An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Emperors are generally recognised as tyrants, despots or authoritarians. Emperors rule with the imperial decree and must be obeyed…if you love your head or have the boldness to stand up to them and get exiled.
Historians have liberally used the term ‘emperors’ and ‘empires’ anachronistically and out of their Roman and European context to describe any large state from the past or the present. Empires, however, became identified as vast territorial holdings of an emperor. Therefore, there are no emperors without empires; emperors are found in empires not in a democratic society.
Enugu State today and in history has never fallen under the reign of an emperor. Going by the pre-colonial, colonial and the post-colonial eras, we heard the reign of the Okparas (first sons), the warrant chiefs of the indirect rule, the coming of the premiers and that of the governor-general. Never in history was Enugu State annexed by an emperor.
Roman emperors ruled over the Imperial Roman Empire, starting with Augustus from 27 BC and continuing in the Western Roman Empire, until the late 5th century and in the Eastern Roman Empire up to the mid-15th century. The emperors would take different titles such as Caesar and Imperator but it was always their command of the army which allowed them to keep their seat on one of history’s most prestigious and long-lasting thrones. So, mind you, an emperor rules by military command with his servants as slaves.
Prior to the birth of the Roman Empire in the latter part of the first century, there existed many empires; Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian and Macedonian. All these empires had great dictators such as Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes and, of course, Alexander the Great.
Today, empires are no more. The era of wars and conquests is now history. Enugu State and Nigeria at large must rise and resist every form of internal imperial order or an emperor-leadership style in all its ramifications.
Nigerians today are seeking for true democrats like His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the Executive Governor of Enugu State. Enugu State today and indeed Greater Awgu people at large are in dire need of democrats like Hon. Toby Okechukwu, member representing Awgu, Aninri, Oji River Federal Constituency. We need democrats as leaders not emperors. Emperors have no place in modern day democracy. The name ’emperor’ is an aberration in a democracy. Anyone still clamoring for an emperor-leader in 21st century democracy can best be described as ‘a relevance-seeking slave’.
Onyima writes from Abuja.
