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The Town Crier In Igboland THE Igbo people occupy the present southeastern part of Nigeria and, parts of Delta State. Their area is bounded in the South by the Ogoni, Kalabari and Western Ijaw speaking people, in the east by the Ibibio and the Cross Rivers groups, in the West by the Edo speaking people and in the North by the Igala and Idoma. The town crier is the link between the traditional governing council of any community and the people. He is not a member of cabinet of the traditional ruler but he conveys the decision of the council that is necessary for the people to know so that the people will be carried along in every decision taken that concerns them. In his role as the spokesman of the traditional governing council he gives members of the community vital information. In Igboland, the town crier is either elected or appointed by the community; but in most cases he is appointed. The person must have retentive memory to retail instructions given and recall them at different spots he has to make the announcements, clear tone, must be courageous and effective in the use of his dialect. The town crier must equally be resonant in voice, which is, he could be heard even in remote corners of the village. He should be a man of perseverance and patience since he has to go distances at odd times. He should be able to respond on time if he is called upon. He knows his culture and interprets it to fit the objectives of his community. He should not only be respected and revered but also regarded as authoritative and credible source of information. Finally, the sound from his communication medium; the gong, ekwe, ikoro, or the drum should be decoded appropriately and receive attention from the audiences to whom they are addressed. In most cases, the town crier is always a man of forty (40) years and above. Occasionally, the town crier could be called to attend the traditional governing council meetings where vital decisions are taken, but generally, information are often pass to him so that he in turn informs the community. The town crier passes the information when people would have returned from their different locations; taken their super, usually before bedtime or at the early hours of the day say between 5 and 6 am. The town crier disseminates information on dates of festivals, communal works, visits of an important person to the community such as the Governor Commissioner, Local Government Chairman, Political rally etc. Though, in some emergency occasions, the town crier could be summoned at any time of the day as the occasion demands to pass the emergency information, for example, an attack on the community by a wild animal, the town crier could be called to summon all able bodied men to kill such wild animal before any damage is done to the community. The town crier is remunerated in the execution of his duty, For example, in Umuegwu- Okpuala in Afugiri, Umuahia North Local Government area of Imo State, and 'Umuediabali-Ihite Aforukwu, in Ahiazu Local Government area of lmo State and Ihitte-Uboma in Etiti Local Government area also in Imo State; individuals pay the town crier at least two hundred naira (N200) to pass information to the community. For instance, information on a missing item like goat. Also, in the sharing of item(s) within the traditional ruling council of the community, the town crier is given portion of anything shared. The role of the town crier could be supervisory in some occasions. For instance, in Egbema in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government area of Imo State, during communal work to keep the community clean, the town crier will sound his metal gong at dawn to summon the people to work site. When the work commences, he sounds his gong in a rhythmic tone to encourage the people to work hard. He determines when work should stop acting on instruction from the traditional council. He recommends those to be fined to the governing council for one offence or the other committed at the work site. The media through which he alerts members of the community before he passes his information could be a metal gong, ekwe, ikoro, or drum. . In the general context, the credibility of the town crier simply means that he tells his audience the truth (nke bu eziokwu) It is credibility that defines the relationship between the communicator and the recipient or What is communicated and it is untold strategy that controls the implementation and success in the operation and landscape of mass communication. The communicator is conferred with communicative competence and prestige when credibility is guaranteed. Again, "know your audience is the first rule of practical communication. In essence, the success of a communicator. in the dissemination of information depends on the audience. In the context of communication theory, the audience is the public that is dispersed in its social set-up. Audience is in this case, a public made up of independent persons or groups of persons who are more or less separated in time and space. The audience of the town crier is his own community. Suffice it to say that the town crier is therefore, the most reliable sources of authentic information as regards the dissemination of affairs of the community. In this regard he is very important for the smooth running of the administrative set up of the community. He is a man of public relations and also for external affairs through the Ikoro message system. He is both the channel of communication and at the same time the communicator. This dualism of roles explains further his characteristic as a powerful organ of information in the village or community. On rare occasions when the need arises, women engage themselves as town criers in the villages or communities. This role is mostly performed on issues concerning them. For instance, if they are to have an important meeting or if a serious offence is committed in the community and the women need to intervene in the matter. This role is occasional and not as prominent and conspicuous as that of the male town crier.
