The Jukuns

 In the past, there was a very interesting tradition among the warrior-like tribe of the Jukuns of Wukari in Taraba State (then of the old Benue-Plateau State). The Jukuns were headed by a king called the Aku Uka (Not in the picture), and they believed that the health of Jukunland was directly linked to that of the Aku Uka the King. So after about every five years or thereabout, an Aku Uka was buried. An Aku Uka was not supposed to live for more than seven years. Usually, what the Jukuns do is to encourage the king to commit suicide or they will assist him to join his forefathers. The essence of this tradition was in the premise of the Jukuns that their community needs to be renewed from time to time and they believed this was done by changing the leader at regular intervals. Interesting, isn’t it?