The Erimogwudu III of Amagu Ikwo Kingdom in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Eze Dominic Ibor Aloh, tells EDWARD NNACHI about the throne and his people

What kind of childhood did you have?

I grew up in a village and then, I used to join my age-mates to hunt animals in the bush. We would hunt rabbits, and so on. We would also go fishing. I also helped my uncle to tend to his cattle because my uncle had cattle then. That was before I started primary school education, although I didn’t start primary school early. I didn’t start too late either. I lost about three years before I started primary education in 1955.

What were you doing before you became a monarch?

I left primary school in 1961. After I left, I spent some years doing nothing. I was very clever and intelligent in primary school. I was promoted from primary two to standard two, instead of standard one. This was because the school management saw uncommon intelligence in me. They felt I was better than standard one. I didn’t even know I was that intelligent. It was just like when Peter said: “Let’s build three tabernacles here, one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for you.” Peter didn’t know what he was saying. So, I didn’t understand the level of my intelligence, but I knew I was doing something differently, which I felt was in line with the educational system at the time. In 1961, I took an entrance examination and went to secondary school. In 1962, I joined the Norwegian Church Agricultural Project, still as a student. I worked with them till 1966, when the issue of the Nigeria-Biafra war was brewing. So, I had to join the army (Biafran Army) then. I sustained some bullet wounds while in the army and God saved some of us and we returned peacefully in 1970; that was the time I met my wife. She is a native of Okigwe, in present Imo State. I told her I was going to marry her and I eventually married her. God knows I didn’t have sex with her until we got married and I brought her into my father’s compound; that is unlike boys do now. Throughout the time we courted, there was no sex. And I’m proud of that till date. I was with that Norwegian organisation between 1962, when I got into secondary school and 1966, when I finished and joined the army. They sponsored my education and feeding. Apart from that, I did Surveying and Architecture for my Ordinary National Diploma and Higher National Diploma. I went on to stay with the Europeans until they left in 1980; that was because I joined them again after I returned from the war. I was there and lived with them with my wife. The place where they lived then is where the Ebonyi State College of Education is currently situated, in Ikwo. We lived there with them. We had our first child in 1971 and we continued like that. Many people never took their jobs seriously then, but some of us worked very hard to achieve our goals in life. We were not preoccupied with the love of the flesh then, as we currently see these days. After the exit of the Europeans in 1980, I was appointed as the state chairman of a political party called Nigerian People’s Party. We were in Anambra State then and in 1983, the army took over government. And between 1983 and 1986, we were all in the village trying to survive. At this time, I had already left the Norwegian Church Agricultural Project. But we were also still very close. I bought a land close to the place where I built a structure for my family. It’s where I named Royal Guest House after I became a traditional ruler. I have since left the place for my home in the kingdom to stay. Soon after 1986, I was appointed a member of the customary court and was there for two years because the tenure ends every two years. During my second tenure, they saw me as someone important in my community and I was selected, not appointed, to become a traditional ruler. It was not contested. I didn’t contest it with anybody. And that is why I continue to say that it was God’s hands that worked there, with the help of Chief Okeagu Ogada, Chief Frank Ogbuewu, and some other prominent personalities from Ikwo. They wholeheartedly accepted the proposal of Chief Ogada for me to be the traditional ruler after the death of my predecessor, the late HRH Eze O. O. Nweke. That was how I became the traditional ruler of my kingdom.

What has been the secret of your strength as your responsibilities are many?

Yes, my responsibilities are very many, but I draw my strength from the men I have mentioned. Chief Ogada, who I call my mentor, is the Chairman of Divine Mandate in Ebonyi State. I have Chief Frank Ogbuewu and others. They have always encouraged me and said go on, we asked you to become the king and we cannot abandon you while you are the king. They always say I’m doing my best and I know nobody is perfect. I’m discharging my duties as traditional ruler to the best of my ability. I have been on this throne since 1991. They have been a source of encouragement.

Looking back, what would you describe as your biggest challenge on the throne?

My biggest challenge comes when there is disunity among the people. And I have always told the leaders to always talk whenever there is a problem so that peace can reign. But in any case, God has always helped me to manage and overcome them. In Igboland, there is a saying that when two elephants fight, the grass is the one that suffers. So to avoid this from happening, I quickly call for a meeting whenever there is a dispute among my people. Again, it’s not really easy to be in a position where you have to make a judgment on an issue that concerns two opposing individuals. This is also a challenge to me. However, I have always tried to use my ideas to calm every storm in the kingdom. I would appeal to the two people who have disagreements so that we can work together. Another challenge is that my community has been engaged in an inter-communal war with Adadanma community of Cross River State. My community, Amagu, has had a protracted land dispute with them and it has continued to cause panic among us. What we did for Cross River State few years ago has turned out to be a curse for us. Honestly, it’s a challenge for me because these two communities keep fighting till now, and this has been happening over the years. A lot of lives have been lost in the crisis and I do not like when lives are lost. When I was in the army, we lost friends, relatives, money and properties. So I know what it feels like to lose lives and properties. Presently, I wouldn’t want such to happen again and moreover, we are more civilised now than then. It’s a huge challenge for me.

What kind of festivals do you celebrate in your community?

