In his book Anioma: A Social History of the Western Igbo People, Ohadike describes "the eze or ozo title system" as it was in the nineteenth century (1994, 87-90). He explains that the "eze" title was one of several which allowed a male "to climb the social ladder" (ibid., 87). He writes that "the eze title was acquired by purchase" and that to qualify a man had to first purchase junior titles and to have satisfactorily carried out the duties associated with those titles (ibid., 88).

Movements from the junior toward the higher titles were the preliminaries that would eventually lead to the acquisition of the eze title. The final ceremony involved a ritual death and resurrection, without which immortality could not be attained. The entire process of eze-taking must of necessity be consummated by this ritual death and resurrection. Men who were able to complete the process were called ndi ichie, "the immortals"; to take the ozo or eze title and receive the gift of immortality transformed the recipient from the status of an ordinary human to that of a god. The Igbo also believed that as immortality could not be inherited, so could a title not be passed down from father to son or daughter ...

The taking of the eze title was very expensive, demanding elaborate feasting, the offering of animal sacrifices, and the paying of very high initiation fees. ...

Every Niger Igbo man coveted the eze title (or some of its variants, alo or ichie) because it guaranteed its holder a seat in the governing council of his town. It also entitled him to certain portions of livestock slaughtered in his lineage, together with portions of all fees paid by new initiates into the title association. Furthermore, the title exempted its holder from all manual labor. His red cap, decorated with eagle feathers, and his staff of office, otonsi, were immediately recognized anywhere he went. He was greeted with the salutation, "igwe" (His Highness), and anyone who troubled him or failed to give him the respect he deserved was made to pay a heavy fine. It was perilous to cause an eze man bodliy harm. These chiefs constituted the privileged, non-laboring, ruling class (ibid., 88-89).

Further information on the eze title was provided in 3 June 2000 correspondence from the "Special Representative for the Ebonyi State Government of Nigeria for Britain and Europe" who is affiliated with the Young Igbos Social Club in London, U.K. The club was formed in 1991 as a social and cultural organization for Igbos living in the U.K.. He wrote that the information he provided is his personal viewpoint.

The Ibos are highly democratic village societies and traditionally did not really have Eze (or king) in most villages or towns. With colonialism, paramount chiefs were appointed by the British and this spread the practice of Eze. In general, Eze is acquired by self-coronation. The person is usually wealthy and pays the cost of the coronation but not in all cases.

The Eze Title is acquired in several ways depending on the town or village. To be sure, one has to be specific about the village. However these are how Ezes may be coronated.

a) Inheritance. It devolves directly to a son. This is limited in Ibo land. It is a practice that is often resisted amongst the Ibos East of the Niger river but more acceptable, west of the Niger.

b) Rotation. It is rotated between certain families or clans, and the eldest, appointed person or the wealthiest depending on the village or town is crowned.

c) Rulership of Elders. The head of the elders become Eze or the elders apppoint the Eze. This is on the wane and is hardly practised anymore.

d) Self-Coronation. This has become the dominant route to Eze. People first acquire the title of Ozo or Chief. Then the Chiefs compete to be accepted as Eze. The person that succeeds normally pays for the cost of their coronation.

In modern times it is increasingly being purchased, but there are many which are still based on family linkage and inheritance.

There are numerous Post Express articles that use "Eze" as a title for individuals (24 Nov. 1998; 27 Oct. 1998; 27 Oct. 1998; 3 Dec. 1999).

A 4 March 1998 Post Express report on the desire of "ex-Biafran warlord, Chief Emeka Ojukwu" to become "Eze Igbo" stated that "Igbo elite have dismissed the title, meaning king of Igbos, as non-existent, arguing that Igbos, a republican nationality, do not have kings in their political culture."

Other references to the "Eze Igbo" include a 16 November 1999 Post Express report that states that "although the Eze Igbo attended," Anambra people boycotted the annual celebration of "Ibo day."

References to "Eze Igbos" include those for particular states such as "Eze Igbo Kano" (ibid. 23 May 2000), "Eze Igbo in Bauchi" (ibid. 25 Dec. 1997), "Eze Igbo Gombe" (ibid. 29 Oct. 1999), and "Eze Igbo of Lagos" (ibid. 22 May 2000).

