be ceded to them, since according to them Ezukwu already possessed the two most senior traditional titles of Ibusa—Ikwelle and Odogwu.
However, the request was granted but not with the full ritual responsibilities of a substantive Odogwu. This also explains why the Odogwu of Ibusa from Ezukwu like the Ikwelle of Ibusa cannot take the Eze title because they are by custom above the title; whereas the Odogwu of Ibusa from Omeze Quarters (Umueze) can take the Eze title to cover up the ritual deficiencies.
Second, it is further instructive to note that in spite of the permission granted Omeze Quarters to share the Odogwu title with Ezukwu Quarters, not all the villages of Omeze Quarters are qualified by tradition to assume the Odogwu title. Such villages as Umuwai (Mr. Charles Okonkwo’s Village) who by tradition are professional native doctors, Umuochie, Umunwina and Umuezeazu are customarily excluded from taking the Odogwu title. So ab initio, Mr. Charles Okonkwo is disqualified by Ibusa customs and tradition from taking the Odogwu title.
Third, Mr. Charles Okonkwo is purported to have been conferred the Odogwu title by the Diokpa of Ibusa Onowu Paul Ijeh. Before I moved to my present exile Onowu Ijeh then Diokpa of Idi na Isagba Quarters not only recognized me as the Odogwu of Ibusa but served in the same Ibusa Traditional Council with me, as shown by the attached two photos. Indeed, with Obi Vincent Okonkwo’s recent death, only Onowu Paul C. Ijeh, Chief A. W. O. Inugonum and I are the surviving members of the original Ibusa Traditional Council constituted by the late Diokpa Ibusa, Obi Stephen Okonma (Olokpa) in 2006.
Fourth, by Ibusa Native Laws and Customs in accordance with the relevant provisions of Delta State Traditional Rulers Council and chiefs Edict 1998, as published by the Delta State of Nigeria Gazette No. 3, January 21st 1999, Vol.9, the conferment of Odogwu title on Mr. Charles Okonkwo by the Diokpa of Ibusa is a criminal act punishable by law. The reason is that the Diokpa of Ibusa has no powers to confer the traditional chieftaincy title of Odogwu of Ibusa on anybody.
Fifth, the status of Odogwu of Ibusa traditional chieftaincy title is described under section 23 subsections (1) and (2) at page A22 of the Delta State Traditional rulers Council and Chiefs Edict 1998. In compliance with the above subsections, the Odogwu of Ibusa Chieftaincy title is not conferred by the prescribed authority of Ibusa either as formerly defined by the Diokpa of Ibusa or as currently defined by the Obuzo of Ibusa.
The selection, appointment and conferment of Odogwu of Ibusa traditional chieftaincy title is regulated by a law defined inlaw] as Chieftaincy Declaration made under Section 4 subsection (2) of the Chiefs Law 1959 of Western Region of Nigeria as applicable to Delta State of Nigeria.
This Declaration defines the Ikwelle of Ibusa as the conferring authority of the traditional chieftaincy title of Odogwu of Ibusa. And I was duly conferred the Odogwu of Ibusa traditional chieftaincy title after close to forty-five days of seclusion and relevant initiation rites by the then Ikwelle of Ibusa, His Highness Patrick Okeibuno Emordi in 2005 in line with the relevant provisions of the Declaration.
Part 1, section 2, paragraph 8 of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council and chiefs Edict 1998 at page A4 states inter alia in respect of the interpretation of a “Chieftaincy Declaration”:
“Declaration” means a written statement of approval by the Government registrable or registered by the appropriate Government Department as embodying the customary method of selecting a person to be the holder of a traditional ruler title or a chieftaincy title as the case may be.”
Mr. Charles Okonkwo cannot therefore be the Odogwu of Ibusa without undergoing the necessary rites of passage to Odogwu of Ibusa title and final conferment by the Ikwelle of Ibusa in line with the relevant provisions of the Declaration on Odogwu of Ibusa title. The Diokpa of Ibusa Onowu Paul Ijeh thus grossly erred in law and acted in contravention of the enabling laws and tradition by claiming to have conferred the Odogwu title on Mr. Charles Okonkwo.
