An Open Letter to His Royal Majesty,
Agabaidu Elaigwu Odogbo,
The Och’Idoma of Idomaland
Your Royal Majesty,
With profound respect, I write this open letter as a concerned child of Idomaland one who holds deep reverence for our cultural heritage yet is troubled by the painful realities facing many families today.
You stand as the cultural custodian of the Idoma people, the Agabaidu whose voice guides, commands respect, unites, and protects our kingdom. It is in this spirit of humility and hope that I appeal to you.
Your Majesty, our traditions have long been the backbone of our identity. They have preserved our dignity, shaped our communal values, and connected us to our ancestors. However, like all societies, some customs have evolved into practices that now bring hardship rather than unity.
Most especially around burial rites, certain traditions have grown harsh and burdensome.
Across Idomaland, families are bleeding under the weight of rituals that tax children, widows, and widowers beyond their capacity demanding payments and contributions that leave them impoverished at their most vulnerable moment.
Sons and daughters are compelled to “pay for their father’s sins,” and widows face humiliation, fear, and trauma instead of receiving comfort and solidarity. Too often, when a man dies, his barn is emptied, his belongings seized, and his family stripped of support. Instead of mourning with dignity, they are thrust into cycles of bitterness, anger, and despair.
Furthermore, it is painful to witness how these heavy taxes imposed on grieving families are often used for purposes that bring no value to the deceased or their survivors. In many communities, these contributions are diverted to buy alcohol and meat, with men feasting and drinking to stupor in the name of tradition — a frivolous and reckless practice. This behaviour does not honour our ancestors, neither does it uplift the spirit of the departed. Rather, it portrays the Idoma culture in a negative light and deepens the suffering of widows and children while enabling wastefulness and exploitation.
Your Majesty, these practices though defended as “tradition” have taken on forms that diverge sharply from the noble intentions of our ancestors. They risk becoming instruments of oppression rather than expressions of honour. Similar concerns have been raised across many Nigerian ethnic communities — Yoruba, Igbo, Tiv, and others — where cultural leaders have stepped forward to reform burial practices to protect widows, children, and vulnerable families. Those reforms have strengthened their cultures, not diminished them.
Though these customs may have ancient roots, many have transformed into deeply harmful practices — more punitive than cultural, more exploitative than spiritual.
Your Majesty, Idomaland is a proud nation with a rich heritage, yet these harsh burial traditions are stifling our growth. They discourage unity, burden our youth, deepen poverty, and sow mistrust within families and communities. They have become barriers preventing our culture from flourishing in the beauty and dignity our ancestors intended.
As our Paramount Ruler, your voice has the power to chart a new pathway — one that preserves the essence of our heritage while removing the parts that destroy rather than build. We look to you for leadership in reforming these customs, so that:
• Widows are protected, not punished.
• Children are supported, not exploited.
• Burial rites bring honour and healing, not hardship and fear.
• Our traditions uplift families instead of plunging them into poverty.
Your Majesty, the land cries out for your guidance. Idomaland bleeds from these ungodly and retrogressive practices that are gradually overshadowing the true beauty of our culture. We implore you, as the Agabaidu who carries the sacred responsibility for the well-being of our people, to champion reforms that restore dignity, compassion, and justice.
May your reign continue to usher in peace, wisdom, and progress for all Idoma sons and daughters. May your leadership heal the wounds of our land and protect our culture for future generations.
Idoma ola’adam — may Idomaland prosper.
With deepest respect,
A Concerned Child of Idomaland,
Anaanu
