IRRI CHIEFTAINCY TITLE: MATTERS ARISING
The recent Chieftaincy titles being colourfully conferred on some prominent sons and daughters of Irri community has equally brought the reformed system of chieftaincy title in Nigeria. The renewed chieftaincy title brought some traditional changes which many saw it as a way of transforming the entire process of Isoko leadership at all levels.
Most of these chieftaincy titles were bestowed on selected Irri community sons and daughters who have extremely contributed to the developmental progress of the land. It was a random selection being made by each Irri clan community to bring one of their faithful and dedicated sons and daughters to the take the chieftaincy title. It is a means to unite all the Irri communities together in recent times. Though Irri was being painted as troubled community some years back when some leaders were taken laws into their hands without considering the future of Irri kingdom. This traditional chieftaincy title was conducted by a respected and firebrand servant of God who is the son of the Irri community, Archbishop Apena, the General Overseer of the Bethseda Gospel Church who used anointed olive oil and bible as an oath taking by each of the chiefs representing Irri villages. The system is gradually improving to the extent that Irri community no longer give chieftaincy title on herbalist system which amounted to diabolic ritual sacrifices and appeasing the so-called deadly gods in the land.
To some large extent, people used to see chieftaincy title as avenue to belong to a notable cult group to get quick wealth and fame but the reverse is now the case. Though these personalities were dressed` with red attires but for religious purposes. The Irri chieftaincy title was an avenue to correct some political anomalies that has beclouded the community over the years. Over the years, Irri villages were living in disunity and disharmony even though there were meetings that assembled on monthly or weekly basis to unite these Irri communities, yet some treacherous and double-crossing leaders decide to use oil companies to cause trouble in the land due to their selfish and voracious interests. Local leadership was the bane of progress in Irri kingdom. Irri was abashed with media reports on crisis from leadership tussle to individual ambition which inversely resulted to many deaths while many dead bodies still lying in the morgue.
Having seen the new system of Irri chieftaincy which indicated that chiefs are now sons and daughters of God in all ramifications. It is no longer ritual pursuit or wearing ungodly attires that paint chieftaincy title as diabolic one and nothing else. Though the many deaths rumour that made many rounds that the chieftaincy coronation would not hold only met a brick wall by satanic vampires of the kingdom due to the illness of the Odiologbo of Irri kingdom but God averted the death.Irri kingdom is fast becoming a Christian community while Idol worshipping is gradually fading out in the system. Over 70 percent of pentecostal and orthodox churches are sited in the region which helped to propagate the good news of Jesus Christ. The unity of Irri kingdom was propounded by some Irri elites that felt Irri has grown beyond of age to have a formidable leadership. The Chieftaincy title was duly selected from each community within Irri kingdom.
Though some Nigerians see chieftaincy titles as way to exploit their communities through the oil companies that are sited in their regions. Chieftaincy title is a traditional honour being bestowed on individual who has creatively done well to uplift their community. Even to some extent that many Nigerians are addressed as Chief Dr, Professor, and Engineer. Titles are the problems confronting local community leadership which has caused several community clashes resulted to deaths of Irri sons and daughters which was politically motivated by some self-centered cabals in the land.
Chieftaincy title is a form of appreciating people who have largely contributed to their communities. Irri is one of the prominent Isoko communities that has the largest clan but directly marginalized by powers that be. The last Irri chieftaincy awards of investiture brought huge networking of Irri community sons and daughters together to have one voice and know themselves. The cost of acquiring Chieftaincy title is quiet expensive in Nigeria which traditional honours only bestowed on achievers. It is a way for traditional leaders of community to make money .But some people received chieftaincy titles not on merit but for high financial bargain power which also serves as iota of corruption in Nigeria.Even national awards aren no longer meaningful to Nigerians again. Every Irri villages is gradually embracing God which the recent flood has wiped out idol houses in the land. Chieftaincy titles can be given without performing any traditional rites or rituals. The chieftaincy title is all about making those being crowned with it to increase their humanitarian services to the downtrodden in the society. In the recent devastating Nigeria's flood that swept Isoko nation, some of the newly crowned chiefs were part and parcel of those that fed some of the flood victims and single-handedly accommodated them without qualms. Chief Edwin Ufuoma Ozah and Chief (Mrs) Rita Ozah must be commended for their faithful humanitarian services to flood victims. The marginalization of Isoko speaking communities in Ndokwa east during the flood crisis elicited the Likes of Ozahs, Essiens to save thousands of lives in the land.
Lastly, Chieftaincy titles are no longer mere titles for unbelievers but Christians who have diligently served their various communities well without stain. All those that were being bestowed with these chieftaincy titles like Chief John Okih, Prof. Stephen Akpavie, Chief Sunny Okedi and others have largely contributed to the developmental progress of their various communities. Chieftaincy title is an old traditional award which reformed system has equally brought light to Isoko leadership. The Odiologbo of Irri kingdom must be commended for bringing an innovative system of leadership to the community. Those that facilitated crisis from one community to other are now facing the music of rejection in the land. Only time will tell if the reformed system of chieftaincy title will continue while other Isoko communities must follow the same trend of transformational leadership in the land. BY GODDDAY ODIDI. PUBLIC AFFAIRS ANALYST. 08058124798,07086603306. 20 oro street Ajegunle Apapa lagos.