The Odogwu only pays a formal visitation notice to the Diokpa of Ibusa and other Ogbe (Quarters) Diokpa and traditional Chiefs—Uwolo, Iyase, and Omu, accompanied by Okanga war drums immediately after his coronation by the Ikwelle of Ibusa. Thereafter he retires to his final seclusion of three native Igbo market week of eight days (Oge-Ato), after which his village formally presents him to Izu Igbuzo (Ibusa Town Assembly) as the new Odogwu of Ibusa. All these processes were never undertaken by Mr. Charlie Okonkwo, yet he claims to be the Odogwu of Ibusa.
Sixth, there is no doubt that the Obuzo of Ibusa opposed the conferment of Odogwu title on me and subsequently facilitated my arrest by the Police and I was consequently charged to Magistrate Court in Charge Number AKM/4c/2009 (Commissioner of Police vs. Dr. Tony Nwaezeigwe), for impersonation of the title of Odogwu of Ibusa. I was subsequently discharged and acquitted of all the charges before His Lordship, S. C. Okebu then Chief Magistrate Grade II on Thursday the 4th of February, 2010.
Indeed if the Obuzo decides to make a report of impersonation against Mr. Charles Okonkwo as he did in my case, the consequence will be prison straight. So those who are now insulting the Obuzo on behalf of Mr. Charles Okonkwo are advised to retrace their ugly steps before it is too late. Mr. Charles Okonkwo is not the Odogwu of Ibusa and has never been conferred the title by relevant conferring authority.
It is therefore important to inform those dancing in their naked ignorance purporting to ostracize the Obuzo of Ibusa His Royal Highness Obi (Prof) L. C. Nwoboshi for his refusal to recognize the imposter and 419 kingpin called Charles Okonkwo as Odogwu of Ibusa, that the Obuzo cannot recognize such a dubious personality with dubious professionalism as Odogwu of Ibusa. Most importantly, they lack the powers to ostracize the Obuzo of Ibusa. So their action was not only laughable but a presumptuous act of customary insanity.
Seventh, and let it be made clear to those traditional ragamuffins saying that I am no longer the Odogwu of Ibusa just because I am presently in exile for national cause, that Omeze Quarters do not contest traditional positions with their customary fathers represented today by Ezukwu Quarters. More than half of what is today Omeze Quarters are owned by Ezukwu people.
Those who are not aware should go and ask questions. The present Ashanta is owned by Ezukwu. Omeze village market is the Udala Enwe Market where the Ifejioku Mkpalo wrestling contest is held every year. All the left half of Ozoma Mbekwu and Umuneze villages divided by the road running from Asha Nta to Iyioji River are Ezukwu land. The entire Mkpoji Village, Obodoakpu (Obiaije) Village, Umuochie Village, and part of Umuedem Village are owned by Ezukwu Quarters.
Needless to say that what is today Ani-Igbizo (Nkata) is Ani-Ishite, the original founder of Ibusa and progenitor of Ezukwu Quarters; otherwise those who claim to be descendants of Umejei should go to Anioshie and search for their ancestral Ani Deity. Nkata is Ani Ezukwu and those who propitiate it today know why they are permitted to do so.
If Otu Odogwu is the Traditional Head of Ibusa today, it is because of Ezukwu Quarters and not Omeze Quarters. Every traditional ritual or ceremony that defines the spiritual, political and economic leadership of Ibusa is held and directed by Ezukwu and not Omeze. Historically, the two Quarters that should be following Ezukwu in seniority are Umuwagwu and Umuehea who were direct descendants of Osheukwu.
Umueze has never taken precedence before Ezukwu Quarters unless by the permission of Ezukwu people. Ezukwu holds the Ikenga-Oha of Ibusa—the collective War Deity of Ibusa under the custodianship of the Ikwelle of Ibusa. Ezukwu takes precedence over Ime-Mmo Alo ritual title-taking ceremony that takes place every twenty years. Otu Odogwu performs first; and within Otu Odogwu Ezukwu performs first before Omeze other Quarters, before it moves to Otu Uwolo, then Otu Iyase, according to seniority.
