Agabige emerges Eze Ndigbo in Bariga

Agabige emerges Eze Ndigbo in Bariga

On Saturday, July 2, the Igbo community in Lagos crowned Chief Stephen Agabige, Ikenga Eziawa of Imo State, as the Eze Ndigbo in Bariga, Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State.

The event, which took place at the Alubarika, Bariga, home of Chief Agabige, saw the making of an Igbo king in its finest tradition, as the six-man kingmakers, led by Elder Alex Okeke, performed the coronation rituals amid soul-lifting Christian songs, to the consternation of all.

The elated Agabige said his decision to take the title was to fulfill several prophecies in the past about him that there was a crown on his head. “So, when the Bariga chapter of the Igbo community in Lagos approached me to be the Eze Ndigbo in Bariga, I couldn’t turn it down because I saw it as a fulfillment of those prophecies,” he said.

He is expected to make peace whenever there is a dispute between the Igbo and any other ethnic group in Bariga.

He promised to use his influence and resources to ensure the peace and wellbeing of the Igbo in Bariga, even as he charged them to cooperate and be loyal to him for that to happen.

President-general of the Igbo community in Lagos, Chief Sunday Udeh, said the significance of the event was the replication of Igbo tradition and culture in Lagos.

“Today, we crown him the Eze Oha 1 of Bariga. We do that to bring about peace during crisis time. For instance, if there is any crisis between the Igbo in Bariga and any other ethnic group, the Oba of Bariga will send for him and the problem will be resolved amicably. And since we started crowning Eze in Lagos, there has been no ethnic crisis involving the Igbo,” he said.

Udeh stressed that the title of Eze was only conferred on those with good track records of service to humanity, saying that Agabige was picked for the honour because of his generosity as shown during the COVID -19 crisis in Nigeria, where he gave palliatives to almost all the people in Bariga.

Agabige’s wife was equally crowned the Ugo Eze 1 of Bariga during the event.

Leader of the kingmakers, Elder Okeke, who led the Christian songs, likened the Igbo to the Israelites of the Bible days. He said, in those days, the Israelites were the only people that had the right to crown their kings outside their homeland.

“The Igbo are part and parcel of Abraham and wherever they go they must have a leader who can stand on behalf of other Igbo. In the city of Lagos, many Igbo don’t understand Yoruba language, so if there is any problem, the Igbo king will meet the Yoruba Oba and find a solution to such problems,” he said.