The Nature of Political Power in Igboland

One of the most important facts about African political development is the relative absence of
large states along Eurasian lines. For some reason, African communities placed a high value on
autonomy and independence, and/or were particularly concerned about the potential for
abuse by centralized authority. Igbo society is a perfect example of how Africans organized
themselves autonomously and democratically, and of how they resisted political centralization.
This book explores the nature of Igbo political institutions, focusing on the ways political
authority is decentralized and controlled by several groups based on gender, age, and the Igbo worldview. The collection deepens our understanding of African political development in Nigeria, particularly in the Igbo region, and of the logic behind political decentralization, compared to that in surrounding societies such as the Edo, Yoruba, and Igala. The Nature of Political Power in Igboland forces a critical understanding of how political and economic arrangements intersect with the Igbo Worldview, societal arrangements, their gendered nature,
and how the role of women and men in these spheres offer some explanation for women’s
unique roles in Igbo society.