Justice in Igbo

Society Before and

Under the British

Stewart Runyon and Anna Ussery

 Thesis of comparison
There are numerous differences in the Justice systems of the Igbo people before and
after British colonization, however there are also multiple similarities. Both systems used
their beliefs in god to justify certain actions. Additionally, there was a monetary gain to
both sides. Finally, the punishments changed. Prior to the British, all crimes were
recoverable. If you killed somebody, you would go to exile, but the British would have you
hung.
Pre-colonization Consequences

Traditionally to make amends for a crime or wrongdoing it was, “required to make

necessary sacrifices to appease the gods and undergo some ritual cleansing and
purification” (Igbo and Ugwuoke 163).
Pre-colonization Authorities and Monetary Values

The Igbo people believed that the earth goddess, who did a considerable amount
with justice, could inflict a punishment that “can ruin the whole clan. The earth
goddess whom you have insulted may refuse to give us her increase, and we shall
all perish [...] You will bring to the shrine of Ani tomorrow one she-goat, one hen, a
length of cloth and a hundred cowries’ (Achebe 22).
Pre-colonization Specific Consequences

There were specific consequences for multiple degrees of a crime, such as a

“murder, [the] offender and his family may be permanently expelled from the
community” (Onyeozili and Ebbe 40).
 Pre-colonization Consequences

Murder is crime in most all civilizations and in the Igbo society “a man who
committed it must flee from the land. The crime was of two kinds, male and female.
Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could
return to the clan after seven years” (Achebe 95-96).

1st
degree
murder Male
kind
1st Degree murder murder

Voluntary manslaughter
Female kind
Involuntary manslaughter
murder
Post-colonization Monetary Values

Once authority changed after colonization, the system of justice changed to

become more like the British, for example, the British judge says “I have decided
that you will pay a fine of two hundred bags of cowries. You will be released as soon
as you agree to this and undertake to collect that fine from your people” (Achebe
146).
Post-colonization Authorities and Consequences

One such example of the British authority in use was an example from “Things Fall
Apart” when a British official “ sent his kotma to catch Aneto. He was imprisoned
with all the leaders of his family. In the end Oduche died and Aneto was taken to
Umuru and hanged" (Achebe 142).
Post-colonial Authorities

The British colonizers had “restructured the legal system in Ogidi by imposing a
male-centric law and by endowing men with novel, privileged positions of
legislative and judicial authority” (Reyelts and Tara Lindsay 163).
Works cited
Achebe, Chinua Penguin Books New York, New York 1959.

Igbo, Emmanuel U.M.`, and Cyril O. Ugwuoke. “Crime and Crime Control In Traditional Igbo Society Of Nigeria .” Core,

University of Nigeria, 13 Nov. 2013, https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234681445.pdf.

Onyeozili, Emmanuel C., and Obi N. I. Ebbe. “Social Control in Precolonial Igboland of Nigeria.” Umes.edu, Umes.edu, Nov.

2012,

https://www.umes.edu/uploadedFiles/_WEBSITES/AJCJS/Content/6%201%202%20onyeozili%20and%20ebbe%2

0proof.pdf

Reyelts, Tara Lindsay. “Law, Justice, and Gender: (Re)Gendering the Legal System in Ogidi, Igboland.” Proquest, Michigan State

University ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2020,

https://www.proquest.com/openview/13acb67dfe00ee776953c117064fc6ad/1?cbl=18750&diss=y&parentSessio

nId=lfFLXaHWUL9ZFctzC4fCr5Lgywy%2FBY3TU282q2JDAfk%3D&pq-origsite

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