The Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Orhue the 1st of Okpe Kingdom(Tecno Pop2)
In precolonial times in Nigeria the main system of government was the Monarchy of the indigenous traditional institutions of the people's of the diverse geographical regions.
When the British government took the geographical region presently known as Nigeria under it's rulership the various traditional institutions of the diverse multicultural peoples of Nigeria were not abolished but they took second place in the hierarchy of the government of the then British Colonial Masters.
In the present days, years after Nigeria gained independence from the British Empire, the traditional institutions of the indigenous Nigerian peoples are still in existence and are a relevant part of the overall Nigerian governmental institution. Nigeria is a democracy and the laws governing the Nigerian citizens are borne of a legal and democratically recognized legislation by elected officers of the Nigerian legislative chambers. With that said it becomes a conundrum when one speaks of a Monarchy as an existing and functional institution under a democracy but this has become possible as the various Traditional institutions have their local cultural laws, customs and decrees existing harmoniously without contradicting the Democratic legislation and laws.
For instance, in the ancient past, there were local laws and customs under the old Monarchy that demanded human sacrifices or headhunting for transgressing certain decrees but now in more civilized times such traditions even though presevered till this day will substitute a human sacrifice with an animal sacrifice and in certain Headhunting tribes in the NIGER-DELTA region, customs that request headhunting by decapitating a fellow human now substitutes with the decapitation of a goat.
Playing second fiddle and functioning along side the Democratic government, the present day Monarchy govern their indigenous people along Ethnic and Cultural divides preserving to date the cultural heritage of ancient indigenous African Kingdoms.
NOTE
The above photograph is that of the present reigning King of the Okpe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, King Felix Mujakperuo, Orhue the First of Okpe Kingdom. He is a Retired Army General of the Nigerian Army. The Okpe Kingdom is a region in Urhobo land of the Okpe dialect speaking people of the larger Urhobo tribe. The indigenous people of the Okpe tribe number as much as 1.2million people spread across two Local Government Areas of Okpe and Sapele both in Delta State in the NIGER-DELTA region of southern Nigeria.
*Orhue-Hunter
*Orodje-King
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