Ancient Igboland, A land of powerful priests (Dibias) and a people Averse to Absolute monarchy
Igbo people believe that absolute power resides with only one Being, the Chukwu (Almighty God) or Chineke (God the Creator). Hence you have an echelon of power descending from the Apex, inhabited by the Almighty God alone. Then He is attended by the deities (as mediators between the Creator and human), then the ancestors, deified humans, priests, diviners, NdiIchie or community elders, heroines and heroes, Nze and Ozor title holders, various initiates of masquerade groups and various male and female age groups.
According to Adolphe Burdo(The Niger and the Benueh ,travels in Central Africa ,by Adolphe Burdo,referring to the igbo spiritual belief as documented during his voyage,1880.
"""𝙷𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚋𝚎 ,𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙴𝚋𝚘(𝚒𝚐𝚋𝚘) 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚕𝚕-𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝙶𝚘𝚍, 𝚆𝚑𝚘 𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚎𝚜,𝚛𝚎𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖.𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚑𝚒𝚖 𝚃𝚜𝚑𝚞𝚔𝚞 𝚘𝚛 𝚃𝚌𝚑𝚒,𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐.𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚠𝚑𝚘, 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖,𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖.𝙷𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝙾𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚊 𝚘𝚛 𝚃𝚜𝚑𝚞𝚔𝚞 -𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚔𝚎,𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚒𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚃𝚜𝚑𝚞𝚔𝚞.
𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚕 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚜.𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖,𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚊𝚝𝚊𝚗,𝚒𝚜 𝙺𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚘 𝚘𝚛 𝙸𝚐𝚠𝚒𝚔-𝙰𝚕𝚕𝚊.𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝙸𝚐𝚠𝚒𝚔 𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕,𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙰𝚕𝚕𝚊,𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑,𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗,𝚙𝚊𝚛 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎, 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚕"".
Having said that, Igbo peoples believe in and practiced "raw democracy", which implies that every Igbo citizen doubles as a King and King-maker. No single member of the society imposes her/himself on the rest as the custodian of absolute power.This has remained so till present generation.
It is vital to mention at this point that in many Igbo pre-colonial societies male and female members work coordinately (organize the society's complex systems in a way that the numerous people are involved and bring their contributions together to form a coherent or efficient whole; as opposed to subordinately) in ensuring that peace, equity, fairness and goodwill prevailed. This was one reason it was difficult for the Lord Lugard's colonial (imposed) indirect rule system, which succeeded in the other parts of the later federated entity called Nigeria to work among the Igbo societies.
Igbo enwe eze ( Igbo has no king) therefore does not negate the possibility of a leader (as opposed to a ruler) in most Igbo societies. It simply affirms the reality that no leader chosen by his people is allowed by the Igbo peoples' socio-political principles to wield absolute authority over the rest of the citizenry. Unlike the monarchical system among the Benin and Yoruba peoples of the Mid-Western and Western Nigeria for instance; in which the palace chiefs check and balance the king's decision when matters of socio-political nature is deliberated upon, the Igbo chief must consult with heads of the various socio-cultural groups under her/him. The idea is that in any socio-political consultation with other ethnic nationalities an Igbo leader (chief or Eze) is actually supposed to represent the people by presenting their collective opinions or views. To accomplish this task successfully, the Eze must have consulted with the head of religious bodies, that is the chief priests and oracle men, some of whom are deemed to bring the oracle of God and venerated ancestors to bear on the living. The leader must also have the final words of the following: the outcome of his deliberations with the NdiIchie (council of aged people men and women by whatever title they are known); the Nze and Ozor title holders; and leaders of the various age-groups.
The genealogy of priests or priest Kings among Igbos dates back to the days of yore ,around 8th century AD,giving rise to the kingdom of Nri .This gives an insight into the antiquity of Igbo people and why they are among the earliest inhabitants of Nigeria, recognised by the Federal government.
The kingdom of Nri was not formed to fight neighbours or enemies, as most people will ask where is the armies of the Kingdom, No .It was a kingdom of peace, not ruled by a monarch but a priest (dibias) .
Nri expanded through converts gaining neighboring communities' allegiance, not by force.Nri influence was known all over Igboland ,East and west of Niger River ,up to idah ,kogi state, and to areas where igbo migrants had earlier migrated to west of niger River and to Idu where we have Igbanke igbos till today.They maintained ties with those who identify with them.Nri priests helped to cleanse grave social infractions and abominations and conferring of rights of leadership. They settle disputes and punish crimes, they were consulted as far as Benin by the benin Obas .
Awka blacksmithers always worked alongside Nri priest(patron and founder of the Ozo title) and they made and fabricated the ozor staff(ofor) ,iron bells and other ritual staves for the Nri priest.
Ancient Nri culture and civilization is manifested in the igbo ukwu artifacts with bronze plates and mask bearing ICHI scarification all dating 8th-9th century AD,signaling a continuity of culture as observed among them up until British colonisation in Nigeria .The practice of Ichi was fully described by Olaudah Equiano,a freed Igbo slave in the 16th centuries in his book (interesting narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano. ).
Reference:
The Dictum, Igbo Enwe Eze (Igbo Has No King) by Michael Onyedika Nwalutu