Eze is an Igbo language wor which literally means “king.” It is pronounced: [ˈeze]. Though there are many claims that because of their intensely democratic culture, “Ndi Igbo enwe eze” (Igbos have no king), this popular saying does not capture the complexity of Igbo societies as portrayed in many centuries of anthropological, sociological, and political research. Igbos, in fact, do have ruling bodies of political leaders where an individual can be recognized by entire society as primus inter pares. This “first among equals” status is usually achieved by family descent (i.e., hereditary), usually among the male line, for Igbo culture is patrilineal. In Igbo cultures women are also known to develop parallel social hierarchies through which they both compete and collaborate with the counterpart male kingship and governing hierarchies.