JAMB Governament 2015 Paper

Concept:The Igbo political system was decentralised and based on the patrilineage known as the $\mathrm{Umunna}$.Explanation:The Igbo did not have a single central ruler or king over the whole society.Instead, political power was organised around the $\mathrm{Umunna}$, which is the extended family group tracing descent from a common male ancestor.Each $\mathrm{Umunna}$ functioned as its own political unit.The oldest male in the group, called the $\mathrm{Okpara}$, led the unit together with other senior family heads.This council settled disputes, enforced community rules, and maintained order.Institutions such as age grades, the $\mathrm{Umuada}$ and the $\mathrm{Nze}$ title holders existed, but they only played supporting roles.Therefore, the foundation upon which Igbo political organisation rested was the $\mathrm{Umunna}$, not any single office or ruler.Answer:B. $\mathrm{Umunna}$