In pre-colonial times, the Igbo people were politically decentralized. This was due to the individualistic "Biri ka mbiri" (live and let live) or "onye kwe, Chi ye ekwe" (one's god stands with ones belief or what one chooses to agree with) philosophy.

This encouraged hardwork, self-reliance and self-motivation towards self preservation.

As a result of this philosophy, igbos acclimatized to the political environment closest to them. For instance, because of the centralized system of the Benin kingdom, most Igbo villages or communities on the borders of the river Niger either:

centralized their community headship (obi, asagba, dein)

Or cleaved under the protection of the Benin oba by paying tributes to him while still preserving their Igbo tradition and tradesmanship (thanks to Eze Chime).

On the east side of the river Niger, the Igbo were more communal in dispensing authority. This was usually presided by the council of elders. There may have been a few traditional rulers in some villages but their mornarchy was strictly constitutional and they were midwived by the elders in council.

There were however, theocratic systems in some communities where the high priest also doubled as the leader of the community. This can be seen in the likes of the Eze Nri and Eze Aro in Aguleri and Arochukwu communities present day Anambra and Abia states respectively.

The theocracies could be because these communities were the centres of the two notable Igbo kingdoms - the NRI HEGEMONY and the ARO CONFEDERACY. The former is noted for establishing and spreading much of the Igbo customs and tradition even to non igbo communities like the igala and idoma communities, while the later was noted for economic and military expansion in present day eastern region of Nigeria and the southern cameroons.

An Onitsha (onicha) man sees Nnewi as another country; an Abiriba man sees Ngwaland as another country; an Ubakala man sees Ibeku as another country (despite being so close and proxy to each other in present day umuahia and similar in everything!). An Mbaise man sees Okigwe as another country, an Abakaliki man sees Afikpo as another country; an Nsukka man sees Enugwu-ukwu as another country. The autonomy is the same in almost every community in igboland.

The entry of British colonialism changed all that. However the old order of decentralization affected borderline Igbo communities e.g agbor, igbo-akiri, ukwuani, etc in present day Delta state and River states e.g etche, ikwerre, etc.

These communities were affected in the sense that their closeness and sometimes intermingling with other ethnicities resulted into their desire to be regarded as a different ethnicity, particularly after the fall of the old eastern region in the civil war.

OAM4J Mynd44 imhotep

ofai:
In pre-colonial times, the Igbo people were politically decentralized. This was due to the individualistic "Biri ka mbiri" (live and let live) or "onye kwe, Chi ye ekwe" (one's god stands with ones belief or what one chooses to agree with) philosophy.

This encouraged hardwork, self-reliance and self-motivation towards self preservation.

As a result of this philosophy, igbos acclimatized to the political environment closest to them. For instance, because of the centralized system of the Benin kingdom, most Igbo villages or communities on the borders of the river Niger either:

centralized their community headship (obi, asagba, dein)

Or cleaved under the protection of the Benin oba by paying tributes to him while still preserving their Igbo tradition and tradesmanship (thanks to Eze Chime).

On the east side of the river Niger, the Igbo were more communal in dispensing authority. This was usually presided by the council of elders. There may have been a few traditional rulers in some villages but their mornarchy was strictly constitutional and they were midwived by the elders in council.

There were however, theocratic systems in some communities where the high priest also doubled as the leader of the community. This can be seen in the likes of the Eze Nri and Eze Aro in Aguleri and Arochukwu communities present day Anambra and Abia states respectively.

The theocracies could be because these communities were the centres of the two notable Igbo kingdoms - the NRI HEGEMONY and the ARO CONFEDERACY. The former is noted for establishing and spreading much of the Igbo customs and tradition even to non igbo communities like the igala and idoma communities, while the later was noted for economic and military expansion in present day eastern region of Nigeria and the southern cameroons.

An Onitsha (onicha) man sees Nnewi as another country; an Abiriba man sees Ngwaland as another country; an Ubakala man sees Ibeku as another country (despite being so close and proxy to each other in present day umuahia and similar in everything!). An Mbaise man sees Okigwe as another country, an Abakaliki man sees Afikpo as another country; an Nsukka man sees Enugwu-ukwu as another country. The autonomy is the same in almost every community in igboland.

The entry of British colonialism changed all that. However the old order of decentralization affected borderline Igbo communities e.g agbor, igbo-akiri, ukwuani, etc in present day Delta state and River states e.g etche, ikwerre, etc.

