Ibusa Multiple Obiship Explored: Insights from Obi Ajudua's One-Year Milestone – Part Three

 Ibusa Multiple Obiship Explored: Insights from Obi Ajudua's One-Year Milestone – Part Three

By Emeka Esogbue

So far, much has been said about the Ibusa Multiple Obiship system and the challenges it currently faces. It is now crucial to examine the relevance of this institution to the Ibusa community in the modern era.

Historically, the ancestors of Ibusa alongside neighbouring communities like Asaba, Okpanam, and Okwe, established a structured social hierarchy in which Obiship was regarded as the highest attainable status, reserved for nobles and men of distinction. Like many African institutions, however, early Europeans dismissed this system, branding it as inherently “pagan” or “fetish.”

From the perspective of Obi Dr. Henry Ajudua, a staunch advocate for the preservation of Obiship in Ibusa, such labeling was nothing more than colonial propaganda. He asserts that the Obiship tradition emphasizes morality, justice, and communal harmony with values far removed from the chaos or evil portrayed by Europeans. The Obis of Ibusa are known for purity and devotion to godliness within their society. Moreover, much like Europeans, the people of Ibusa have always believed in a Supreme Being and the existence of higher powers.

Spirits and ancestors in Ibusa culture are seen as intermediaries, similar to how saints are venerated in Catholicism. It is well known that Christianity itself embraces rituals rooted in European traditions and culture. Yet, Europeans employed terms like “pagan” and “fetish” to ridicule African sacred symbols and institutions, dismissing their profound spiritual and cultural significance.

The European branding of African traditions as evil was a calculated attempt to justify colonial domination and accelerate conversion to Christianity. These judgments were grounded in bias, ignorance, and deliberate misrepresentation. By portraying African chiefs and traditional systems in a negative light, Europeans sought to dismantle indigenous governance and impose foreign rule. They promoted the belief that Christianity was the only true faith, while African cultures were destined for condemnation.

In preserving the Ibusa Obiship, it is vital for the people especially the youth to shed these colonial misconceptions. The institution is neither evil nor primitive. Many have questioned why an enlightened professional like Dr. Ajudua, a medical practitioner based in the United States, would choose to return and embrace the title. Yet, Americans themselves uphold their traditions and status symbols with pride. If they can cherish theirs, why shouldn’t Ibusa do the same?

The continued decline in the number of Obiship titleholders is alarming and should concern every son and daughter of Ibusa. It is equally important to remember that Obuzo and Omu candidates in Ibusa, just like the Asagba and Omu in Asaba, all draw legitimacy from the same cultural heritage. For this reason, the promotion and sustenance of the Obiship institution in these communities must remain a conscious priority.

Branding Obis as fetish contributes nothing to the preservation of Ibusa civilization. It only distorts the truth about a proud heritage of Ibusa. The publicity surrounding Obi Dr. Henry Ajudua’s initiation ceremony was widely praised for demonstrating to the younger generation that there is nothing evil about the system. The colonial narrative that African traditions are primitive and backward should be rejected outright. It was merely a tool of domination and exploitation.

The people of Ibusa must take pride in their Obiship and ensure that this cherished institution does not fade into history. 

…Concluding Part