What Igboukwu means to the Igbos - Chukwuemeka Ezeife Former Governor of Anambra, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife has argued that Igbo-Ukwu, a town in Anambra is the centre of culture in the Southern Nigeria just as Argungu in Kebbi State is the same in the Northern Nigeria. The politician who spoke to Daily Sun in Ilorin, Kwara State recently, hinted that he derives pleasure in discussing the culture of a people. According to him, he grew up in Igbo-Ukwu, with the interest in the culture of his people at heart and as he grew up, he started comparing his culture with that of others. Ezeife observed further that his town Igboukwu could be said to be the Southern Cultural Centre since Igbo-Ukwu was dated to the nineth century. By this, after Nok culture, the next is Igbo-Ukwu. “ Igbo-Ukwu people were said to be the origin of not only Igbo people but black people. Igbo as a group are not pushing it. In fact, Nri is more mentioned than Igboukwu. But Nri people originated from Igala in the 17th century after a war in Igala. When I was governor of Anambra State, I put a small museum in Igbo-Ukwu. The Federal Government is building a museum right now. The same Federal Government last year commissioned National Gallery of Art in Igbo-Ukwu. Also Federal government last year built a Yam house, after the Fishing Village of Argungu Fishing Festival Kebbi State in the North. Argungu is in the North as a traditional cultural centre. In the same way, we have Igbo-Ukwu as the cultural centre.’’ Archaeology in Igbo-Ukwu Visit of Archaeologists in the 60s Igboukwu, the origin of black race Yam House in Igbo-Ukwu 2007 New Yam Festival I did not attend a secondary school Complex in the university After the first examinations, I started from the bottom to look for my name as we were more than two hundred. I found my name in number eighteen. That encouraged me. In the second examinations, I was able to beat everyone. That was the Bsc part one. I won the faculty prize. I became number one and I thanked God that I completed my course.
"Ndigbo! A people talked about but hardly understood – not even by themselves" Long before the politics and ego of big men with small character got in the way of excellence, Ohanaeze Ndigbo resolved (and rightly so) to set aside a day in every year to celebrate the origin, identity and values of Ndigbo, and, among others, to commemorate the lives of victims of various massacres in Nigeria since 1948. The Igbo Day is not all about celebration but more about commemoration, sober reflection and prayers to God for guidance. The day decided by our elders happens to be every September 29. The elders were driven by the philosophy that "Every adversity has the seed of a greater benefit, and ‘introspection’ is the key." So, if everywhere Ndigbo reside all over the world, they decide to observe that day, what is wrong with that? So if the executives of the apex organisation of Ndigbo decide on some symbolism by gathering in fellowship to pray, remember the mistakes or persecutions of the past and reaffirm their desires and determination for a better tomorrow for their children, what is wrong with that? To organise such a gathering surely would involve some cost – so if the South East governors are requested to help, what on earth is wrong with that? Now, if after the event, some journalist unprompted by anyone decided to put on paper what he observed on the day and allowed his thoughts to flow towards their instinctive directions, how does that involve the leadership of Ohanaeze? But the Igbo day of 2007 and its aftermath opened a new door to x-ray Ohanaeze Ndigbo and rubbish it by those who mistake servility for loyalty. The first to throw mud at his elders was a certain Ethelbert Okere. By his last name, he may be an Igbo man and by his writings, I suspect he must be very young and still thanking God for the multiple entry visa he has been given to the Government House, Owerri. So if throwing mud at his elders would sustain that visa, why not? Okere entertained us with his concern for the "shameless elders" of Ndigbo and his glowing encomiums for his master. About the Ohanaeze, he said the following: *There is a final emergence of two parallel camps of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and that should worry well-meaning Igbo. *Weeks before the Igbo day "celebration", the leaders engaged themselves in the most sordid and shameful acts by "begging" the governors for money and intending to "celebrate" Igbo day at two separate venues on the same day. "This is too frightening to any well-meaning Igbo". *Efforts by well-meaning Igbo leaders to break the logjam and "save" Ndigbo from embarrassment met with hard and childish posturing by the shameless elders. (d) Ohanaeze has never been able to influence the direction of politics in Igboland, etc. About his master, he said one of the Igbo "leaders" who made frantic efforts to "save" Ndigbo from embarrassment, Governor Ikedi Ohakim, was so scandalised by the avalanche of letters from each group claiming to be the authentic Ohanaeze; so he suggested a suspension of the Igbo day pending resolution of matters. To Okere, that remains the wisest and most patriotic