There are also references to practices for conferring the title of Eze. According to a 3 December 1999 Post Express article, "Eze Udom Ogedi Udom has been appointed as the Eze Ndi-Igbo zone D under Apapa, Ajeromi-Ifetodun, Amuwo-Odofin and Ojo Local Government Areas of Lagos."

In May 2000, after "disagreement over who was the authentic and acceptable Eze Igbo of Lagos," a "normal election process" was held to determine the appropriate choice (Post Express 22 May 2000). A spokesperson stated that "many worthy sons of the Igbo race showed interest in the post. Consequently, an electoral process of selecting the best candidate was established. After some elimination stages, Chief Nwachukwu and Chief Ohazurike emerged as the final contestants to the post" (ibid.).

An18 December 1997 article on the installation of an Igbo chief "as the first paramount chief of the Igbo Community in the state with the title of 'Eze-Igbo 1 Zamfara'," reported that the "colourful," and well-attended, public ceremonies included testimonies to the chief and a variety of Igbo cultural dances (Post Express). "During the installation, the Emir of Gusau remarked that the qualities of humility, peace, love and charity have contributed to the choice of Chief Obijaku as the first Eze-Igbo" in that state (ibid.).

In other information, a person identified as an "Eze-Igbo" was reported as going to be "the royal father of the day" at a 20 December 1997 meeting of the "Christ Life International Fellowship and Evangelism, a multi-denominational ministry committed to the spread of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Post Express 14 Dec. 1997).

The Special Representative for the Ebonyi State Government of Nigeria also wrote the following with respect to the rituals accompanying the installation of an Eze:

It is impossible to give any general guidelines to rituals. They vary most considerably from village/town to village/town. Many of the rituals can be paganistic such as: taken oaths with idols, masquerading with "spirits of the dead" and many acts that are definitely non-Christian. Most born again Christians would find it impossible to participate in any truly traditional coronation. In a few villages they compromise and it is done under the church.

In a situation where the title is inherited, for instance to a first son, it can pose serious complications if the son is a committed Christian and the coronation is truly pagan, and the son refuses to be crowned. In a more traditional society such Christian refuseniks were ostracised or even killed. In any case it can create a real social trauma or stigma in which the refusenik can end up in exile, out of social stigma, or in the more serious cases, for fear of death or injury for committing an abomination (3 June 2000).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Ohadike, Don. C. 1994. Anioma: A Social History of the Western Igbo People. Athens: Ohio University Press.

Post Express [Lagos]. 23 May 2000. Bassey Iyang. "Igbo Community in Kano Denies MASSOB." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

_____. 22 May 2000. Walter Ukaegbu. "Eze Igbo: How Nwachukwu Was Selected, by Aide." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

_____. 3 December 1999. "Udom Appointed Eze Ndi-Igbo." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

_____. 16 November 1999. Stephen Oboh. "Ibo Solidarity." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

_____. 24 November 1998. Uche Nwosu. "12 Traditional Rulers Get Staff of Office in Abia." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

_____. 27 October 1998. Joke Kujenya. "Igbo Businessmen Advised to Embrace Formal Education." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

_____. 4 March 1998. "Ojukwu Declares Self Igbo Champion." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

_____. 25 December 1997. Tijjani Waziri. "Bauchi Gets Eze." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

_____. 18 December 1997. Doye Dappa. "Igbo's Get Leader in Zamfara." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

_____. 14 December 1997. "Religious Group Presents 'End-Time' Message Next Saturday." http://www.postexpresswired.com [Accessed 2 June 2000]

Young Igbos Social Club, London U.K. 3 June 2000. Correspondence from Special Representative for the Ebonyi State Government of Nigeria for Britain and Europe.

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

LEXIS-NEXIS

REFWORLD

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sites including:

Abia American Association, Boston Chapter

Africa News Update (The Norwegian Council for Africa)

Africa South of the Sahara, Africa Pages

African Studies Quarterly [University of Florida, Gainesville]. Volumes 1-4.

Mail and Guardian [Johannesburg].

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Johannesburg

Newswatch [Lagos].

Post Express [Lagos].

Relief Web. United Nations. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN)

Unsuccessful attempts to contact six non-documentary sources

Search engines including:

Odili.net (Nigeria Web)