Dickson Okafor
His Royal Highness, Igwe Gerald Obunadike Mbamalu, has called on the federal and state governments to grant security vote for traditional rulers to enable them secure their domain.
He speaks on various issues in this interview.
In the last interview you granted this paper, you called for security vote for traditional rulers to enable them mobilize the locals to compliment government’s effort in the fight against insecurity; is it similar to the new security arrangement in the South West?
Recently, the South West governors, leaders and traditional rulers met and fashioned out a new security arrangement which involve the locals, vigilant groups and the hunters popularly refered to as the Egbekoyas just to compliment the efforts of security agents on how to end kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery. This could not have happened if the governors and leaders from the zone did not pool their intellect and resources together and also engage the traditional rulers. The new security arrangement on how to protect Yoruba land has also received the support of the Federal Government. So, I want to once again call on the five South-East governors, leaders and technocrats to emulate the South West region in order to protect our people in Igbo land. Security is a collective responsibility of all and should not be left for the three tiers alone. As custodian of the tradition and culture of our people, one of the primary responsibility of traditional rulers is to provide security for their subjects. This was the norm during the pre-colonial era hence, we had well secured communities then, but today we rely completely on modern method of security alone. So, at any occasion that warrants me to put forward the suggestion, I will voice it out. We, the South-East traditional rulers have been mooting this idea to the three tiers of government in the South-East to grant security vote for traditional rulers.
What do you think is the reason the federal and state governments are silent over this noble idea especially, now that the nation is faced with security challenges?
I don’t know why most people in government use the security challenge facing the nation to find favour. They are trying to be holier than the Pope. So, some of them for fear not to offend the government, have refused to say the truth.
Now that South West is doing something about insecurity in the region, what do you think South-East governors, leaders and traditional rulers should do to end killing of innocent people in the region?
I’m against reprisal attack against any one or group suspected to have killed our people in any part of Igbo land because hoodlums could disguise as herdsmen and attack our people in their farms. These miscreants are not happy with those who are engaged in legitimate means of livelihood and trying to revenge; you may end up attacking legitimate people with identity.
Traditional rulers have not done enough to imbibe core values and virtues of the cultural and traditions in the young ones, what is your view?
The traditional institution is up and doing, hence I disagree with the view that we have not done enough to instill in the young generation our core values. I blame politicians for misleading the youth because during campaigns, most of these youths are employed by politicians and immediately the elections are over, whether the politician is successful or not, he will abandon them. They don’t have programme to reintegrate the youth into the society after electioneering. So, after elections, politicians won’t engage these young people they recruited as thugs until next four years when there is another election. What do you think these youths will be doing for the three and half years they were out of job?
In the same vein, some traditional rulers are partisan; you see politicians being endorsed by traditional rulers during campaigns thereby compromising their position as father of all; what do you make of this?
Traditional rulers are human beings like the governors and President, some are incompetent. We have incompetent people in all institutions in this country and that does not mean that all of us are incompetent. Yes, politicians do come to us for royal blessing and we have no option but to give them our blessing. Remember, traditional rulers are not supposed to be involved in politics because we are father to all irrespective of political affiliation.
What is your take on the crowning of people outside Igbo land popularly called Eze Ndigbo in Diaspora?
That is one of the problems of Igbo when they said “Igbo enwe Eze”, meaning Igbo has no king. You cannot go anywhere outside Yoruba land and hear, Oba of Ife, Owerri or Kano. Also, you cannot hear Emir of Hausa Onitsha or Ibadan. You will never hear Oba of Benin in Iyanu Oba or Shomolu. It is only in Igbo land you hear this kind of humiliating behavior and funny names. Nobody in my community, Ojoto will indulge in such act or anywhere the person reside in the world because it is an abomination. You can’t answer such names if you come back home. So, it depends on the community the person hails from in Igbo land. Are you saying that if the so-called Eze Ndigbo in Diaspora comes back, the traditional ruler in his community will give way for him to preside as the monarch? That cannot happen anywhere in Igbo land because every community has one traditional ruler and not two.
What efforts have you and your colleagues made to stop the Eze Ndigbo trend?
We are not bothered because like I said earlier, if they come back to their respective communities, there is a traditional ruler there. It is worthy to note that most of them are not sons of the soil, majority of them are people of questionable character who are looking for undue recognition outside Igbo land. They buy the position with money and they struggle for it unlike the true Igbo traditional stool which is not contested; you are chosen by the gods and the people of the community. You must be transparent, with undoubted pedigree and you must merit it before you will be selected to them. So, it is an abomination to crown one king outside Igbo land, it is against Igbo tradition.