move anybody could make. Okere is a good boy. But which camp? Please note that Ohakim, a "foremost Igbo leader", does not know the authentic Ohanaeze. Can you see why I suspect that Okere must be very young? First, he knows nothing about the significance of Igbo day, which he calls a "celebration" and hence it cannot be sacrosanct. Secondly, in trying to praise his master, he raised certain questions. So there are two parallel camps of Ohanaeze, yeah? Everybody knows Dr. Dozie Ikedife heads one. Who heads the other? Ndigbo are law-abiding citizens, loyal to the law and not personalities. Okere tried to expose his master as one more concerned about personalities than principles. Since he is an Igbo leader and in the forefront of Igbo emancipation, what did he do or say when an attempt was made for tenure elongation in Ohanaeze and the same people sold out to the emperor of Ota by supporting the emperor’s own tenure elongation attempt; a dream that was clearly not of Igbo interest? Okere said ‘Solomon’ Ohakim saw in each camp men he had a lot of respect for. So it was about personalities not principles. Every true Igbo elder knows that there is only one Ohanaeze and currently headed by Ikedife. Maybe a new one showed up in Owerri by "highly respected people" whose first outing is asking Solomon for money to "celebrate" Igbo Day. It is obvious that the implications of Okere’s write-up was discussed by concerned aides hence the decision to polish it by calling in the guru himself, Chief Pini Jason. When I read Jason’s piece, ‘Now that we have had Igbo Day’, I wept. If gold rust, what would iron do? Jason is an Igbo patriot of conviction and I can say with authority that he has done more for Ndigbo than all the governors put together. But times change and condition makes crayfish to bend. He was fully involved in fighting those who needed to rubbish the Igbp for selfish reasons – but today he has special duties to perform. ‘Prophet’ Dayo Sobowale saw all these coming and he screamed aloud about the trend of advocates of the people transforming to become advocates of government. The powerful pens now take sides with men whose lust for power is far greater than any dream to make a difference. How come Jason was surprised that he got many calls that made him wonder if he was special adviser on Ohanaeze? It is simply because he had a track record on Igbo struggles that most of the ‘miracle’ governors don’t have. We shall miss the real Pini and await his return in four years time or is it eight years? Somehow, he admitted the efforts of Senator Uche Chukwumerije (a constant, principled, Igbo son) on Ralph Uwazuruike’s case, but forgets to mention that the senator is a strong member of Ohanaeze, who has remained in touch and in rhythm with its aspirations. The organisation can use any of its sons or daughters to achieve a goal without blowing the ethnic whistle. The fight for Uwazuruike is a fight for justice and against double standards. However, Uwazuruike is out for now, which faction did he and Chukwumerije go to? When Ohakim went to World Igbo Congress meeting in the United States, who did he acknowledge as the true Ohanaeze leader: the unnamed faction in Owerri or Ikedife? The message is clear and Jason knows. But a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do, yeah? The painful question is: Must we rubbish Ndigbo? Nothing has any meaning except the meaning we give it. In a tribally-conscious country like Nigeria, where the Igbo have been trying in vain to be more Nigerian than others, if we say our apex organisation is rubbish, so it shall be. When we rubbish our own Ohanaeze, how can they influence the politics of Ndigbo when the Abuja riggers invade the land? If a day set aside for collective reflection is not sacrosanct, why won’t a Maurice Iwu offer any state to the governor of his own choice? For the records, Ikedife went to one of the best medical schools in Britain, graduated in ‘flying colours’ and returned straight home to give his services to people in his village. Money was not his motivation, for he is naturally public-spirited just like Dr. Akanu Ibiam, who he holds in esteem. I need not reel out his CV here before I’m accused of working for him. But it is noteworthy to say he is a contented man with a track record of selfless public service. This should be the criteria for stardom in Igboland, which we are yet to realise. The spirit of altruism is given by God – you don’t acquire it. Chukwumerije, before he became a senator, had a track record of service to Ndigbo, so was Ben Obi, and they made a difference at the Senate. Other than Chris Ngige, who also had a record of public service in Aka Ikenga and Alor Union, which of these miracle governors did we ever see at any pan-Igbo meeting? Suddenly they become "Igbo leaders". Thanks to Iwu. Those write-ups by the governors’ aides were surely not "let’s showcase the new Igbo star" in Owerri, No! The message was "let’s rubbish Ndigbo". How necessary is that? What impression do we really want to give? If ever one is opportuned to serve anybody in power, I surely will spend my time making friends for that person and not enemies. I am not Femi FK and it is fruitless to be.
