Among the Igbo people, titled men and women serve on an important cultural and educational decision making body. In the Igbo cultural organisation, the institution of the titled men and women is comprised of a number of influential Igbo personnel; namely the elder men and women leaders, different heads of village communities, heads of village-groups (towns), heads of dibia village fraternities, heads of Igbo town unions and the heads of Mmanwu (masquerade) institutions etc…(Duru, 1980: 30).
Chieftaincy titles therefore among the Igbo people in its practice of cultural solidarity serve the purpose and target to promote hard work, high moral standard in the society and to encourage and recognise individual achievements. In its focus, the individual remains the centre and concern, while the community reflects the courage and acceptance of the individual’s hard work. The individual is highly promoted by way of recognition of personal contributions towards the Igbo people’s growth and development. It is to this effect and demonstration Jell-Bahlsen (1980: 136) wrote:
…individual progress is an evident goal of the individual members of Igbo society.
Traditionally, such individual progress is based on the individual’s productivity contributing towards the reproduction of society as a whole; society is thereby constantly reconstituted. The individual progresses and reaches successively higher levels of social status throughout his/her life, thereby participating in society and contributing towards the continuation of society constantly reproduce society physically as well as the social relations and culture of their society.
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This means that every hard working Igbo individual is entitled to become a title holder, the mark of community approval and encouragement. Though a community may approach an individual to take a title because one has contributed immensely to the development of his or her community, one who can afford by payment for some kind of title in one’s community may still do so. Yet, one must have made his money honestly to qualify for such titles and for them to be worth any value in the community. This rule is in place to protect the important value or role title plays among the Igbo people. Generally, persons of ability, well reflected, diligence and good sense of respect earn themselves such recognitions and worthy respect in the Igbo cultural solidarity in their respective communities. It is based on these reasons that Ifemesia (2002:87-88) wrote thus…
…the privileges and obligations of the title-holder demanded that such wealth must have obtained honestly, a condition which was easily ascertained in a small community where everybody knew everybody else. Generally, wealth was regarded as a reflection of ability, diligence and good sense; hence the demonstration of wealth or well-being in title-taking gave a new and higher status (of course to encourage more individual productivity in the community)55. Ozo (among other titles) was of course, acquired only by the freeborn56 citizen and by the naturalized resident alien.
The title-holder was looked upon as a man or woman of reliable character, tact, integrity and sound judgement; a man in favour with his people, able to build up some following, and to contribute materially to the progress of the community.
Painfully though, it must be noted that currently “money” has taken the centre stage with regards to some cases of chieftaincy title taking among the Igbo people. In modern times it has been known that some wealthy persons have succeeded in “purchasing” the right to the Ozo-titles reserved for a certain group of families since it is hereditary in nature. This is so because of corruption resulting from individual greed and disrespect of tradition. Owing to this reason, there is discrimination against such Ozos whose “roots” as it were are not in the
“blessed soil,” but in the fleeting (transitory) air (Egudu 1971: 76-79).
55 Words in brackets are mine.
56 Freeborn citizens is emphasised here since the Ozo title among the Igbo people is held at the highest honour and is reserved for highly respected individuals in the society. To some Igbo community traditions, it is a hereditary title. None of the not-free citizens like the Osu (Slaves) as was earlier practised among Igbo communities was allowed to hold such titles. The Osu are members of a class-based social group who are descendants of cult slaves who had been sacrificed (not killed) but dedicated to a deity generations ago (Duru, 1980: 207).
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Not only this, the love of money among Igbo leaders in recent times have contributed to the disrespect for the process of selection of worthy members of the society to be honoured and recognised with the Igbo gesture of chieftaincy titles. Bribery and corruption of the traditional officials by the wealthy and well connected in the society have weighed down the significance accorded to chieftaincy titles among the Igbo people. Sources of individual money are no longer checked before people are accorded with Igbo titles these days. Corrupt individuals rather get to have titles no matter where their money comes from. The Igbo so called “Kings” have connived with thieves, robbers and even known corrupt individuals in government to arrange titles outside the community’s approval. This is a huge challenge to the Igbo cultural solidarity and development in this modern day era. I will return to this worrisome concern in the next chapter when I make the critical evaluation of this study.
The titled men and women play a significant role and command respect in cultural solidarity in governance of the Igbo people. In matters of adjudications and any development ventures among the communities, decisions are still reached through and based on a consultative process. No one person (even the title holders) in the Igbo community is allowed to make any unilateral decisions on matters that affect the entire community. All interest groups and individuals are consulted on issues affecting them.
The institution of titled men and women can be identified with the following cultural solidarity and development functions, roles and tasks in and around Igbo communities:
• As custodians of the Igbo people’s cultural solidarity, the titled men and women are charged with the vital role of guarding and protecting the Igbo community values, hence they remain a major asset to Igbo development (Achebe, 1966: 63).
• The Igbo economic growth rests in their hands since almost all of them are great yam (food) producers who have shown great ability to feed their community. An adult member of Igbo society is expected to raise many children and he proves himself as a good farmer in yam production. His taking a title completes his social status as a respected hard working individual (Jell-Bahlsen, 1980: 138-148).
• As a group that constitutes peace and justice institution among Igbo people, its role in conflict and crises resolution remains very prominent.
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• As an individual’s wealth grows and one expected to join this association, the central idea is to encourage solidarity through the sharing of one’s wealth and riches. Hence, this group functions as a propeller to the even distribution of wealth in the community as a whole. Title holders therefore play the role among the rich Igbo people to share their wealth with the poor and the needy of the community (Isichei, 1976: 104; Agbasiere, 2000: 40; Ifemesie, 2002: 87-90).
Hence, titles primarily engage every Igbo in social recognition of individuals for the promotion of morals, hard work, leadership and protection of Igbo integrity in their long search for solidarity. As an institution, titleholders exercise a form of social control by laying down certain rules of conduct for their members and proscribing certain forms of behaviour, which are considered unworthy of a titled man or woman. Even today as Uchendu (1965: 82) noted, this institution has not out lived its usefulness, nor has it lost its appeal to the contemporary Igbo people (Achebe, 1965: 63).
Finally, every Igbo man and woman looks forward to such social recognition and therefore promotion of the individual commitment and hard work to contribute to the growth and development of the Igbo people. Titles centre on promotion of solidarity among every Igbo.
Women are also accorded with this social honour and respect for their contribution towards the growth of the Igbo people (Ifemesie, 2002: 87). In Igbo matrilineal traditions therefore, women of great honour and respect had enjoyed positions of leadership and consequently were accorded titles of Igbo respect namely chiefs and Lolo (Lady of honour) [Agbasiere, 2000: xxiv, Plate 1; 40-41].
5.6 THE IGBO INSTITUTION OF DEVELOPMENT UNIONS IN CULTURAL