We have many festivals in my community but I will name five of them. The first one is Nnefie-Oha festival. It’s celebrated to end the year and begin a new year. It is usually celebrated around August every year. After this festival, we would allow two days to pass, which is symbolically seen to mean the end of the old year and the beginning of the New Year. This normally falls on Eke market day and it ushers us into another festival called Eke-Nwanekwa. All Ikwo people celebrate it. Amagu celebrates it in grand style because of what it represents for them. It’s done to begin the New Year and usher in the new yam. Another one is the Ori Nji and this simply means the celebration of the full year with yams in abundance in the land. Aji-Nma is another festival we celebrate in this community. It’s also called festival of the departed souls. It’s held to remember the departed souls of our ancestors, loved ones, relatives, friends and great community leaders. It’s not widely recognised, but we observe it. The final one is Aji-Ereke. As we are about to go into the farming season, it’s important for the community to gather to celebrate and cheer one another up in preparation for the new farming season. So, it’s a major feast showing the entry into a farming season. Masqueraders and Ereke dancers display during this festival.

So what are the things you have missed doing since you became a king?

I have missed so many things. In fact, I’m a man that likes and enjoys going out with other people, but as a king, I don’t do that now. I was a footballer and before I became a king, I was the captain of my football team for many years, even while I was working with the Norwegians. Then, we formed a football club called Young Shooting Stars of Ikwo, and I was the captain for many years. We once played in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, but at the time, the city was under Anambra State. We played in several places. I have missed that now. I also miss not being able to join my fellow countrymen and women to eat where they are eating. Although, having worked with the Europeans, I wasn’t completely a free person but there is this joy you derive when you mingle and associate with others to do what they do. And as a soldier, I used to tuck in my shirt and wear a tie. I would wear a belt when I was going out. But that’s not my kind of dressing again. So, I have missed that as well. There are many other things I have missed that time may not permit me to start telling you here. My dressing has really changed. Like I said, before I became a king, I was a soldier. What I was putting on then is not what I put on now. As a soldier then, I liked to wear belts, ties, and boots and so on. I liked to dress smartly, but these days I can’t put on those things. Even when I was working with the Norwegians, I was known for my English dresses and all that, but these days, it is traditional. These days, I wear skirts and upper gown so as to appear like a king. But I like it and it equally shows I’m different now.

So what are the things you cannot do as a traditional ruler?

There are a lot of things I cannot do as a traditional ruler, but I will only tell you a few. I do not have to quarrel with people as a traditional ruler and I shouldn’t incite my people against one another. I shouldn’t be involved in such attitude. As a traditional ruler, I can’t be chasing after women and drinking. There are so many things that all of us (monarchs) should not do. And anyone that does them would have desecrated the throne and abused the institution. I can’t sleep with women, whether married or unmarried women, other than my wife. I have just one wife, anyway. There are things you do that will make respect to run away from you, and there are things you do that will make respect to naturally come to you. So you have to keep yourself sacred as a king. Lastly, I should not seize people’s land. Those who did that in the past didn’t find it easy dealing with their people.

How did you meet your wife?

I met her when I was a soldier. Then, I was an Adjutant and each time I sat in my office, she would pass by and I would admire her. However, and fortunately too, my batman was her brother, and she usually came to see him. One day, I asked him – who is this young lady and he said she was his sister. So one day I told him I would marry his sister. That was how it all started. And like I said early, I didn’t sleep with her until I paid her bride price, married her and brought her into my father’s compound. I knew her in 1968 and between this period and 1970, when I married her, I didn’t sleep with her.

Since traditional rulers are restrained from doing so many things, do you relax at all?

I relax comfortably in my palace. We are not in the palace now; you would have seen my wife sitting by my side as we chat. Again, I have lost the habit of going out. Maybe once or twice in a week, I go to my elder’s house, where we relax and talk. My elder brother is still alive. It’s already a habit. I don’t go to the village square, drinking joints or other such places to relax. I have a place in my palace but outside the building where I sit. Those who want to see me would come there. There is a big mango tree in my compound which provides shade for people under it; that’s where I relax. People who have issues and want to discuss it with me come there and we will stay under the mango tree to talk about the issues.

To ensure a peaceful society, what role do you think traditional rulers must play?

They should play the role of fathers. We are fathers and not demigods and so on. We should always ensure negative tendencies in our kingdoms are quickly nipped in the bud. In Ebonyi State here, I think traditional rulers are not lagging behind in this respect. We have been doing our best to ensure a crisis-free, violence-free and sane society. We should always talk to our youths, to advise and educate them about the best way to go. We should always ensure that offenders are punished as recommended by our culture and tradition. We shouldn’t take sides. We should equally let strangers know what to do and what not to do in our various kingdoms. Our roles are enormous as traditional rulers to ensure a peaceful society.

Do you think traditional rulers should go into politics?

Every traditional ruler might have interest in politics but should not openly participate in politics. I think we should stay away so that we can be fathers of both political and non-political actors in the society. We are instruments of peace and order in our various communities and that is why I advise my colleagues to desist from acts capable of undermining their respect and influence. Therefore, I will simply conclude that monarchs shouldn’t go into politics. This will go a long way in protecting the institution.

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