The Ifejioku-Oha Ibusa is celebrated by the Diokpa of Ezukwu Quarters both Ezukwu Uno and Ezukwu Achalla-Obiuno on behalf of the whole Ibusa town with essential materials for the rites provided by the Diokpa of Ibusa. Both Ezukwu and Omeze celebrate Ulo Festival but Omeze has to wait till Ezukwu and Achalla have finished celebrating theirs.
Thus, Ezukwu-Achalla people celebrate their Ulo Festival on June, Ezukwu-Uno celebrate theirs on July, while Omeze celebrate theirs on August. During Okwulagwe manual labour, Ezukwu shares the portion as the senior and Umueze chooses as the junior in accordance with Ibusa customs and tradition.
We know how the Udo initiation ground was relocated from Ogboli Quarters to Umuwai Village after the 1937 land dispute between Ibusa and Ogwashi Uku ein which Ogboli sided with Ogwashi Uku.
So it is not a matter of ancestral rights. After all the original Udo was in Umuekea Quarters, which indeed was the Udo used by Senator Peter Nwoboshi’s uncle, Obi Oraegbu Nwoboshi for his Eze title initiation rites.
The Umuwai performance of Iwaji (New Yam Festival) before other Ibusa people equally has no bearing with ancestral rights or heirloom; just as Okpanam’s precedent over Ibusa in the same Iwaji has no bearing with ancestral seniority.
The present Ani-Ibusa at Nkata which is traditionally located at Ezukwu land belongs to Ezukwu quarters. Our ancestor Ishite was the original founder and settler of Ibusa and it was he who brought Umejei’s father—Ikenga as a young man in search of refuge to the present site of Ibusa as his elder brother. This explains why the descendants of Umejei’s first son—Onuma sought refuge in Ezukwu Quarters under the protection of Idumu Ikwelle royal kindred, Isiogbe Odogwu until 1904.
Umuwai were never part of Ibusa until Umu Ikenga appropriated the Ani-Ibusa and mounted it at Anioshe which led to catastrophic retributions from ancestors involving mass deaths and famine. That was why Uwagwu fled to Ezebuogu and Agidionihe fled to Umuekea, Ezemese. It is important to state that until the 1940s, the present Umuehea Quarters was part of Umuekea Quarters until Umuehea revolt.
It was at that point that Uwai a native doctor from Isu was invited to annul the ancestral curse. He was indeed the man who advised the children of Ikenga to return the Ani-Ibusa back to Ezukwu. But the shame of licking their spittle could not allow them to take it back to its original site, rather they opted to mount it on the nearest Ezukwu land—the present Nkata. Ezukwu people however refused to accept it unless it was brought to its original place.
This explains why Umuochie, Umuedem and Umuidogu villages of Omeze are contesting over the propitiation of Ani Igbuzo. Ask them how they are directly connected to the right of propitiation of Ani Igbuzo, they will offer no credible historical evidence.
As part of resolving the problem of famine, Uwai later traveled to Okpanam from where he brought yam-medicine to improve the dwindling yam harvest that arose from the curse. Since it is the customary practice that the maker of yam-medicine must test the harvest of the product of the medicine, the people of Okpanam had to test the yam first, then followed by Umuwai, before the rest Ibusa people followed.
This is tradition on which the Iwaji (New Yam Festival) in both Ibusa and Okpanam is anchored today, in which Okpanam celebrates in the morning and Ibusa in the evening of the same day.
This equally explains why the descendants of Umejei Ikenga have to give some tubers of yam to Umuwai as a token of appreciation during the New Yam festival. It has nothing to do with common ancestry or seniority.
It is based on this that Umuwai people were excluded from Odogwu title because as native doctors connected with yam medicine, they were not allowed to soil their hands with human blood. It was on the basis of this laudable action that Uwai was granted right to live close to Anioshe—the space vacated by Uwagwu and Agidionihe. This again is the reason why there is no shrine located at Anioshe representing Umejei ancestral deity.
His Highness Nwankwo Tony Okoboshi Nwaezeigwe, PhD, DD
Odogwu of Ibusa Clan, Delta State, Nigeria
odogwuibusa@gmail.com
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