NIGERIANS GO CRAZY FOR A TITLE !
By Chris Ewokor - BBC Network Africa, Abuja.
In traditional society chiefs are highly revered. To be addressed as a Mr, Mrs or Ms in Nigerian social circles means you are a nobody. To be a mover or shaker you need to be a chief - or to at least hold a doctorate.
But some fear this craze for chieftaincy titles may be eroding what was once a highly revered position in traditional Nigerian society.
To be a traditional chief is like being a small god - it is seen as the peak of one's achievement in life.
A chief should be someone who is well-to-do financially and intellectually - and has contributed substantially to the development of the community.
Chieftaincy titles have practically been bastardised these days
Chief Reginald Ibe
"It's a recognition by your people," says Luke Ogedegbe, who became a chief in the southern Delta State in the 1990s.
He is known as Erhuvwu of Udu kingdom - "Goodness of the Udu kingdom" - and has found that his traditional title puts him in a "special class".
"You don't operate as an ordinary man anymore. As a matter of fact you are supposed to be in the upper bracket of society and that lifts you from the commoner," he explains.
Political clout
Yet some people, like Alhaji Abbu Mohammed from northern Borno State, think this is not the only appeal.
Mr Obasanjo was made a chief after he stood down as military ruler
He has inherited the title Yerima Kida of Biu Emirate, which literally means he is prince of the Kida area.
"Most of the people who seem to be crazy about titles are making up for some deficiencies or some inadequacies," he claims.
Honorary titles can often be bought by giving a donation of about $10,000 to one's home area.
"The moment somebody is financially buoyant the next thing is to be chief because he has more money."
The Yerima Kida says many people use their titles for political gain.
"They brandish it, especially a politician because he wants to sell himself. In Nigerian politics we don't sell programmes, we sell people," he says.
Financial manager Reginald Ibe, a chief of the Igbo people in the south-east, echoes this disquiet.
"Chieftaincy titles have practically been bastardised these days," he says.
"Everybody wants to acquire one chieftaincy title or any other title. The number of honorary PhDs we have in this country is symptomatic of a people who have failed in so many aspects of life."
Costly
His title Onwa Netilora Omudo of Uzoagba means "bringer of peace and the moon that shines over Uzoagba" and was awarded in the 1990s in gratitude for jobs given to the unemployed in his home area in Imo State.
People even add things like Mr Engineer to their name, it's a kind of pomposity
Man in Abuja
Not a penny changed hands, he says.
"Now you even have armed robbers, corrupt politicians and all sorts of people being chiefs," Chief Ibe says.
"It costs a lot to acquire a title. These days, in all you could spend as much $200,000 to $250,000 - minimum to become a chief."
Many prominent Nigerians including serving and past political leaders hold one title or another - either traditional, educational, professional or religious.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was made chief shortly after he first stepped down from power when he was the military head of state in 1979. As chief he went on to lead a democratic administration two decades later.
President Umaru Yar'Adua holds, but rarely uses, his traditional title Matawalin Katsina - "custodian of wealth of Katsina" - given to him by the Emir of Katsina when he was governor.
And the trend for acquiring titles is not limited to the political elite.
"People even add things like Mr Engineer to their name, it's a kind of pomposity," a man in Abuja said, when I went to canvass opinion in the capital about Nigeria's title obsession.
One woman disputed whether it was solely a Nigerian phenomenon.
"In the world in general they respect people with titles. If you are a nobody, people tend to look down on you - place you in the back seats," she said.
However, Nigerians may have to realise that while a title may give your ego a boost and a step up the social ladder, the associated respect of old may no longer be guaranteed.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
In traditional society chiefs are highly revered. To be addressed as a Mr, Mrs or Ms in Nigerian social circles means you are a nobody. To be a mover or shaker you need to be a chief - or to at least hold a doctorate.
But some fear this craze for chieftaincy titles may be eroding what was once a highly revered position in traditional Nigerian society.
To be a traditional chief is like being a small god - it is seen as the peak of one's achievement in life.
A chief should be someone who is well-to-do financially and intellectually - and has contributed substantially to the development of the community.
Chieftaincy titles have practically been bastardised these days
Chief Reginald Ibe
"It's a recognition by your people," says Luke Ogedegbe, who became a chief in the southern Delta State in the 1990s.
He is known as Erhuvwu of Udu kingdom - "Goodness of the Udu kingdom" - and has found that his traditional title puts him in a "special class".
"You don't operate as an ordinary man anymore. As a matter of fact you are supposed to be in the upper bracket of society and that lifts you from the commoner," he explains.
Political clout
Yet some people, like Alhaji Abbu Mohammed from northern Borno State, think this is not the only appeal.
Mr Obasanjo was made a chief after he stood down as military ruler
He has inherited the title Yerima Kida of Biu Emirate, which literally means he is prince of the Kida area.
"Most of the people who seem to be crazy about titles are making up for some deficiencies or some inadequacies," he claims.
Honorary titles can often be bought by giving a donation of about $10,000 to one's home area.
"The moment somebody is financially buoyant the next thing is to be chief because he has more money."
The Yerima Kida says many people use their titles for political gain.
"They brandish it, especially a politician because he wants to sell himself. In Nigerian politics we don't sell programmes, we sell people," he says.
Financial manager Reginald Ibe, a chief of the Igbo people in the south-east, echoes this disquiet.
"Chieftaincy titles have practically been bastardised these days," he says.
"Everybody wants to acquire one chieftaincy title or any other title. The number of honorary PhDs we have in this country is symptomatic of a people who have failed in so many aspects of life."
Costly
His title Onwa Netilora Omudo of Uzoagba means "bringer of peace and the moon that shines over Uzoagba" and was awarded in the 1990s in gratitude for jobs given to the unemployed in his home area in Imo State.
People even add things like Mr Engineer to their name, it's a kind of pomposity
Man in Abuja
Not a penny changed hands, he says.
"Now you even have armed robbers, corrupt politicians and all sorts of people being chiefs," Chief Ibe says.
"It costs a lot to acquire a title. These days, in all you could spend as much $200,000 to $250,000 - minimum to become a chief."
Many prominent Nigerians including serving and past political leaders hold one title or another - either traditional, educational, professional or religious.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was made chief shortly after he first stepped down from power when he was the military head of state in 1979. As chief he went on to lead a democratic administration two decades later.
President Umaru Yar'Adua holds, but rarely uses, his traditional title Matawalin Katsina - "custodian of wealth of Katsina" - given to him by the Emir of Katsina when he was governor.
And the trend for acquiring titles is not limited to the political elite.
"People even add things like Mr Engineer to their name, it's a kind of pomposity," a man in Abuja said, when I went to canvass opinion in the capital about Nigeria's title obsession.
One woman disputed whether it was solely a Nigerian phenomenon.
"In the world in general they respect people with titles. If you are a nobody, people tend to look down on you - place you in the back seats," she said.
However, Nigerians may have to realise that while a title may give your ego a boost and a step up the social ladder, the associated respect of old may no longer be guaranteed.
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