NIGERIAS INTEGRITY Nigeria's senators recently concluded a familiarisation tour of the Niger Delta region. The aim of the tour was to get a first-hand knowledge of the numerous problems associated with the area and to seek for lasting solutions to them. Nigerians had expected that eight years of non-interrupted democratic
A united Nigeria ought to have been a country to be proud of by all her citizens; a united and peaceful Nigeria ought to have been a good example of an African nation deriving its strength and unity from its diverse ethnic groups; a united Nigeria ought to have been a real power-house of Africa given the resources available to the nation, as well as a reference spot to be proud of by any black man any where in the world. However, if we tell ourselves the truth, the message is that the fore-going noble aspirations are not coming to fruition. There are artificial obstacles to them, obstacles created by military fiat and yearning to be up-turned in a democratic dispensation which is usually associated with freedom and justice. The non-realisation yet of the fruits of the justifiable demands to bring the number of states in the Southeast zone on a par with the number in the other zones is a veritable obstacle to Nigeria's unity and economic growth. Given the large population of people within and outside the Southeast zone which must have to be content with the zone's five-state structure, it is obvious the zone and its administrators at any level of government are overburdened with responsibilities. That the zone is short-changed in today's Nigeria by way of under-representation at the National Assembly, ministerial and other federal appointments and recruitment is a well-known fact. The Census bureau refused to adopt the numeration parameter that ought to have exposed the fore-going reality during the last census exercise. Yet, Nigeria has declined to include the Residency clause in its constitution, it is rather promoting the federal character principle. There may not be any Nigerian who has respect for justice who would not accede to the fact that the Southeast zone deserves another state, and that the military's inability to bring the number of states in the zone on a par with the number in the other zones has continuously questioned the integrity of the Nigerian State. This unjustifiable act of the erstwhile military rulers is a festering sore on the minds of the people of the Southeast zone. Of course, it is not just figments of the imagination that the Southeast and no other zone was to get an extra state in "support for the Third Term move for former President Olusegun Obasanjo". The reality behind the move is that the Southeast zone deserves another state. It is not out of order to state that the sixth state for the Southeast zone was unscrupulously allotted to the Northwest zone which has an exceptional but undeserved number of seven states. Of course, most of the leaders of the various military juntas that "shared states" in this country hailed from the old Northwest of Nigeria. Bringing the number of states in the Southeast deservedly on a par with the number in the other zones is not only imperative, but another shorter route to stability and growth for Nigeria. Long before the on-going face-off between the Nigerian government and militants in the Delta region, the people of the Southeast zone, and indeed, most of Nigeria were nearly driven to a halt by a group of young people going by the name, Movement for the Actuallization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). It took some counselling and coercion to stop but not annihilate the group. But the fact remains that the group's actions were a manifestation of the frustration and anger against the double-morality standards apparently adopted by the successive Nigerian governments when issues pertaining to the Southeast zone are on the table. Topmost on the minds of many of the activists then was the question of an extra state for the Southeast zone. Today, the ever rising frustration and anger regarding this issue remain bottled up in the minds of the average person from the Southeast. As the Senate pores over its findings on its retreat to the Delta region, the nation's legislators and other leaders that believe that justice is Nigeria's, or indeed, every other nation's key to unity must hold tenaciously to it; and to those who believe rather, that deceit and double standards are good instruments of State-craft, we draw your attention to the following: A nation can only achieve political stability by applying political solutions to its political problems. It is time to correct the wrongs of the military dictators. Give the Southeast zone its due! |
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