INTRODUCTION

Aristotles famous words man is by nature a political animal have attracted widespread
debate and controversy for centuries. Understanding Aristotles words requires first an
understanding of the political. The word politics is derived from the Greek polis meaning
city-state, so it is ultimately linked to society and communal living. For Aristotle, living in the citystate and thus engaging in the political activities is vital to the smooth running of that state is the
inevitable end to mankinds journey towards the good life. The nature of mankind for Aristotle is
to strive for the good life, and thus humans form inevitable social ties which help secure this goal.
They naturally form couples, then families and the household. These multiple households gradually
form villages and then finally the city-state, or in other words the polis, whereby politics occurs
as the resolution of conflict through rational debate and argument. This view sees humans as
rational creatures of co-operation, deliberation and striving for the common good.
The definition in question comes from Aristotle's Politics: "the human is a political animal"
(1253a3). There is something indisputable about this characterization: humans are, indeed, the most
social of animals, they are denizens of the polis with its institutions and laws, its rulers, judges and
generals. It would be difficult to contend that any other animal has recourse to the political as much
as the human. Animals form herds unconsciously, while human beings form social relations by
reflecting upon the constitution of their community and it is due to this reflexive or rational process
that they call themselves political animals. In this sense of the term, the political is what enables
humans to avert their gaze from and so derogate the alternative sociality of nonhuman animals.
Thus, each society can be described as a political society for it also possesses some organizations
and follows a particular system that can be described as political system. According to Easton,
political system functions by getting inputs from its environments and these inputs are events or
issues in the community that evoke reactions or responses from it. These events or inputs are

synthesized by the political system in form of demands from the environment and gives it back out
as authoritative decisions or actions. Consequently, institutions are embedded in the political
system, they are responsible for one function or the other, be it administrative, legal, bureaucratic
e.t.c.
These institutions are to be implicit as those agencies employed in the organization,
maintenance of peace and tranquility in the community. They are the outlet through which the
political system of the people manifests itself. Against this background, this paper is aimed at
exploring the political system and institutions of my people, Ukpor in Nnewi-South Local
Government Area of Anambra State and to make a critical analysis and appraisal of the political
system and institutions of Ukpor as a town.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF UKPOR
Ukpor is a town founded on a hilly and mountainous topography, beautifully interspersed with
rivers, streams, and lakes; with impressive and captivating valleys and forest presenting one of the
most beautiful undulating and scintillating scenery in South-East Nigeria.
Ukpor which is the citadel and head-quarters of Nnewi-South Local Government Area is
bounded in the North by Awka-Etiti town and in the South by Isseke town, the former in IdemiliSouth Local Government Area and the latter in Ihiala Local Government Area, all in Anambra State.
On its East lies Ozubulu in Ekwusigo L.G.A, Okija, Ihembosi and Mbosi town all in Ihiala L.G.A
respectively and on the West by Utuh and Ezinifite town all in Nnewi-South L.G.A.
Ukpor has an area of about 22 square kilometers and an estimated total population of about
60,000. The density of the population is about 650 per square kilometer. The community has rich
clay, sandy and humus soil and they are favourable to the growth of yams, cassava, cocoyams and
palms. Of course Ukpor people speak Igbo Language. Ukpor has more than 21 springs and

waterfalls, when if developed would be tourists delight any day. Here are the rivers, streams,
springs and waterfalls in Ukpor and in the villages they are located. Ubu Osigbu, Ubu Ebubedike
Umudike, Ubu Oti Umudike, Ubu Ukwaku Umudike, Iyiose Umudike, Udoukpor Umudike,
Okpuana Umudike. Ngene Umudike, Odohikpaa Umudike, Mmiri Ezewugwu-Umudike,
Nwariria Ebe, Isiugo Nzagha, Ohiokosi Umuohama, Otakasi Umudiji, Egegwu- Umunuko,
Nsansa Umunuko, Mmiri Aki-Umunuko, Ofara Ebe, Ofara Umuike, Urasi Uboma, and UrasiUmunuko.
THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF THE PEOPLE OF UKPOR
The arrangement of political system of my people can be termed as monarchy, although it is
elective. The people have the Igwe of Ukpor as the supreme head and ruler of the town, but the
throne is not hereditary, instead it is rotational among the seven villages in the order of hierarchy.
The throne of the Igwe is for a life time such that the Igwe cannot be dethroned or removed until he
dies. The Igwe together with his council of chiefs sees to the maintenance of peace and order in the
community, he does this through the various political agencies and traditional institutions of the
people whose duty is solely to foster peace and harmony, growth and development of the people.
Therefore, they together form part and parcel of the life and culture of the people.
Ukpor political system is an analytical component of a political system; it is a system in its
own right. Ukpor consists of nine villages: Umuohama, Umunuko, Umuhu, Uboma, Ebe, Umudike,
Umudiji, Nzagha, and Umudiji . Certainly, Ukpor is still within the jurisdiction of the chairman of
Nnewi-South Local Government Area, Anambra State and also serves as its headquarters. For easy
governance and for peace and social order to be maintained in Ukpor, the Igwe demands that each
of the nine villages should appoint a Chief, i.e., a person who would be the head and custodian of
that particular village. Thus, apart from the appointed Chiefs who are to govern these villages, the

