Obi is the word used to describe the central building in an Igbo

Igbo people

Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...

 homestead, one used most commonly as a place for the reception of guests. As such, it can also be looked at symbolically as a metaphor for the most important part, or heart, of any given place. In fact, due to this, it is almost exclusively taken to be an aristocratic

Aristocracy (class)

The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...

 title amongst the tribe, meaning either elder

Elder (administrative title)

The term Elder is used in several different countries and organizations to indicate a position of authority...

 in the first instance or chief

Tribal chief

A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...

 in the second.

List of Obis who reign as traditional kings

• Obi of Ogwashi-Uku
  • As of 2007, the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku is Eze Chukwuka Okonjo
• Obi of Onitsha
  Obi of Onitsha
  The Obi of Onitsha is the traditional leader of Onitsha, Anambra State, southeast Nigeria. The post of the Obi is recognised by the state and federal governments of Nigeria, and the Obi himself is seen as a representative of the people of Onitsha to the state and federal levels of government...
  
  
  • As of 2004, the Obi of Onitsha
    Onitsha
    Onitsha is a city, a commercial, educational, and religious center and river port on the eastern bank of the Niger river in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria....
    
    is Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe
• Obi of Neni
  • As of 2004, the Obi of Neni is Eze Ngobidy Nwora Emannuel Sandi