The long term objective of elaborate coronation ceremonies shall be to etch authentic Igbo culture into the memories of all who will be physically present and all who would be privileged to view recorded material from the celebrations. For that reason, every act during the ceremonies shall be based on authentic Igbo tradition.
Crown is a symbol of authority over a people. It represents to the people the pinnacle of power, reverence and authority over them. It can only last as long as truth, love and social responsibility for a people are sustained. It dies in reality when falsehood and avarice desecrate the crown, though a man bestowed with it appears to be living. He is in that case traditionally dead and is no longer worthy of the crown on his head.
It is vital for efficacy of the ceremony for all traditional institutions be involved in crowning an Eze (king). The process shall commence with the presentation of the crown by the first son of the king to the leader of Ndi Okenye (Elders). The eldest raises the crown aloft and shows it to all elders in the assembly and invokes ancestors to witness the ceremony. He then hands the crown over to the traditional healers and seers of the community. They hold the crown in turns and make invocation to ancestors to invigorate the crown with their power that only what is right, fair and just may issue for all time from the head that shall wear the crown. Four such traditional healers shall be involved. The crown returns to the eldest man in the community and prayers are said in turns by leader of women married into the village. She invokes God’s blessings on the land of her marriage by imbuing the crown with wisdom that the king needs for addressing the spiritual and material needs of the clan.
Leader of women, born in the land but married elsewhere in the world steps forward to pray over the crown. She identifies with the clan of her birth and calls on ancestors and their relations-in-law to support the crown that the land of her birth may prosper spiritually and materially.
Leader of male youth (Okorobia) prays that bloodshed may be kept at bay while the crown lies on the head of the king. The youth invokes prayers that whatever may be conceived with the crown be of continuing benefit for upcoming generations of Amohuru citizens into the far future.
Leader of female youth (Mgboto) steps up and invokes God’s protection on a peaceful and progressive community that will compel people from all parts of the world to gravitate to Amohuru for partners in life in the future.
Prayers now move to received religions. Eze’s father was first an Anglican Christian before becoming a Catholic Christian. He got married to Eze’s mother at Zion Anglican Church, Okpala, in 1927. An Anglican clergyman shall pray in his faith and yield opportunity to a Catholic priest. Eze was a Catholic for 28 years of his early life and he still identifies with that faith as community religion when ceremonies demand. A Gold Crossbearer of The Grail Movement of Nigeria, which is Eze’s current mode of worship of God and mode of living, shall then complete the prayers and the Ishinze shall then crown him in full glare of all.
Eze shall then formally accept leadership of his people and the crown with a vow to be faithful to his people, honest with all manner of men, true in all matters and loyal to community trust reposed in him unto the death. This act represents the climax of the event and shall be immediately followed by 101 cannon booms. The officiating group shall thereafter leave the scene in order of entry for other events to take place.
The crowning of members of the council of Ndinze of the community shall then commence.
After Ndinze shall have processed through to their seats, Eze shall then proceed to honour citizens who have been found worthy of honour through his life in various theatres. Short extracts of the basis for their honour with ‘Zeerem’ title shall be read by Master of Ceremonies (MC) nominated by Eze. Ishinze and three other Ndinze shall assist with capping of Zeerem title holders for speed of ceremony.
Eze shall take a ceremonial dance to Abigbo music round the arena once only with members of his traditional council and Ndi Zeerem and proceed to the palace with special guests as soon as four cannon shots sound for Eze to withdraw. Merriment continues for citizens of Amohuru and their guests.
Drinks and food which should be mustered ready with attendants in all canopies shall be served immediately Eze and all titleholders have left the arena for the Obi Ishiozo Mbu. Traditional music shall then blare out from all corners of the arena without restrictions.