eldest in these villages are inevitably made cabinet Chiefs for the period of 10 years according to
the constitution.
BASIC POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF UKPOR
Leadership Succession
The leadership of the town is such that they have an Igwe as the sovereign head and ruler who
remains on the throne till death. After the death of the Igwe the next village whose turn it is, in order
of hierarchy, to produce the next Igwe will present three eligible men to the cabinet Chiefs, who
will then conduct election for the three to decide the next Igwe. The qualification for being eligible
to the throne includes been a bona-fide son of the soil, married with children, and good character
with no previous cases of moral wrongs.
Implicitly, the leadership succession in Ukpor is not hereditary. At the death of the traditional
ruler, the next village in line brings out the three men and presents to the cabinet Chiefs who will in
turn examine them before conducting election to finally decide who mounts the throne. Some
benefits of this type of leadership succession is that it reduces the issue of crisis and quarrel in the
process of selecting a new king since everybody knows the village it will come from. Again, it also
removes some of the squabble apparent in a hereditary system amongst brothers in tussle to ascend
the throne.
The Council of Chiefs (Ndi Nze na Ozo)
The council of chiefs is quite different from the cabinet Chiefs. While the membership of the
cabinet Chiefs are not by appointment but naturally belongs to the eldest son of each village that of
the council of chiefs is by appointment. The council is made up of one person from each village.
This person is given the title of Nze na Ozo. These people assist the Igwe in discharging his
duties to the community. From these chiefs, the Igwe chooses people to handle different ports folio,
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ranging from the palace secretary, palace treasurer, chief of festivals, chief of public relation, etc.
They make-up the Igwes cabinet and act in accordance with his directives. At the death of the
ruling Igwe, the council of chiefs becomes inactive and the cabinet Chiefs takes charge of affairs
until a new Igwe is elected. It remains in the power of the new Igwe to decide whether to continue
with the old council of chiefs or to constitute new Chiefs. The constitution of these council
members is done by the different villages independently selecting among themselves people of good
moral qualities to represent them there. It is not by age. However, the persons/people to be selected
must be married and with children, well acquainted with the cultures of the people and with no
record of moral wrongs.
Ofala or Iri-ji Festival
As I earlier pointed out, the main festivals are Ofala and Iri-ji festivals in Ukpor. The Ofala
festival is normally celebrated at the Igwes Palace. The entire community used to gather there with
different masquerades from each village. The Igwe and his council prepare the feast by killing 4
cows and women organization prepares the cows and food that would reach everybody men,
women, youths and children. The day of this feast is a ceremonious day for every indigene of the
town.
However, the feast of Iri-ji is being celebrated at the market square. This feast is properly
known as new yam festival. The Igwe and his council, on this day, honour some industrious men by
given title to those of them who plant yam more than others. They are given titles like Ezeji, Nzuri
etc. This feast day, the Igwe used to roast many tubers of yam and bring them with red oil to the
market square. After prayer and thanks to the Earth deity by the Priest of Earth deity for blessing the
land and yam for that year, the roasted tuber of yam are shared to everybody. After that,
masquerades from different villages would begin to dance and display their metaphysical powers.
At the end of the day everybody would retire to his or her home.

