IGBOZURUOKE FORUM

Ordinarily, it may appear as an unnecessary indulgence to overlook all the biting problems in Nigeria and in Igbo land in particular and dwell on a seemingly pastime being embraced by an increasing number of vixens in Igbo land. However, the aphorism that “if a log is allowed to remain long in the river, it becomes a crocodile,” dictates that certain matters should be the concern of responsible members of a society, if peace and equity must be guaranteed.

In an article on “How Igbo Culture Deprives Women’s Right to Inheritance despite a Supreme Court judgment in Ukeje vs Ukeje…” that appeared on Sahara online medium on April 27, 2024, shows that mischief makers and haters of the Igbo have joined the fray to further degrade the Igbo nation. Apparently, there seems to be a scheme being sponsored by certain individuals both in government and in other spheres in Nigeria, who are not Igbo to destroy the Igbo by attacking every segment of the Igbo culture.

Recently, a so-called Yoruba judge in Ondo State lambasted the Igbo and what he called their stupid and irresponsible culture. He made the comment during a judgment he gave in favour of his kinsman, a clergy, who reported a case of his spouse eloping with another man with their children. The couple had lived for years and had children without the husband attempting to know where the spouse comes from let alone paying a dime, as intent of making her to be his wife.

When the spouse probably got tired of a sordid affair, she moved in with a man who was prepared to make her his wife and become father to her children. Rather than the man who was expected to imbibe the Bible teaching on marriage as a clergy, approach his spouse parents in Igbo land, he approached a kangaroo court, where his kinsman did not only pass judgment against the woman but used the opportunity to pour invective on the Igbo and what he saw as a useless Igbo marriage culture on determining child ownership through the payment of bride price. In this case, the judge neither cared about what the culture of the Igbo, a major tribe in Nigeria, dictates on such matters nor had the decorum to be mindful of Igbo feelings, in his pronouncements.  

In the same vein, the Supreme Court judgment on rights of Igbo females to inherit ancestral land may be surprising to many but not to those who have been following the trends on an orchestrate assault on Igbo culture by some Igbo women and their misguided cheerleaders. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court and other traducers who are in sync on this issue have—jam rock—as they say, because, the judgment is inconsequential and cannot be implemented in Igbo land.  Moreover, the lamentations over the non-implementation of this jingoistic verdict since it was mouthed show it as a mere jamboree.    

In the same vein, there has been a plethora of castigation of Igbo culture over the years, especially, by some elements of the Yoruba ethnic group. At any opportunity, the Igbo culture is being presented as an archaic and a reprehensive system. The Yoruba and even some uniformed Igbo feels that the exclusion of females in most Igbo traditional engagements is reprehensive and despicable.

Going into details of this assertion is not meant as part of this article; however, the reasons of why and how they occur would be treated in the subsequent volumes. However, the point to note here is that, in all these chastisement, the educated Igbo women and their imprudent male supporters are the main cause. To highlight more on this issue, I present a Yoruba cultural event that discriminates against women but has not being challenged by their females or other Nigerian tribes:

Lagos community warns females to stay indoors on May 16 as it performs its Oro festival

The Ayangburen Palace in Ikorodu community has warned women to stay indoors during its annual traditional ‘Oro’ festival scheduled for May 16, 2024, daytime and nighttime.

Punch reports that in a letter issued by the Ayangburen Palace and signed by the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotob and addressed to the Medical Director of the Ikorodu General Hospital, females in the community were warned to stay indoors during the festival.

The letter, titled ‘Notification of Magbo (Oro) Festival 2024,’ read;

“This is to notify you of the above festival, which is slated for Thursday, May 16, 2024. According to tradition, all females are advised to remain in their respective homes and avoid moving around the town during the Oro festival.

Please note that your organization is affected by falling within the Oro traditional jurisdictions. You are hereby advised to adhere to the traditions of the town.”

The Oro festival among others is a prominent festival in the Yoruba tradition. It’s celebrated by male descendants and usually characterized by a daytime procession and high-pitched sounds in some areas or across the community as the case may be. It’s believed that females mustn’t be present during the ritual rites of the festival.

In the next volumes, reasons and explanations will be adduced to reasons, how and why the Igbo culture is the best suited to Igbo interest.

Boniface Alanwoko,

Journalist, publisher and Igbo activist