Nigeria: The role of the Chief Priest of the town of Umunede, Delta State; including traditional religious beliefs and practices, preparation for initiation, initiation rites and succession to the office; information on the names of current and past chief priests to 2014

Information on the role of the Chief Priest of the town of Umunede, Delta State; including traditional religious beliefs and practices, preparation for initiation, initiation rites and succession to the office, and information on the names of current and past chief priests to 2014 was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1. Role of the Chief Priest in Umunede, Delta State

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, the Director of the Centre for African Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, who has conducted research on the cultural history and political economy of Africa since the 1500s (University of California, Berkeley n.d.), provided the following information regarding the chief priest in Umunede:

The power of the chief priest has waned considerably since the early twentieth century but is still strong among the followers of traditional Umunede religious practices and, often enough, among some Christians.

The chief priest is responsible for the principal shrine/temple in Umunede. He offered sacrifices on behalf of the town during the new yam festival.

It is his role to cleanse the society when an abomination has been committed or when it is perceived the society is going through a difficult time or somebody or spirits have apparently cast a spell on the town.

He also performed divination - as a clairvoyant or uncover[er] [of] the unknown. The chief priest's apparent ability to divine the unknown ascribes to him the role of conflict resolver. If, for example, some valuable goes missing, the chief priest may be consulted to divine the culprit.

In the past, the chief priest was an untouchable. That could still be the case, likely to a lesser degree. (Director 11 Oct. 2015).

Additional and corroborating information regarding the chief priest in Umunede could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response; however, the following information regarding the role of the Umunede National Association (UNA) may be useful.

The UNA, which was launched in 2006 in Dallas, Texas to support the development of Umunede and its youth (UNA 20 May 2015), indicates on its website that the Umunede is governed by the Obi-in-council (ibid. 2015). The same source states that the council is made up of:

The Obi of Umunede: The Chairman at all meetings and deliberations brought before the Royal Palace. He also presides at all disputes brought to the Palace for members of the Royal Family to settle.

Royal Family: Members of the Royal Family in the Council include adult princes and princesses. The senior members are also supposed to act as advisers to the Obi on matters relating to custom and tradition.

The Ndiches: By tradition, the Ndiches are the oldest men who hold the Staff of Office (called Okpukpu) in their respective recognized communities in Umunede. When they meet in the Royal Palace, they sit according to the seniority of the office which they hold and not by the age of its individuals in Umunede. The Ogele is the leader of the Ndiches. […] There are about 14 Okpukpus in Umunede. (UNA 2015)

Additional and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2. Traditional Religious Beliefs and Practices

An article by the Ika National Association, founded to promote and advance the cause of Ika speaking people worldwide (Ika National Association n.d.), reports that the Igbanke region's [1] new yam festival is an annual celebration of traditions (ibid. 7 Feb. 2011). The same source notes that after the announcement of the yam festival, the "Nwa Ubu," the priest god of harvest and protector of the children of Igbanke town, sleeps outside in a hut built specifically for him, where he receives visitors and family members (ibid.). The same source notes that during the festival, the priests also "travel to the 'Land of the Unknown' to appease the god of the spirit of the deaths," but before doing so there is an exchange of native chalk powder [believed to be the protector of the people of Igbanke] and an offering of prayers (ibid.).

The UNA indicates that the "Umunede people have always believed in monotheism," and that Christianity has "spread so rapidly in Umunede during the past thirty years that most Umunedians are now Christians" (UNA 2015). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2.1 Initiation and Succession of Chief Priest into Office

The Director indicated that the details concerning the "preparation for initiation and the invitation itself [are] largely unknown, except to the priests themselves" (Director 11 Oct. 2015). The same source further indicated that to his knowledge, the "succession is determined through divination" (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

The UNA provides the following information with regards to titled chiefs:

[c]hieftaincy is generally conferred on deserving citizens of Umunede and other worthy non-citizens who meet the Obis requirements. … Some of the titles, especially those of Benin origin, are hereditary. … The functions of the chiefs include, among others, promotion of peace, unity and development of Umunede. The chiefs may also represent the Obi on political/social matters. (UNA 2015)

Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

3. Current and Past Chief Priests

An article by Vanguard, a daily Nigerian newspaper (Vanguard n.d.), reports that on 25 September 2015, during a festival in the Delta state, the chief priest of that state, S. Olokor, led participants and performed rituals (6 Oct. 2015). In a 2013 article, the Nation, a daily Nigerian newspaper (The Nation n.d.), named Omadeli Benson Dube as the Chief Priest of the Delta State, and reported that he was arrested along with three others for ordering the torture of two men who were supporters of a "influential titleholder in the community" (ibid. 29 Nov. 2013). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Note

[1] The Igbanke region "is of the Ika tribe in Africa which constitutes Agbor [located in Delta State (Worldatlas 2 Oct. 2015)], and up to the border towns of Alifekede down to Umunede" (Ika National Association 7 Feb. 2011).

References

Director, Center for African Studies, University of California, Berkely. 11 October 2015. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Ika National Association. 7 February 2011. "Igbanke People Are Ika!" [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

The Nation. 29 November 2013. "Chief Priest's Arrest Sparks Anger in Delta Community." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

_____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

Umunede National Association (UNA). 20 May 2015. "Welcome to Umunede." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

_____. 2015. "Umunede History." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

University of California, Berkeley. N.d. "G. Ugo Nwokeji." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

Vanguard. 6 October 2015. Ochuko Akuopha. "Nigeria: Egba - Deity that Protects Devotees from Gunfire, Invaders." (Factiva)

_____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

Worldatlas. 2 October 2015. "Where Is Agbor, Nigeria?" [Accessed 19 Oct. 2015]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: African Studies Centre; associate professor, Chair of International Studies, Franklin & Marshall College; associate professor of history and Director, International Studies Program, Franklin & Marshall College; Institute of African Studies, Carleton Univeristy; Nigeria - Delta State, Ministry of Information; Program Director, African Studies, New College, University of Toronto; professor of African history, Stanford University; professor of history and archaelogy, Franklin & Marshall College; professor of anthropology, Franklin & Marshall College; professor of women's gender and sexuality studies, Franklin & Marshall College; Umunede National Association.

Internet sites, including: Africa Confidential; Africa Research Bulletin; AfrikaWorld.net; AllAfrica; Amnesty International; Delta.com; ecoi.net; Factiva; Freedom House; IRIN; Nigeria - Delta State, National Population Commission; Nairaland; Nigeria News; Onu Ika Nigeria; United States - Department of State.