Fellow Political Section Posters,

I've been wondering for a while, whether there was really a concept of chivalry in Nigerian ethnic groups. We have Christendom's knighthood and Islamic Futuwwa, which are foreign in origin, still maintains the original chivalric formations but isn't anything like we have in our ethnicities.

Do we / did we ever have or had such in our ethnic groups? In Igboland, there is the concept of "Ikemba" - which meant "strength of a particular area". So for example, Ojukwu himself, being the Ikemba Nnewi, meant "the strength of Nnewi". There was also the concept of "Nze" - who makes up the King's cabinet. I don't know to what extent, they would have been chivalric.

In Yorubaland, there is the concept of Aare Ona Kakanfo - which is a revered title and thought to be higher than "Ikemba Nnewi" but equivalent to "Ikemba Ndigbo" - though no one currently has this title. However, "Aare Ona Kakanfo" might have been considered the "ultimate knight", what were the normal knights referred to? Were they the Oyo mesi?

In Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri ethnic groups, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems the overwhelming influence of Islam has "washed away" most of the original cultural aspects of the ethnic groups in preference of the Futuwwa.

I might have been wrong about Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Yoruba and Kanuri chivalries and have limited knowledge of other ethnic groups' chivalries such as Ijaw, Nupe, Isoko, Bini, Efik, Ibibio, Annang, Tiv etc. In reality, what are / were the state of chivalries, if any, in our ethnicities? 

More broadly, in present day Nigeria and for those in champion of a "one Nigeria", is there any relevance to a more nationalistic chivalry devoid of foreign origin but very similar to the knighthood and futuwwa where men and women of virtue, who have distinguished themselves in services to the nation, are honoured or are such chivalries lost to religion and kingdoms? (Forget OON etc).

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Please, no offensive posts are tolerated. Do not attempt to de-rail this thread which promotes diversity in Nairaland. [/size]

[size=14pt]I myself (and maybe others) want to learn about other ethnicities as that's the main reason why I love Nairaland. [/size]

You are right Are ona kankanfo is a revered Title in Yoruba land. 1 million times better than Ikemba nnewi or ndigbo because we Yorubas don't allow our Are ona Kankanfo to lose a war or battle. Once you engaged in a war or battle on Yorubas behalf you have no excuse to lose. You must even paid with your Life if that is what will make Yoruba to triumph like Abiola's battle to realise a Yoruba Presidential Ambition which eventually went to OBJ unlike ikenba ndigbo that ran away at the sight of a rifle. Our Generals don't ease in their pants if their is War. Win or die is their motto. Don't ever compare the cowardly title of ikemba nnewi with our highly revered and Powerful Title of Are Ona Kankanfo. Stop comparing a two storey building with Mount. EVEREST.

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seanet02:

You are right Are ona kankanfo is a revered Title in Yoruba land. 1 million times better than Ikemba nnewi or ndigbo because we Yorubas don't allow our Are ona Kankanfo to lose a war or battle. Once you engaged in a war or battle on Yorubas behalf you have no excuse to lose. You must even paid with your Life if that is what will make Yoruba to triumph like Abiola's battle to realise a Yoruba Presidential Ambition which eventually went to OBJ unlike ikenba ndigbo that ran away at the sight of a rifle. Our Generals don't ease in their pants if their is War. Win or die is their motto. Don't ever compare the cowardly title of ikemba nnewi with our highly revered and Powerful Title of Are Ona Kankanfo. Stop comparing a two storey building with Mount. EVEREST.

Haba haba. Na fight? Are we not here to celebrate what we all have as Nigerians? Did you see where I compared Aare Ona Kakanfo title to Ikemba Nnewi? What I wrote was that it is comparable to "Ikemba Ndigbo" and not "Ikemba Nnewi". I'm not comparing the AOK to the person of Ojukwu rather, I'm comparing titles here. Ikemba Nnewi is equivalent to Ikemba of Awka, is equivalent to Ikemba Owerri etc.


@Ezeagu,

Nawa o. Na vomit u dee vomit 4 this beauriiiiiiiiiiiful thread? Kedu ife e lo nwanne?

seanet02:

You are right Are ona kankanfo is a revered Title in Yoruba land. 1 million times better than Ikemba nnewi or ndigbo because we Yorubas don't allow our Are ona Kankanfo to lose a war or battle. Once you engaged in a war or battle on Yorubas behalf you have no excuse to lose. You must even paid with your Life if that is what will make Yoruba to triumph like Abiola's battle to realise a Yoruba Presidential Ambition which eventually went to OBJ unlike ikenba ndigbo that ran away at the sight of a rifle. Our Generals don't ease in their pants if their is War. Win or die is their motto. Don't ever compare the cowardly title of ikemba nnewi with our highly revered and Powerful Title of Are Ona Kankanfo. Stop comparing a two storey building with Mount. EVEREST.

You know the fear of General Sanni Abacha is the only beginning of wisdom to some Generals,
What was the name of the General that knelt down and wept like a baby? Pls remind me.

henry101:

You know the fear of General Sanni Abacha is the only beginning of wisdom to some Generals,
What was the name of the General that knelt down and wept like a baby? Pls remind me.

 

I dee beg una. Make we stick to the thread topic.

[center]And this is where this thread dies a slooow death. . . . .[/center]

ezeagu:

[center]And this is where this thread dies a slooow death. . . . .[/center]

Nwanne, let's be positive about such threads. Its a faster way that we can learn much about other Nigerian ethnicities.