FROM GERONTOCRACY TO OHACRACY: A CRITICAL SURVEY OF SOCIO- RELIGIOUS DYNAMISM OF ELDERSHIP IN IGBO COSMOLOGY

Abstract

Long ago, the Igbo concept of eldership connoted the old men who naturally have attained old age. These men sat at judgments over critical moments of justice and its delivery in Igboland. They are drawn from all the families that constitute the family folk.  Special regards was given to the oldest man on whom was conferred the privilege to superintend over the insignia of traditional power. Governmental system was gerontocracy. This paper seeks to critically examine the concept of eldership in the primordial Igbo society and the emerging democratic administration in Igboland. Primary and secondary methods were used for data presentation. The study discovers that in contemporary times the concept of eldership has changed drastically from age umbrella to contemporary socio-religious ideologies. The idea of leadership has transformed from gerontocracy to Ohacracy, a form of egalitarian democracy in political administration of the Igbo.  Eldership was no more attained only through natural acquisition of age. Young men and women who have acquired skills in communication, became wealthy, politicians and image makers have gone to the center stage of policy making and administration in villages and towns today. The problem created by the young elders is the hasty methods of decision making and execution that lacked primordial expertise. Such decisions have dealt a great blow on the cohesion which was the hallmark of the Igbo nation. The researchers discovered the justice anomaly perpetrated by these young elders and recommends that proper training be given to them for execution of right justice and cohesion of the Igbo nation.