Igbo Monarchs Condemn ‘Obi Of Lagos’ Titles, Declare Such Practices Alien To Culture And Traditions Of Igboland

 

Growing concern is spreading across Igbo communities as traditional rulers from the South East have expressed strong opposition to the controversial installation of so-called Eze Ndigbo or Obi of Igbo in cities outside their ancestral homeland. They insist the practice contradicts the very foundation of Igbo customs, warning that those who parade such titles lack legitimacy.

Speaking on the matter, Eze Emmanuel Okeke, Chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, dismissed the idea of any Igbo individual assuming the status of Eze Ndigbo or Obi in foreign lands. He described the coronation of a self-acclaimed Obi of Lagos as both unacceptable and dangerous to the sanctity of traditional authority. According to him, Igbo heritage does not support such acts, and the institution of Eze is sacred and should remain rooted in communities that trace their origins within Igboland.

Okeke explained that no individual can be recognized as a traditional ruler outside his ancestral soil, no matter how wealthy, influential, or popular such a person might be. He added that Igbo customs provide only for properly crowned rulers in their native communities, not in cities where Igbo people live as settlers. For clarity, he suggested that diaspora groups adopt the title Onye Ndu Ndi Igbo (Leader of Igbo People) instead of Eze Ndigbo or Obi of Igbo, which he described as alien to the culture.

He further warned that allowing these strange titles to flourish undermines the credibility of the Igbo monarchy system. Traditional rulers, he noted, derive their authority not from social gatherings or migrant communities but from long-standing ancestral structures that define each community’s leadership. Anything less, he said, diminishes the meaning of kingship in Igboland.

Echoing similar sentiments, Eze Ndubuisi Nwabeke, immediate past Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, called the trend both absurd and illegal. He emphasized that an authentic Eze presides over a recognized community with territorial boundaries, a constitution, and people belonging to its lineage. To him, installing Igbo kings in cities like Lagos, Abuja, or Kaduna makes no cultural sense and only creates confusion.

Nwabeke reminded Igbo groups in the diaspora that the South East Council of Traditional Rulers had long issued clear guidance on the matter. According to that directive, those living outside Igboland should simply appoint leaders under the title of Onye Ndu Ndi Igbo to represent community interests and coordinate cultural affairs. By adopting this alternative, Igbo migrants would still enjoy organized leadership without desecrating the sacred stool of Eze.

He cautioned that urban settlers cannot claim to have palaces in another man’s land. Palaces, he stressed, are sacred institutions tied to bloodlines and ancestral shrines, not positions created to satisfy the pride or influence of ambitious individuals. For him, coronations held outside Igboland are not only illegitimate but disrespectful to host communities, since they attempt to replicate structures already established by indigenous rulers of those places.

The traditional rulers, while firm in their rejection of these titles, extended their appeal to Igbo communities abroad. They urged them to maintain respect for their host states and cities while upholding Igbo traditions in their true form. Preserving cultural identity, they argued, does not require appropriating structures that belong solely within Igboland.

Their position has now thrown new light on the ongoing debate within diaspora communities about how best to organize leadership without offending cultural norms or clashing with host authorities. Some observers argue that adopting the title Onye Ndu Ndi Igbo is a reasonable compromise, as it acknowledges leadership without overstepping boundaries. Others point out that failure to heed the warnings of monarchs may lead to conflicts with both indigenous rulers of host states and legitimate traditional rulers of Igboland.

At the heart of the issue is the preservation of cultural integrity. For the monarchs, titles such as Eze Ndigbo in Lagos or Obi of Abuja represent a distortion of Igbo heritage, one that risks eroding the authenticity of their institution. By rejecting such practices, they hope to safeguard the dignity of their lineage while guiding younger generations toward proper respect for tradition.

Observers believe this bold stance is necessary to prevent further misuse of cultural titles. The message from Igbo monarchs is clear; no one can claim to be king in a land that does not belong to his ancestors, and the sanctity of the Igbo monarchy must not be compromised by the ambitions of individuals seeking recognition outside their homeland.

With this declaration, the custodians of Igbo tradition have drawn a firm line, calling on communities within and outside Nigeria to respect boundaries. Their verdict may ultimately reshape how diaspora leadership is organized, setting a precedent that honors cultural roots while encouraging respectful coexistence in host environments.