Ukpor Improvement Union (UIU or Ukpor Amaka)

This is an association of all the sons and daughters of Ukpor that unswervingly work towards
the progress and development of the town. This union works with the traditional ruler though more
closely with the people, for a perfect and quick outreach to them. It sees to the security and welfare
of every member of the town. The union with the council of elders and the Igwe sees to the
organization of the traditional festivals like the new yam festival, the masquerade carnival, and the
Igwes ofala festival.
All bona-fide citizen of the town is inevitably a member of this union, but when they turn 20,
they are anticipated to start paying an annual support to the treasury of the union. The people
benefit easy access to making their opinions heard either by the Igwe or the state government. It
responsibilities are to promote the affairs of the citizens and foster the development of their social
amenities.
Security and Maintenance of Social Order
There is a famous maxim that states peace and social order promotes development, hence it
is the aspiration of every leader and administration to see that there is utmost serenity in his
territory. It is in this same disposition that the leadership of Ukpor employs the following means to
maintain peace and order.
According to Chief T.C. Nwakire, traditionally, the Ukpor people make use of masquerade in
settling disputes like those arising from land or properties and also desecration of traditional norms.
In such cases, the masquerade by name nju-okwu meaning against quarrels will come and
claim ownership of that property or object of quarrel until the council of elders resolve the dispute.
Within the period the masquerade claimed ownership of the property, the two parties involved are
made to swear an oath to protect each other and none of the party involved in the dispute is required

to venture into that land or touch the property or try to harm the other. Consequently, there will be
no cases of killing or insults of one another in the land. When the cabinet Chiefs might have arrived
at a judgment, the masquerade will personally hand over that property to the person the cabinet
Chiefs declares the rightful owner of the property. The cabinet Chiefs here plays another role of
administering justice and settling disputes and with the help of the masquerade maintains peace
during the process of settling dispute. Furthermore, the masquerade also assists in enforcing certain
norms and customs of the people which have great consequences for the community as a whole
when violated. Such as, murder, incest, violation of market days and what have you.
Though, with the advent of Christianity, the practice of masquerading has lost its force in the
community; this does not imply that there is chaos and disorder in the community. Currently, what
is obtainable in the community is a group or organization called Vigilante Group. Their task is to
see to the security of life and property of the people.
Punishment of Crimes
Banishment is the expulsion of an offender from the community temporarily or permanently.
It is usually earned by committing sacrilegious crimes which the people labeled aru and they
feared that to condone the crime in any form might attract the wrath of the gods. When the offender
is banished, members of his family would not object and in some cases, close relatives are also
banished from the community. This was why crime rate in the Ukpor was very low. Other means of
punishment include sacrifices for cleansing and paying of certain tributes.
Nevertheless, penalty for misconducts is no longer within the influence of the community and
their traditional institutions. The community now reports a crime to the police. The community has
no power now to impose any penalty. Banishment or ostracism is no longer in vogue in the
currently. Evaluating with the modern technique of punishing crimes, it can be said without
vagueness that the traditional method worked, better and more effectively.
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Traditional Marriage Institution

Igbo tradition to be precise, maintains that a family is not formed until all the marriage
customs are fulfilled. This is why, when a young man and a young lady encounters each other, they
do not rush off to court and rattle off promises before a judge, without a moments thought of their
implications. A long and protracted series of customary ceremonies must be performed to prepare
for the important task of marriage. It is not a matter that concerns only the young man and lady. The
process of getting married involves families, relations and sometimes even the clans and villages of
each party. This undertaking cannot be hurriedly done, because people are aware of the fact that
marriage is a lifelong undertaking.
Advancing further, in the tradition of the Ukpor people, there are recommended steps and
rituals every young man who wishes to marry a young lady ought to follow. These steps and rituals
are as follows:
Iju ese making enquires
Introduction
Ikpanri na Ikwe aka
Inye ego marriage proper
Igba nkwu Traditional Wedding.
Iju ese making enquiries is the preliminary step to formal marriage in Ukpor. This
preliminary step is of paramount importance to the people of Ukpor. This is because, in Ukpor
tradition, a young man does not just wake up early in the morning chooses a young lady for
marriage, and may be because she is beautiful or very attractive. In fact, a girl of extraordinary

attractiveness runs the risk of not getting a marriage partner all her life. All the same, it is applicable
to ladies. A lady does not choose to marry a man because he is handsome or a great lover.
In choosing a marriage partner, therefore, a man is aware of the fact that he is taking a
decision to bring new life and new existence into the family, into the community of being. He is
about to let the ancestors adopt this new life and existence. Hence, the mans decision must be made
with caution. The will of his family, the elders, the ancestors, and above all that of Chineke must be
taken into consideration. In the same manner, does the girl also go about arriving at a decision?
Hence, full scale inquiries are conducted by each party. The mans party leaves no stone unturned in
inquiring into the history and genealogy of the girls family and vice versa. The aim of each partys
investigation is to find out two things:
a)
b)

