Royal Fathers                                                          Photo courtesy

When I met Alaafin of Oyo in Dallas in early 2000, I was not impressed. Why some Yoruba folks took him to meet the Mayor of Dallas then, surprised me. The Mayor asked me to join in the meeting and introduced me as his adviser on matters regarding Africa/Nigeria. The Alaafin then directed one of his aides to obtain my contacts and graciously invited me to visit him when in Nigeria. I am yet to honor this invitation. Mr. Ayodele was the point of contact that orchestrated the visit to the Mayor's office.

Nigeria’s so called heavy weight 'royal' fathers  are more like plastic and inelastic personalities, often clueless as to what they should effectively do to advance their enthroned roles and endear them to the harping-yarning of those that follow them. Leadership to most of them is about who pays them homage and postulates to be dictated to on what to do, when, why and how. Even though my late father was Chief during the  colonial, independence and after times, the roles then have shifted to more personality fights and unproductive engagements. 

The level of internal and intra-tribal feuds in Nigeria explains why the entire country is dysfunctional. No tribe is together and given the height of entitlements and appeasement these men expect, the hero-worshippers stop at nothing to promote them.

It would be wise for the new generation of Nigerians to shun these folks who hardly add value to nation building. They are constantly feuding amongst themselves and clamoring to be the Highest Oba, Igwe, Emir, Eze, Obi, Sultan, Alhaji, Mallam and most titled. They should be taken off any form of government sponsorship. If any village is interested in hosting a 'monarchy,' which by the way, is not recognized in any provision of Nigeria’s flawed constitution, let them pay for their existence.

The layered levels of allegiance expected from Nigerians because of tribal affiliation, traditional stools, and undue attachments explains why Nigerians have difficulty separating modern rules of law needed to emerge as an enviable nation from one anchored on antiquated and follow-ship of persons who only seek ways to enrich their throne and when it does not work, cause trouble or instigate discord. Nigerians need to understand that an empire only lasts as long as those in the empire are sheepish and timid about the Emperor. They stop the 'kiss-up and the 'Emperor' gets the lesson. Slowly, they fade.

While these titled men are consumed with titles and hierarchy, the Palaces where most of them live in are so decrepit, it makes one wonder who they are fooling. Everyone in Nigeria wants some title and accordance of chieftaincy, as if by having such, all of a sudden, they are capable of leadership.

Until Nigerians minimize or better eliminate the worship of these effete institutions and their undue sponsorship, the country will never have focus and/or emerge. Sometime during President Obasanjo's term, he was so crass that he had to engage national time on his village chieftaincy matters as if his role as president of Nigeria was not time consuming and challenging enough. It does appear  that the more titles Nigerians get or are given by design and default, they are marooned and forget the responsibilities and due expectations that come with such roles.

Why these institutions are still accorded honor in the 21st century when none of them can point to anything meaningful in terms of economic development, job creation, crime reduction in their area of rule/influence ought to be questioned. Instead, they engage in 2-by-4 fights, drive around Nigeria in obnoxious looking license plate that announces their presence as if that is a badge of honor while they incessantly contribute to the moral decadence that has become the stock in trade of their role. Who wants that?

If they cannot be the symbol of cherished culture, preservation of good tradition and inspiration to honor and protect what matters, they should be sidelined. Some of them are in competition with the governors/president, and in order to appease them, they are doled money and given gifts such that they become seriously dependent on unearned income. Nigeria’s  taxpayers, loosely used in this case, should not fund and support the bunch of people on the national welfare of 'give-me-more' mentality and culture. Let their people pay for their existence QED! 

Maybe, Nigeria’s Redeemed Christian Church should rename itself to 'Redeeming Christian Church' because Nigerians appear irredeemable while the Mountain of Fire Church should look for serious fire extinguishers to put out the raging fire. The level of malfeasance is outrageous. But again, who cares?

As a consolation, the only thing Nigerians look forward to is winning a soccer match to make them feel good,. However, addressing core national challenges to help the world's most populous black nation become a respectable country is left to be imagined than described. Only in Nigeria, one may say.

By Ejike Okpa II  eokpa@post.harvard.edu
Dallas, Texas.