‘It may lead to bloodshed’: Traditional expert weighs in on ‘Nigerian king’ in EC

2026-03-20 - 09:20

The coronation of a Nigerian national as “Igwe Ndigbo Na East London” in the Eastern Cape has sparked debate about sovereignty, traditional law, and diaspora communities. Traditional expert, Isaac Mthethwa, warns that the situation could turn deadly if mishandled. His concern stems from what he has witnessed firsthand: in parts of South Africa, disputes over traditional leadership between recognised factions have already descended into violence, with community members killing one another over competing claims to authority. Mthethwa offered a layered perspective on the controversy, arguing that while national borders do not define traditional kingship, the existence of a reigning Igwe in Nigeria means a second king cannot be recognised on South African soil. Mthethwa said South Africa already recognises the kingdoms of African peoples whose kings reside outside the country’s borders, and that recognition cuts both ways. A chief by another name Although Mthethwa maintained that the concept of a chief is largely a non-African construct, describing it as “a British concept of just giving you a portion”, he acknowledged that the Nigerian national’s situation more closely resembles a chieftaincy than a kingship, given that he has a following of people who recognise his authority. Mthethwa drew on the history of the Shangaan people to illustrate that migrant communities establishing their own traditional structures in South Africa is not without precedent. The Shangaans arrived from Mozambique in 1896 and built legitimate chieftaincies that were accepted without legal challenge. He added that having multiple chiefs of the same tribe across different territories is also not unusual. In Bushbuckridge, he noted, one small nation has nearly ten chieftaincies, most descended from a single ancestor. ALSO READ: Search ongoing for 5 missing Nigerian crew members, 12 rescued after vessel sinks off Mossel Bay Citizenship could determine recognition, but not as a king Mthethwa said the question of whether the individual can be formally recognised ultimately hinges on his citizenship status and on the precise meaning of the title “Igwe.” If the title translates to king, recognition becomes legally and culturally complicated. “If it’s king, then it might be challenged to say, no, you have an Igwe in Nigeria, so we can’t have two Igwes,” he said. However, he said South African citizenship could open a path to recognition under a different designation. “If he has the citizenship, then it qualifies to be recognised by our South African government as a chief, but not as a king,” Isaac said, pointing to the Moleleki Commission, a body that dealt with the status of chieftaincies and kingdoms, as the relevant legal framework for resolving such questions. Parallel structures ‘lead to bloodshed’ Beyond the legal and cultural questions, Isaac warned that the more pressing danger lies in what unresolved leadership disputes can do to communities on the ground. He pointed to an existing conflict in which disputed traditional authority between recognised factions has already turned violent. “It’s just bloodshed,” he said. “Some of the chiefs are not sleeping at home, and then some are killing each other in and out.” He stressed that even where chieftaincies are formally recognised and receive government funding, factionalism and competing claims to authority remain a serious and sometimes fatal problem. The emergence of parallel, unregulated structures, he suggested, only deepens that risk. ATM demands urgent government intervention The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has echoed these concerns, framing the coronation as a direct challenge to South Africa’s constitutional order. On Wednesday, the party described the event as “a direct affront to the sovereignty of the Republic of South Africa, a blatant disregard for our legal framework, and a profound insult to the institution of traditional leadership as recognised under South African law and custom.” The ATM called for coordinated intervention across several levels of government, calling on Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane to institute a full provincial investigation, and on Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber to investigate the immigration status of those involved and determine whether any laws had been violated, including possible misrepresentation or abuse of cultural status. The party also called on Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa to act, stating he must “take immediate steps to protect the integrity of South Africa’s traditional leadership institutions and ensure that no parallel or illegitimate structures are allowed to emerge.” The Citizen reached out to Hlabisa’s department for comment. This article will be updated accordingly once a response is received. While acknowledging South Africa’s diversity, the ATM drew a firm line. “This tolerance must never be exploited to undermine our laws, customs, or national identity. Cultural expression must operate within the confines of the law and with respect for the host nation’s heritage and governance systems.” The movement further called on the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities and the Eastern Cape Department of Traditional Affairs to urgently investigate the matter and “provide clear guidance on the legality and implications of such actions.” READ NEXT: Did a Nigerian pastor buy Cape Town heritage site?