IGBOZURUOKE MEDIA

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free—John 8:32

The needless death of Ms Nnenna Onu, a 35-year-old woman from Ebonyi State could have been avoided, if Igbo females would appreciate their place in Igbo social structure and respect themselves.  

Though I am not conversant with the issues surrounding her alleged murder, probably, by her male relatives, over ancestral property, however, I consider it pertinent to reiterate my previous warnings and further clarify certain issues, if it could help to stem further tragedies.  

According to Mr. Christopher Okorie of the National Human Rights Commission in Ebonyi State, she was killed in 2021 and her body burnt beyond recognition at Amagu Anike, in Onicha L.G.A. of Ebonyi State.

 This case is a replication of a few death and ugly incidents that have occurred over the same issue. Since, these deaths have continued to occur as a result of this squabbles, does it not clearly demonstrates that the Supreme Court judgment of 2004 that affirmed Igbo females’ right to ancestral property and give impetus to this claims, remains inconsequential, impracticable and only meant to cause chaos in Igbo social structure.

That Igbo resistance to this obnoxious and insensitive rule is leading to the death of Igbo ladies demonstrate the abhorrence of this judgment. Because, there is no way a legitimate Igbo son would allow a female relative to lay claims to what is his by ancestry and inheritance. Therefore, any Igbo lady that insists on fighting for “her right” must gird her wrapper or trouser properly because he who instituted the Ekpe dance must be prepared to cover the mileage.

If Igbo females elect to challenge the foundation on which a critica  system is based, then, it becomes problematic and many heads will roll. Because, any legitimate Igbo male who condones this effrontery would have ceded his birth right to a female who has no such right. Furthermore, a son who tolerated this absurdity would have committed a crass suicide.

The mistake Igbo feminist and their misguided backers are making is to equate ancestral property in Igbo land with what it may be in other climes. In Igbo, anything ancestry embodies the spirituality of Igbo existence and on this note, females lack the legitimacy to get involve. Since this line of topic is not the focus this article, we continues as the highlights of that topic will be treated in the next volume..

While I express my heart-felt condolences to the family of the victim, and state that, no one deserve to die the way she did, I sincerely hope the perpetrators of this heinous crime will be arrested and adequately punished to serve as a deterrent. No matter the case, a gruesome murder of this magnitude is against Igbo norm and should not be tolerated. The aggrieved murders could have dealt with her in a different way.    

A fact to note:

Like I have always said, the antics of Ndi Igbo are beginning to irritate me. Their double standard and hypocrisy, when it comes to Igbo culture amaze me. Since the infamous Supreme Court judgment on Igbo females’ inheritance in 2004, those who have challenged and still challenging it are Christians. How can an Igbo Christian lady adopt the Bible on one hand and be condemning Igbo culture on the other hand?

In Bible and Igbo accounts, females are not even counted as statutory household members, let alone one to qualify for ancestral property. All that the Christian bible preaches in the Old Testament are the same with what is found in Igbo culture, yet our ladies who are devout Christians will accept the Bible teachings, hook, line and sinker but turn round to castigate Igbo culture.

There is this likelihood, that, it is only in Igbo and the Jews culture that the legitimacy of a child, is by payment the bride price of the child’s mother not necessarily by bloodline. It is equally in these two systems that a child born after the death of his or her husband belongs to him and bears the late man’s name. In both cultures, the abhorrence of female menstrual flows is fierce as the “unclean” woman is put in seclusion until she becomes “clean” again. We cannot begin to feign ignorance of these facts because of the deleterious acts of Christians and other misguided elements in Igbo land.

Like the Jews also, the Igbo system expects every daughter to get married and transform into a member of her new family. Thereafter, Her rights, now starts and end at her husband’s place where she could inherits all rights according to the customs of her new home. Any further interaction with her maiden family is restricted to a mere visit, on requests or for a special purpose.

In the case, where a father encouraged her daughter to remain in the family and bear children to his name, the man while living would have informed his kinsmen of his intention and make provisions for the upkeep of his daughter which must not include any ancestral property.

If a daughter for whatever reason fail to marry, her place in the family is restricted in line with what the custom proclaims. Her rights and activities will also be subsumed under the authority of her closest relative even if he is far younger than her.

The culture of females’ inheritance is alien to Igbo culture and traditions. In the climes where it is practiced, it could be for a purpose. In Igbo land, it is not. Igbo daughter who are coveting this system may have found themselves at the wrong side of the river and must abandon such desires. Besides, it is not only the Igbo that practice this culture. In Edo, woe betides any female that will even dream of such. The Ibibio, Idoma and many other Nigerian tribes practice this culture, so why is the Igbo practice different?

The disrespect for Igbo culture by some Igbo ladies is surprising and annoying. There is no doubt that Igbo Christians and some elements that are not legitimate to partake in some Igbo privileges will loathe this practice and continue to instigate misguided Igbo ladies to challenge it. Well, a bitch that volunteers to hunt must be prepared to endure lacerations.

The entitlement of Igbo sons to inheritance and to other privileges are not a privilege but a birthright. You cannot say because a prince is a drunk and he would no longer be a prince. If a daughter delights her father and deserves compensation, it is left for him, while alive to honour her as he deems fit, provided it does not include ancestral property.

In part two, the reasons for this culture and its maintenance will be highlighted and the Supreme Courts’ pronouncement on this matter has remained inconsequential, would also be laid bare.

Like Fela Kuti sang in “Teacher don’t teach me nonsense,” every constitution derives its powers from the people’s culture and traditions, any attempt to curtail this fact in the Igbo case, will not be tolerated. Ndi Igbo of today did not make this law, it has being in practice since the time of Igbo ancestry. As an element that has ensured stability in Igbo existence and in their marriage system, those who are scheming to truncate it will be accosted by Igbo ancestors in the dark lane.

Boniface Alanwoko