From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abiriba, popularly known as ‘Small London,’ is a distinct community on the northern fringes of Abia State. Outside the people being stupendously rich and great philanthropists, the community equally enjoys an alluring rich cultural heritage.
The long thread of the community’s cosy culture is commonly tightly woven around its superbly commanding age grade system. Abiriba as it were, at the last count, has 13 age grades, which have remained the community’s pathfinders for development.
In the olden days, the formation of the age grade was steely tightened around the provision of enduring security in the community, but as the years slowly but steadily rolled by, age grades, the fulcrum of the community’s democratic platform, became instruments for development.
Some landmark projects undertaken by age grades in Abiriba include the King’s Palace, built in 1952, Egwuena Girls Secondary School, a postal agency, public library, School of Nursing, a health centre among numerous others.
These eye-popping edifices dotting the landscape of Abiriba, changing her aesthetics and bringing economic rejuvenation to the people, were built by different age grades at different times.
As part of the community’s democratic practice, on a given date in every first week of July, being the end of the planting season and by extension, the end of the calendar year for Abiriba, the Enachioken (King) of the community, in a ceremony known as “Iburu Omu”, proclaims laws that will guide the area for the next 12 calendar months. These laws, enacted through a process known as “Itu Eye” are usually enforced by a certain age grade, the Ukeji Agbala.
So, this year, the onus of enforcing the laws fell on the Akanu/Nchina Age Grade. The group will, like others before it, enforce the laws proclaimed annually for the next four years before they retire for another age grade to take over.
On July 6, members of the Akanu/Nchina Age Grade gorgeously marched to the palace of their traditional ruler, Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu, the Enachioken, to receive the laws which they will enforce in the land.
The laws as proclaimed by Eze Ogbu this year, 11 in number, include that there will be no indiscriminate burial of the dead in the community, except only at the end of every month; that mad people should no longer be allowed to wander on the streets of Abiriba, but confined by their relatives. This particular law was enacted because a mad man was said to have recently stabbed three persons in the community.
Other laws include that any man who impregnates a lady out of wedlock, must as a matter of fact, marry her, and that high burial costs would no longer be tolerated in the community, etcetera. The monarch decried the rampant cases of out of wedlock and teen pregnancies in the community.
The Iburu Omu ceremony was marked with pomp and pageantry, while the rich culture of the people had spectacular display.
Chief Frank Okafor Ojaah, a member of the retiring Erinma Age Grade gave an insight into the essence of the event.
“Itu Eye or Iburu Omu marks the day the Enachoken-in-Council, the Enachoken himself, that’s the King of Abiriba, makes laws, proclamations on what is going to guide the community for the next 12 calendar months. Which means another one will be done in July next year.
“We came to support our junior age grade, the Akanu/Nchina Age Grade, it is their turn to perform this rite. We are the Erinma Age Grade, we are the outgoing age grade in-charge of ensuring the proclamations of the Enachoken were carried out. What they are doing presently, we did it in the last four years and we are retiring so that our junior age grade will take over,” he said.
Another member of the Erinma Age Grade, Chika Agbai Onuoha said having handed the affairs of the community to their younger age grade members, they have officially retired from active community service, but they will be appreciated and celebrated in December. “In fact, our pension begins on December 31,” he saiad.
Onuoha further explained that during the December ceremony, people will converge at their various homes to give them cash gifts and some other items.
He said: “After that, the whole community will be giving us respect as elders or elder statesmen working with the Enachoken in Council.
“By then, whatever we say is final and they will be appreciating us with some tokens. Whatever we did as a matter of serving the community, we will now be getting the returns.
“It is only Abiriba community that pays pensions to its elder statesmen. Although, the pension is not paid every month, but every February, after retirement.”
A prominent member of the Akanu/Nchina age grade, Ogbusuo Ota Oko popularly known as ‘At Last,’ threw more light on the Iburu Omu ceremony.
“Iburu Omu means bringing out the laws that will be in place for the next 12 calendar months for which the whole of Abiriba will abide by. Each Omu or the palm frond the Enachioken throws out during the proclamation, represented one law he enacted.
“He threw out about 11 palm fronds and each of them represents one law the community will abide by. And being the Ukeji Agbala, we are to make sure the people abide by those laws,” he emphasised.
Oko said despite the fact that few of the laws did not enjoy wide acceptance, the age grade was going to implement them with human face.
President of Akanu/Nchina Age Grade, Eze Emmanuel Otusi Agwu, said July 6 was one of the most memorable days in Abiriba in the sense that there was the issue of age grade naming, which had lingered for years.
According to him, the issue was resolved during this year’s ceremony and the Ukpaghiri of Amaogudu (who gives out names to age grades in the community) agreed to give names to age grades the way it ought to be done “because he was bringing in so many things that brought confusion in the naming of the 13 age grades we have. But this year, things have been harmonized in that regard and we are now Akanu/Nchina age grade.”
Another notable member of the Akanu/Nchina age grade, Chief Okereke Anya expressed joy that the peace they have been preaching for over the years, came during this year’s Iburu Omu.
On how the age grade would implement the laws enacted by the Enachioken, Anya said: “After the public proclamation of the laws by the Enachioken, we, members of the Ukeji Agbala, will meet with various groups to map out how we are going to implement them. Any law that does not augur well with the people, we will know how to carry out its implementation in order not to create problem for the community.”
In Abiriba, one remarkable thing is that July marks the end of the planting season and by extension, end of the year.
Anya spoke more on this: “Our New Year starts in September when we have our new yam festival. There is Eke market day in September we call Eke Mbu (first Eke), that means first day of the month and also by extension first day of the year.”
He said the community was already having its calendar before the Europeans came, adding that Abiriba does not operate under the European calendar. He summed it up by saying that the months of July and September are very important in Abiriba calendar.
For another member of the Ukeji Agbala, Chief Anya Iwoh, a jinx was broken this year, following the successful resolution of the issue of naming the age grades.
“Abiriba is so democratic that the three component villages that made up the community, are involved in one way or the order in its leadership structure. For instance, it is Agboji that brings out the name each age grade will answer and then Amaogudu announces it to the public. Then Amaeke village is where the king comes from.”
This aspect of Abiriba heritage has been widely acclaimed. The member representing Ohafia North State Constituency in Abia House of Assembly, Mandela Obasi, described the Itu Eye or Iburu Omu Abiriba as a practical demonstration of separation of powers and lawmaking.
Felicitating with the Enachioken-in-council and the Abiriba community, the lawmaker enjoined the community to continue to uphold her rich cultural heritage and values for communal progress and unity.
This much cherished democratic structure in the community, it was gathered, predated the advent of the Europeans, a further indication that Abiriba had been practicing democracy at an advanced level even before the birth of Nigeria as a nation.