These communities were affected in the sense that their closeness and sometimes intermingling with other ethnicities resulted into their desire to be regarded as a different ethnicity, particularly after the fall of the old eastern region in the civil war.

OAM4J Mynd44 imhotep

Igbo land remains the most dynamic and forward looking part of Nigeria because of all these

Let me chill here and wait for someone to misyarn.

Corrinthians:
Let me chill here and wait for someone to misyarn.

Enemies of progress

imhotep:

Enemies of progress

If you want me to scatter this thread, i will gladly oblige.

Op Ofai, what do you say?

Please Igbo ignore this thread and it will die a natural death...thanks in advance and happy sunday

Believe you me, the the Igbo's precolonial political system is not the cause of its political backwardness in the current united Nigeria political system - the people's ethical leanings is the cause. Just a change of ethical leanings by at least 50% of the established political and business class will reshape for good the cause of the tribe.

Are Igbo's truly republican in nature as notionally assumed by many? My personal answer is NO.

LordKO:
Believe you me, the the Igbo's precolonial political system is not the cause of its political backwardness in the current united Nigeria political system - the people's ethical leanings is the cause. Just a change of ethical leanings about at least 50% of the established political and business class will reshape for good the cause of the tribe.

Are Igbo's truly republican in nature as notionally assumed by many? My personal answer is NO.

Ethical leanings abi

imhotep:

Ethical leanings abi

Myopia a big disease. LOL. That poster you pasted there doesn't depict my "ethical leanings" assertion.

LordKO:


Myopia a big disease. LOL. That poster you pasted their doesn't depict my "ethical leanings" assertion.

Direct your ethical leanings to those who loot the country's money with reckless abandon.

imhotep:

Direct your ethical leanings to those who loot the country's money with reckless abandon.

Kindly vamoose and look for your small-minded mates elsewhere. Obviously you don't know the meaning of "ethical leanings." Herein you're currently exhibiting one of the negative attitudes that's the bane of the tribe's political backwardness.

LordKO:


Kindly vamoose and look for your small-minded mates elsewhere. Obviously you don't know the meaning of "ethical leanings."

That's right
Marginalize a section of the country, loot 99% of the national treasury, then begin to lecture the marginalized peoples about ethics

I catch your drift . . .

imhotep:

That's right
Marginalize a section of the country, loot 99% of the national treasury, then begin to lecture the marginalized peoples about ethics

I catch your drift . . .

Marginalization! Marginalization!! Marginalization!!! Lol.

Well, I'm a bona fide Igbo man and a stakeholder in the polity too. So forget about this talk OK.

LordKO:


Marginalization! Marginalization!! Marginalization!!! Lol.

Well, I'm a bona fide Igbo man and a stake holder in the polity too. So forget about this talk OK.

No wahala.
Ndi Igbo took their own destiny into their own hands.
They can keep the marginalization in Aso Rock files

I don't see how our pre colonial system of administration affects our so called current political misfortune..you will discover that we continued that system of administration until the British introduced warrant chiefs and native authority in our region.
This writeup doesn't adress the bane of our problem or trace its roots to our pre colonial system of administration.

hornyofife:
[s]Please Igbo ignore this thread and it will die a natural death...thanks in advance and happy sunday[/s]

LordKO:
Believe you me, the the Igbo's precolonial political system is not the cause of its political backwardness in the current united Nigeria political system - the people's ethical leanings is the cause. Just a change of ethical leanings by at least 50% of the established political and business class will reshape for good the cause of the tribe.

Are Igbo's truly republican in nature as notionally assumed by many? My personal answer is NO.

Igbo are republican in nature. Its a well known fact.

ofai:


Igbo are republican in nature. Its a well known fact.

"Truly" is an active word in my question. Notionally yes we're, literally we aren't. I've my facts. Actually, popular/age long held opinion doesn't automatically equal to fact.

Similarity is different from exactness.

Bye.

LordKO:


"Truly" is an active word in my question. Notionally yes we're, literally we aren't. I've my facts. Actually, popular/age long held opinion doesn't automatically equal to fact. Bye.

Pls do you mind sharing your facts? We are learning and rubbing minds.

Anyway this thread is just the PART ONE. Part two will soon be ready.

Efulefu in action.

hornyofife:
Please Igbo ignore this thread and it will die a natural death...thanks in advance and happy sunday

Stop this ALARMIST attitude. This thread isn't anti-igbo. Just get away with your inferiority complex.

Amarabae:
Efulefu in action.

Good evening. Nkeahu gbasaragi. This thread is purely educational, not anti-igbo in any way.