- Source: List of rulers of Nri
The following is a list of rulers of Nri. The title of the ruler of Nri is Eze Nri. He held religious and political authority over the Kingdom of Nri.
The Nri culture is believed to stretch back to at least the 13th century, with a traditional foundation by Eri dated 948.
The 15th recorded Eze Nri, Òbalíke, was deposed by the British administration in favour of the "warrant chief" system, but the title continued to be held; the current eze Nri, Ènweleána II Obidiegwu Onyeso, was instated in 1988.
Selection
The eze Nri was chosen by the Nze and Nzemabua (state leadership) and had to be recognized by the general public. Before being crowned, he could not have a living father. The potential eze Nri also had to prove he was the choice of God (Chukwu), Eri (founder of Nri), the ancestors ("ndiichie") and spirits (alusi) through revelations and visions confirmed by diviners. After this, must travel to Aguleri to obtain a lump of clay from the bottom of Omambalathe Anambra River. The clay is used to make the ritual pot (odudu) for the shrine to Nri Menri. After various other rituals such as causing the magical ripening of a fruit palm and undergoing a ritual burial and reviving, the eze Nri was proclaimed and saluted as igwe (meaning "heavenly one").
List of recorded Eze Nri
It is difficult to trace the exact dates for an individual eze Nri, because there was an interregnum after each one's death. During this time, the priests of the eze Nri waited for someone to manifest the signs indicating they were the next priest-king.
The following list is based entirely on Igbo Civilization: Nri Kingdom & Hegemony by M. Angulu Onwuejeogwu (1981).
See also
Kingdom of Nri
Eze
Igbo-Ukwu
Nigerian traditional rulers
List of Igbo Nnewi monarchs
Footnotes
Sources
Chambers, Douglas (2005). Murder At Montpelier: Igbo Africans In Virginia. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. pp. 325 pages. ISBN 1-57806-706-5.
Isichei, Elizabeth Allo (1997). A History of African Societies to 1870. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. pp. 588 pages. ISBN 0-521-45599-5.
Uzukwu, E. Elochukwu (1997). Worship as Body Language: Introduction to Christian Worship: An African Orientation. Collegeville: Liturgical Press. pp. 384 Pages. ISBN 0-8146-6151-3.
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- List of rulers of Nri
- Kingdom of Nri
- Igbo people
- Nigerian traditional rulers
- Igbo Jews
- List of kingdoms and empires in African history
- List of state leaders in the 11th century
- List of state leaders in the 12th century
- List of state leaders in the 19th century (1851–1900)
- List of Igbo people