Afikpo (Ehugbo) Traditional Legislative Years

Ehugbo (Afikpo) in Ebonyi south senatorial zone comprises Nkpoghoro, Ugwuegu, Ohaisu, Itim and Ozizza groups of villages. Though each is now an autonomous community with a recognized traditional ruler, every traditional and cultural observance remains the same. That oneness (Akar’ilu) corporate existence is not affected by the government autonomous community set-up. The Ehugbo Traditional Calendar is still strictly adhered to as a people.

Ehugbo has a unique age grade system which takes care of the traditional system of governance in conformity with the established laws of the land. Criminal issues are outside its jurisdiction. The age grade sets that operate at town level are the Eto and the Essa grades. The Onikara and beyond are Essa Emeritus with no legislative or executive powers. They may be consulted in serious matters requiring interpretations of tradition and cultural norms.

Every nine lunar years, which equal eight Gregorian/Western years, the legislative and executive tenures of the age grade sets end. A change of guards takes place. The most recent change of guards happened on the 28th day of April, 2008 (Eke). The two immediate past tenures ended in 1992 and 2000 respectively while the next three will take place in 2016, 2024 and 2032.

The commencement of Ehugbo’s new legislative year is usually well heralded. In late August, Ehugbo New Yam Festival day marks the beginning of a new calendar year. From that date, the time table for the change into a new legislative year is drawn based on successive festivals strictly reckoned on seven native weeks (izu essa), equivalent to a month.

In a change-over year, preliminary preparations would start in the month of March (which is also the commencement of the farming season) in anticipation of the formal handover. Celebrations would start at the individual village levels. Then the excitement builds to a climax by the last week of April (Onwa Okwu) when the ceremonies come to an end.

The handover ceremonies begin with the outgoing Ekpuke Eto, who would have a send off ceremony for the younger Ekpuke Essa. There are mutual discussions and feasting at agreed traditional venues. The incoming Isi Elia would perform similar ceremonies for the out-going (or current) Ekpuke Eto. At the town level, the traditional venues for the feasting and other pleasantries are Amancho and Agboride both in Amaizu village of Ugwuegu group of villages.

As implied earlier, all preliminary ceremonies must end by the last week of April of the change over year. On the last Eke of April the graduating age sets would move into their new council houses – older Essa (Nd’ichie) to Onikara, younger Essa move across to the higher chamber, Eto over to Ulubi, Essa while the up coming Isi Elia would occupy the Eto executive chamber. In the most recent change over year, this happened on Monday 28th April, 2008. On the first Eke day on 2nd May 2008 the Eto and Essa age sets appointed their key officers.

The appointment of the key officers is another unique feature in Ehugbo legislative process. The rotation of officers in each house is by custom and tradition pre-determined and strictly adhered to. At the first meeting, the affected village groups whose turn it is to produce the key officers would be allowed a few minutes to meet outside the chamber and come up with their chosen officers. If there is a dispute outside, two candidates may be presented to the full house who would then select one of them based on previous track records; that done, petitions are usually not entertained as there are no provisions for campaigning or rigging. Majority open opinion is always the yard stick for appointment of the key officers.

Worthy of note is the position of the Onikara in Ehugbo. The main and only qualification is age. An Onikara under normal circumstances cannot be less than seventy-five years of age. Poverty, riches, or political status in life have no influence on anyone’s attainment of the status of an Onikara.

Nd’Ehugbo guard the customary change of guards very jealously. Every true male adult proudly looks forward to moving up to the next age grade/set level after nine lunar years.