Is the young lady or the man of good character? What family a history of fertility or sterility?
Is the ladys community of being willing to hand the lady over to become forever one with the
mans community of being?
It is only when these preliminaries are taken care of that official steps towards performing the
customary stipulations are undertaken. Before the proposal to the lady, after the preliminary step,
the following step which ushers in the most fundamental ritual comes in. that is, the introduction
ritual. It is during the introduction ceremony that the parents of the lady and the lady in question
would tell the young man and his parents who must have after his investigations still have interest
to marry the lady, whether she will marry or not marry him. The boy and his father, uncle and his
fathers friend with 2 gallons of palm wine, one bottle of schnapps and 5 or 6 kola nuts go to the
ladys home. There and then, the introduction ceremony takes place.
After the introduction ritual, here comes the most important ritual in Ukpor, that is, Inye
ego- paying of Bride price. It is the most important, in that once it is being done, the man the lady
can live together as husband and wife. In our community, it is made in such a way that any man can

afford to marry. This is because, in Ukpor tradition, it is permitted that a young man who wants to
marry a young lady can only do the paying of Bride price (Inye ego). And he may leave other rituals
like Igba nkwu, Ikpa nri na Ikwe aka. And, if the man does other rituals without Inye ego paying
of bride price, the man has not formally marry the lady, which implies that the lady cannot live with
him as his wife.
This very ritual is one of the places where our ancestors had shown their benevolence to
their children because they believed that marriage is not selling of a woman. Therefore, they made
this ritual so easy, such that no man would say that he cannot afford too many. And those who come
to marry our women (ladies) from other places would benefit from our ancestors magnanimity.
This is because, the items required for this very ritual to take place are very few and cheap. The
items required for this ritual are: 2 gallons of palm wine (nkwu-enu and not ngwo), schnapps, N2,
000 (you can give more if you have), 4 tubers of yam and Oji (kola nut) as many as you can afford.
These items are what the suitor brings to the ladys family with his people and the marriage takes
place proper.
After the paying of Bride Price which is the most fundamental ritual, if the man still want,
he goes on to carry out the Ikpa nri na Ikwe aka rituals which involve the suitor buying items that
his wife would use as a woman in her matrimonial home and youths and children take them to the
bride in her parents home in procession along with the bride.
The last ritual is Igba-nkwu ritual this ritual is optional. It is a ritual where young who have
money show their richness by elaborating it to a large extent.
Traditional Burial Rites/Institution
Burial is another aspect of the traditional institution of the people that still survives, though
some aspects of it have been watered down with the practice of Christianity. However, the major

