Members of the Igbo ethnic group have been banned from installing their ‘’kings’’ outside Nigeria.
This follows a recent controversy over the coronation of an ‘’Igbo King’’ in South Africa, which sparked outrage among South Africans.
Now the socio-cultural umbrella body of the Igbo people worldwide, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has announced a ban on any such coronation abroad. The Nigerian government has backed the decision.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who attended the meeting of Ohaneze’s highest decision-making body where the decision was taken on 9 April in the city of Enugu, said the ‘’worrisome practice of coronation of Igbo 'kings' overseas’’ has negatively impacted Nigeria’s image and diplomatic relations.
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who is also from the Igbo ethnic group, said installing traditional rulers abroad is often ‘’viewed as an affront by host populations’’.
‘Disrespectful’ act
She added that ‘’flamboyance’’ and ‘’the excessive display of wealth by Nigerians’’ during such coronation ceremonies while in some cases citizens of the host countries face economic struggles are ‘’downright insensitive.’’
The minister said Nigerian missions abroad and the host countries will be informed of the ban to ensure compliance and possible sanctions on violators.
She clarified that while diaspora Igbo communities have the right to promote their cultural heritage, they should always consider the sensitivities of the host communities.
In a statement, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu said leaders of Igbo communities abroad may be called ‘’Onyendu’’ which simply means a leader instead of ‘’Igwe’’ or ‘’Eze’’ which means a king.
The ban comes barely a month after a Nigerian man, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko, was installed as "Igwe Ndigbo Na East London", which was loosely translated as ‘’the Igbo king of East London,’’ a city in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province.
This sparked outrage from locals and the South African authorities, who view it as "disrespect" to South African laws and traditions.
Nigeria later apologised, with diplomats weighing in to resolve the matter.
There was a similar situation in Ghana in 2024 when the Igbo community there held a coronation ceremony in Accra to install “Eze Ndi Igbo Ghana”, meaning the ‘’King of the Igbo people in Ghana,’’ sparking outrage from Ghanaians.
The Igbos are one of the major ethnic groups in Nigeria, mainly in the southeast of the country, and have a widespread diaspora community, most of them known for engaging in businesses.
