(Opinion) Chiefs don’t die, they only travel on hunting expedition – Idoma culture

By Prince Sunny Inedu

When my grandfather Chief Inedu Akor, the Onagene 1 of Itabono Owukpa died in 1986, as growing children, each time we travel to the village, we were told he traveled, until the formal burial rite on 4th December, 1989. Before then, he had already been committed to mother earth. But even up till now as I write, I have never been shown where the great king was actually buried. Perhaps, if I insist, I might be shown the place. At least I have come of age now and married with children.

He was the first and great Onagene in Itabono Owukpa district of Ogbadibo local government area of Benue State. He was a well beaded Chief. That was when that clan headship was accorded high regards equal to that of a second class Chief, under Och’Idoma the second, HRH Agabaidu Abraham Ajene Okpabi. Hence, I’m known and called Prince Sunny Inedu.

To bury this great man to whom I’m a grandson, 11 cows, over 40 goats and many chickens went down. You can imagine how great he was and is, because he lives on in us, to have been given such an expensively befitting burial as far back as over 29 years ago. There was a heavy procession from Eke’akpa to Ahor’ogbor through Ukwo’Owukpa. His children, guests, family friends and well wishers were all dressed in varieties of ashoebi (uniform) and different maquarades like Atu, Ekpe etc led the public show down to our family compound at Iga’uroko in Itabono Owukpa. It was a great celebration of life for our grandfather by friends, family members, neighbours and well wishers from all walks of life. I remember many of our neighbours from Otukpo town were also in attendance.

The burial ceremony lasted till 9th December, 1989 (5days), before the departure of guests, who were hosted in various tents made of palm fronts by all the sons of the great Chief, including my father, Linus Onwudiegwu Inedu. I know you will begin to wonder about my own father’s native name; Onwudiegwu. You don’t have to, because his mother hails from Ohulor in Ubollo-eke of Enugu State, same with the mother of his father, my grandfather the great Onagene of his time, and one of my Uncles mother too, Odoh Inedu of blessed memory. My grandfather married many wives with over hundred children, numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren up to the forth generation. Some I’ve never met before. He lived for 104 years, before he passed on to the great beyond.

In the same vein and in accordance with the established Idoma culture, when a beaded chief dies, no one announces it publicly, until the burial ceremony proper, when his death will be made known officially. Remember, this is not applicable to non beaded Chiefs, who assume office based on political appointment. They will only tell you he embarked on a hunting expedition. May this well respected culture we hold sacred never die in our time.

This same cultural heritage is known and practised in different parts of Nigeria and in some countries abroad.