IGBO COMMUNITY RULED BY A MUSLIM MONARCH
Igboland Traditionalists & Christians Crown Muslim King
--Attorney Patryk Utulu

IGBOS of Nigeria are 99 per cent Traditionalists and Christians. IGBOLAND (stretching from Igbo "Heartlands" in South-East to Igbo "Spear Points" in Delta State covering Oshimili [Asaba], Aniocha [Ogwashi-Uku], Ndokwa [Kwale] to the outer tips of Ika [Agbor]), are predominantly Traditionalists and Christians.

In Igbo Spear Points kingship is mostly hereditary (by bloodline) and succession is mostly by primogeniture (passing from fathers to first-born sons). When some Igbos crossed over thousands of years ago from the Heartlands to Spear Points those Igbos adopted the hereditary kingship culture of the Ancient Benin Empire with whom they shared old Mid West or BENDEL (yes, BENDEL meant BENin and DELta).

In Igbo Heartland kingship is predominantly NON-HEREDITARY. Kingship is gained by merit. The Igbos were practicing merit-based democracy thousands of years before America ever existed. Igbo kings arise by the will of peers and community. Based on a combination of factors (wealth, influence, leadership skill, bravery, etc.) a Community would elect/select a deserving son and make him king. It is seldom that his son would succeed him. Oral history and modern examples abound. Even British colonial authorities recognized/adapted to it.

IMO COMMUNITY CROWNS A MUSLIM KING

I detailed the background of merit, tradition and Christianity to demonstrate my happiness that regardless of religion, the Igbo heartland community of "ancient Umuofor Kingdom of Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State" crowned a "devout Muslim" as their traditional ruler...based on merit and ancestry.

His Royal Highness, Abdul Fatai Chima Emetumah Duru III and Ofor IX of Umuofor Autonomous Community was chosen as royal father and the custodian of community culture and tradition...regardless of religious differences.

BEST EXAMPLE OF WHAT NIGERIA SHOULD BE.

King Abdul Fatai Chima Emetumah Duru II was an 11-year old boy in 1970 when his father, Eze Abdul Gafar Ihunanze Duru Emetumah, then leader of the Umuofor community converted to Islam. Like 99% of the world the boy adopted his father's religion. Twenty-two years later, the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero ceremoniously turbaned King Abdul F.C.E. Duru III, in November 1992.

UMUOFOR COMMUNITY AND Id el Kabir 2014

For 2014 Id el Kabir festivities "all Muslim faithfuls prayed with their royal father who is also the Chief Imam at the Umuofor Community Mosque" and afterward followed him to his palace to celebrate. Notably, some traditionalists (non-Muslim non-Christian) members of the community joined in Islamic prayers with their king. Community relations among Umuofor Traditionalists, Christians and Muslims is said to be excellent. [picture: King Duru III; credit: Leadership]

As a Federal Constitutional Republic this is how Nigeria should be. Religion ought to be free, inclusive, voluntary and serving as points of unity and not as a sword for division. As a Nigerian honorary member of Sierra Leone Associations it never ceases to amaze me to see how Sierra Leonean Muslims and Christians cooperate. Whether it is Birthdays, Funerals, Graduation ceremonies, Christmas or Islamic celebrations ALL Sierra Leoneans show up. They discuss family, community, national issues and religion...without anger. You would not easily know who practiced what faith. To figure out their individual religions I had to carefully observe what each person or family was NOT eating or drinking.

Religion is NOT the problem. It is HOW you practice it that matters. After all, how many Nigerians knew that Sierra Leone's predominant religion is Islam, at 71%?

Patryk A. Utulu is a U.S.-based attorney and Strategic Communications Specialist
Global Defense Analyst and Global Events Commentator
Executive Vice President, Nigerian Diaspora-North America
Executive Director, The Center for Community Empowerment and Lifeskills, Inc.
[Rights Reserved 10102014. Copyrights Strictly Enforced. Fair Use Permitted].

It's a good development.

Good

Beautiful,all hope is not lost somhow somday peace shall return 2naija&d world at large

This is a welcome development. News like this makes one easily excited. This community is 1 in a million, eschewing all forms of religious sentiments n making merit a priority. May Allah's peace and blessings be upon them, n may He give them the strength to continue to forge ahead together.

Demmzy15:

Cc Parisbookaddict, true2god, christopher123, et al come and see, the devil is ashamed of you all

Of course the devil is shamed.. We christians shame him by standing with God's truth..

On the other hand the devil of proud of U fundamentalist Muslims..

Demmzy15:
Are you not an hypocrite?

No I am not..
I will Ask u this. I know several ex Muslims and if u visit the North u will see several ex Muslims attending church, I have seen this in Abuja as well. This is despite the threat to their lives in core northern states.. Remember that Northern Muslims have burned Christian churches for decades and murdered non-Muslims yet Christianity still grows in the north.. And the southwest.

Yet u come to the south south and South East where there is freedom of religion and yet the vast majority of Southerners reject islam..no one is forcing people to remain Christians. When one obscure southerner especially Igbo converts to islam u Muslims post it on the Internet like it's a big deal.. That Says a lot about Islam and how insecure u guys are..

Let me tell u this I have heard of 2 Igbo who converted to islam and they did it for financial reasons.. One was for a series of contract and the other was for scholarship.. And I know one who married one because of wealth. As much as I disagree with their choice but u have to understand Igbos are very driven people who believe in success through any suitable means.

So please tell ur rich northerners to keep helping my brothers as they entice them to take Arabic names while they tap into that taxpayers wealth that for too long has found its way to northerners..