Political Odyssey of Chief Madu Ndigba- (a belief in totems by an african leader ) An Allegory

CHAPTER IV

ALLEGED TOTEM OF GENERAL IRONSI

In the preceding paragraphs, the belief in the myth of crocodile as evidenced in the life of General Ironsi of Nigeria, Chief Ndigba’s ‘Countryman’ and other African Leaders, President Mobutu Sese seko of Zaire now Congo, Felix Houphet Biogny of Cote D’Ivoire and Nelson Mandela would be amply narrated. The outcome of each narration constitutes a lesson by itself. At the end of our story, we would be in the position to discern from which source political power could be derived. In these circumstances, Chief Madu Ndigba approached another Politician quite knowledgeable in African contemporary development. He requested him to tell him the role of the belief in crocodile totem, in the history of General Ironsi, Mobutu, Houphet Biogny and Nelson Mandela.

In the first narrative, the veteran politician Mazi Ekwe stated that Nigerian history points to one military ruler, Major General J.T.U. Aguiyi Ironsi, who had the habit of carrying a crocodile walking stick. The belief was that the crocodile was his totem. He himself never acknowledged crocodile totem as his source of power because he was a catholic. As, his surname ‘Aguiyi’, means crocodile in Igbo, he however exploited this natural symbol. His exploit in the Congo in 1960’s among the Balubas as he successfully led the U.N. forces, gave credence to the belief that his powers were obtained from the crocodile totem. Indeed, two colonels who served with General Ironsi were from Chief Ndigba’s town. They expatiated on the exploits of Nigerian troops under Ironsi, in terms of bravery while fighting among, one of African’s ferocious and Bellicose Tribe.

Why did the Chief use the crocodile as a symbol? One must ask. The Chief was not even from a riverine area. One plausible reason could be the myths that are drawn from the folklore and stories of those who fought in Burma, during the Second World War and in the Congolese Civil wars of 1960’s? Thus the totem does not only help one to acquire physical power, as being a good wrestler, boxer, or even strongly built military man as those who were brave to volunteer to fight or enroll in a regular army. The totem, it was realized, was a sure source of political power. Besides, every young man who had political ambition was often caught between loyalty to a deity or to one true God, or sometimes a mixture of both, God and mammon in those days. In the Colonial days, myths about another political stalwart, Azikiwe were rife, for instance, it was believed that he could be everywhere. The latter reference of having a role model in the person of first Nigerian Head of State who used crocodile as his totem appealed to latter generations of politicians, as each aspired to that lofty position or something similar by conjuring the influence of any type of totem. The story of crocodile totem gained currency because then in West African region, one of the longest serving President Felix Houphet Boigny had a number of crocs in his Yamoussoukro garden pool. There was this awful belief that Houphet’s totem was the source of his political power. The neighbouring tribes in Mali and Burkina Faso also maintain the belief that the totem, which they revered were in the form of civet cats, lions and snakes. Many do conjure the magical belief in these creatures, as a source of their powers during wars especially internecine wars.