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aspects which I shall enumerate here still obtain and must be fulfilled before one can talk of a
befitting burial. Nevertheless, it is pertinent to observe that there are different methods or ways of
burying the death in Ukpor, depending on the circumstances surrounding the dead. The method of
burying a bona fide son and daughter of the community is different from that of an ofeke or a
trouble maker in the community or someone connected with crimes and abomination in the
community, or someone who committed suicide. While a due burial processes is accorded to the
true sons and daughters of the soil, those associated with crimes or suicide are often buried in the
forest without the due burial process. This is even obtainable in the Christian faith today, where
those who are considered true members of the church are buried by the priest with the celebration of
the Holy Mass, while those considered to be lacking in some way are not accorded this privilege.
In Ukpor, the following traditional stages must be followed in burial of true member of the
community irrespective of the persons faith. First, at the death of the person, the kinsmen gather
together to fix the burial day which must take place within four Igbo weeks (16 days). It must not be
on the Afo Market Day which is the towns market day. The second stage is observed if the
person is married, if not it is omitted. This stage is about announcing the date to the womans people
and it has two dimensions. If it is the woman who died, the mans kinsmen together with the man
goes to announce to the womans people of the death of their daughter. They must go with the
follow items; two bottles of hot drink, three kola nuts and garden eggs. This is the first dimension of
this stage. The second dimension is the situation whereby it is the man who died. In this instance,
the woman accompanied by her husbands brother(s), two kinsmen and two people from umuada
(wives being married in her husband kindred) will go to announce the death of her husband to her
people. This time around, it is the womans people who will present the aforementioned items to the
dead mans relatives.
The third stage is the burial proper, which Christianity has changed the traditional method.
However, during the burial proper, different people; relatives and well-wishers come to pay their
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final homage to the dead that is kept in lying of state in the early morning hours. By noon, the dead
is finally buried and the grave must be six feet deep. After the burial, cultural troops come and
display and depending on the person who died, masquerades also display. The funeral ceremony
lasts for three days.
The last stage comes one month after the burial which is all about removing of the mourning
cloth. Within this period of one month, the mourning family will still be wearing their mourning
cloth. After one month, they will gather at the grave side and burn the mourning cloth as a sign that
they have observed the entire traditional requirement for a befitting burial.
The burial rites or institution is made with the purpose of wishing the dead a safe journey to
the land of the ancestors. Again, it is believed that when it is properly observed, the dead will be
accepted in the land of the ancestor, if not the revise will be the case. The different methods of
burial are with the aim of instigating in people the need to be good citizens of the community so as
to join the ancestors in the next life.
The Significance of the official market day
There are four market days in one week (otu izu) in Igbo calendar; they are Afo, Eke, Orie,
and Nkwo. Notably, Ukpor as a whole has a very big market place and the main market day is one
day. This Afo day is very sacred to them in the sense that no matter what happens in the community,
they cannot afford to miss the Afo day. The people of Ukpor have the Afo as their market day and
they respect it as ordained by the gods. It is believed that on Afo day the people are to go to the
market to buy and sell their produce and as a result no public activity is to be fixed on that day. This
is also why they dont bury the dead on that day, they do not convoke meeting that day, and they do
not put community labour on that day. This day connotes the productivity and industrious nature of
the people and anything that will disturb it, is considered as presenting the people to be lazy, and
therefore should be circumvented.
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EVALUATION
These major political institutions of Ukpor and their system which were elaborated above are
to aid in regulating the activities of the people, implementing peace, harmony and social order,
which is all geared towards the overall development of the Ukpor people. It is obvious and worthy
of note that Ukpor has a well-established political system and institutions, and that these various
systems interact, in such a way, that they form a strong system through which the people create and
implement obligatory and authoritative decisions to maintain social order.
Apparently, it is clear and a matter of fact that some of these major political institutions of the
people have been greatly influenced by western civilization such that its major practices are being
watered down or in some cases consigned to Sheol (extinction). For instance, the traditional
means of crime punishment is no longer invoked, yet, there seems to be some that are still strong, as
in the case of traditional marriage, leadership succession, and burial rites. Christianity as an aspect
of these western effects appears to have some features in common with some of these institutions.
For example, the burial rite accorded to individuals, for just as obtainable in the traditional
institution, not everybody is buried by a Priest based on the persons activeness or some other
criterion ordained by the church.
Analytically, looking at the emergence of the rule by Igwe and the functions of the cabinet
Chiefs, one would agree with me that it obviously seems like an imposition by the government, but
the people seem to still have more respect in the their unanimous decisions about their traditional
culture, custom and norms and only see the Igwe as a conditio sine qua non.
CONCLUSION
Owusu, a well acknowledged Ghanaian author in his book conceptualized this idea of the
necessity for the upholding of cultural feature for the integration and survival of the African people

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when he asserts that African democracy may require the integration of indigenous methods of
village cooperation with innovative forms of government, combining the power of universal rights
with the uniqueness of each districts or nations own custom and respected traditions (Owusu
1991:384).
This points the fact that the moves made by the government to modernize or to transform
most of our traditional political institutions and systems, without considering the cherished
traditions and custom, and the benefits that might arise from proper integration of these institutions
into the present political system, where not fundamentally rational. However, this interference of
the government has changed so many things, and the various traditional institutions are losing their
hold on people.
Nevertheless, that they have not been able to efface entirely the cultures as well as the
traditional political system and institutions of the Ukpor people shows that our political system has
been well-structured. Thus, if other African communities can imitate the political system of the
Ukpor people, Africans will definitely conquer the problem of colonialism and restore their cultural
heritage.

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INTERVIEWS
Chief T.C. Nwakire (President Ukpor Improvement Union, Lagos Branch)
Interviewed on 9th April, 2015, age: 65, location: Lagos.
Mr. Michael Okeke (My biological Father)
Interviewed on 10th April, 2015, age: 65, location: Lagos.
Nze G. Onyeagusi (Member of the Cabinet Chiefs representing my own village)
Interviewed on 16th April, 2015, age: 82, location: Ukpor.
H.R.H. Igwe F.C. Onyimadu (Ezegedegbum I of Ukpor)
Interviewed on 16th April, 2015, age: 72, location: Ukpor.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
He, D.A., 1979,
Political System, in the New Encyclopedia Britannica vol. 14
U.S.A: Encyclopedia Britannica Inc.
Odetola and Ademola, A., 1985,
Soliology: Introduction; African context.
Macmillian Pub. Ltd, London.
Ilogu, E., 1974,
Christianity, and Igbo Culture, New York: Nok Publishers.
Owusu, M., 1991,
Democracy and Africa A View from the Village,
The Journal of Modern African Studies, V. 30, N. 3

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