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Urhobo traditional rulers and chieftaincy titles By
“The deterioration of every government (Tradition) begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded”. – King Richard II .Neanderthal man’s quest to proceed on a civilizing mission from a state of anarchical entropy to a state of socio-political and cultural amour-propre was not serendipitous, but a function and fundamental imperative of natural metamorphosis. This, ultimately created a hierarchical order for the effective government of society - a kind of Rousseau’s social contract. The man at the apex of the administrative ladder needs to appoint people to work with him to ensure smooth management of the community. The Urhobo Nation and Country has not been left out of this system. Hence, to forestall monarchical absolutism, we have kings who also appoint appurtenances of governance (chiefs) who are sunken in the customs and tradition of the Urhobo people.
The Urhobo people consider that chieftaincy institution as the matrix, fons et origo and the locus classicus on which their customs and traditions rotate. Hence, traditional rulers and chiefs are awesomely revered and olympianly esteemed. They are indeed next to the gods and ancestors. They are anthropologically considered to be palpable representatives of unseen deities. They constitute the escutcheon and insignia with which the Urhobo nation is panoplied. They are given various titles and vested with myriad traditional authorities. They are arrayed them with great recognition and dignity in and outside the Urhobo Nation.
But like Caesar’s wife they the chiefs are expected to be above suspicion. Their title behooves them to conduct and deport themselves in a way and manner befitting such a royal position. Theya re the lucent crowns of their families, their communities and the Urhobo nation. They are also expected to dress neatly in Urhobo attires decked with beads (Evie). They are given the privilege of breaking cola-nuts and receiving it first during traditional and social gatherings. There are striking parallels and similarities between the Pharaohs and minions of ancient Egypt and Urhobo traditional rulers and chiefs. This is unraveled when we delve into Egyptological and Urhobological studies. Both are the sapphires and carbuncles of their communities and arrow head of their traditions.
But today, the Urhobo chieftaincy institution has become bastardized, bedraggled and befuffled to a state of the superfluity of nothingness. The institution is now a pestiferous sepulchre sunken in the mausoleum of rottenness. The chieftaincy titles are not steeped in the cauldron of monetization. Chieftaincy titles are now sold to the highest bidders and some traditional rulers are sunken in the commercial vendorisation of chieftaincy titles.
What a shame and how the mighty fallen. Shakespeare asserts that men have lost their reasons and powers have flown to the brutish beast. The once revered Urhobo traditional institution has in some areas lost its glory. Our sacred traditional institutions have become completely politicized and in a comatose situation.
The institution was set on the spiral of decay by some lily-livered and conscience mortgaging traditional rulers who were also caught in the cross-current of military-political aberrations. The military government whimsically created traditional rulers and kingdoms without regard for the history of the people of the area. So much so that, traditional rulers litter every nook and crannies in Urhoboland. Every street has a traditional ruler. We have got to a stage where there are kings without kingdoms. These so-called kings now resort to legalizing their illegality by looking for cronies to worship them and those to feed them. The shortest cut is to bestow chieftaincy titles on the highest bidders, 419’ers, money doublers, men of dubious character, political thugs, drug barons, military crooks, power mongers and corrupt politicians.
Some of their appointed chiefs have followed suit with bovine blindness the footsteps of their traditional rulers. As we now see “young chiefs of 25 - 45 years old who refuse to greet, genuflect or bow (digue) before their seniors and their uncles of 50 years old and above. They do this under the guise that an Urhobo chief does not greet or genuflect before or to a non-chief. Is this not an idea that bothers on the brink of lunancy? The Urhobo tradition holds age in high esteem. In short age is the fulcrum on which Urhobo tradition rotates. We now see a psychotic proliferation of chieftaincy titles in Urhoboland. Some are even given by juju priest, shrine curators, museum attendants and deity worshippers. Everybody and anybody can get one. They struggle for superiority and recognition in traditional forums, so much so that the order of precedence is breached.
It is critically crucial for there to be effective rhythmization of titles in all areas to ensure that there are no multiple issuing agents. The shame in some areas like Udu/Orhoguorhun, Orho Abraka/Oria Abraka, etc. does not augur well for the Urhobo traditional institution. Some of these communities have suffered many years of interregnum because of sheer intransigence and the uncooperative attitude of the people towards the appointment of a new king or head. It has become an all-comers affairs as chieftaincy titles are awarded with frivolity. This must stop.
Dec 2002
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