Major Igbo Monarchs Set Date For Abolition Of The Controversial Osu Caste System

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Major traditional rulers in Southeast have announced date for abolition of the controversial Osu caste system.

Targeted for extinction on December 28, 2018; are the Ohu, Ume and Osu caste systems that have taken roots in different parts of Igbo Land. The abolition is scheduled to take place at the Nri Palace, Anambra State.

According to a statement made on Tuesday by the Regent of the Ancient Nri Kingdom, Prince Ikenna Onyesoh, there would be far-reaching consequences for those wishing to continue the obnoxious practice after the symbolic exercise.

Onyesoh said:

“Come December, 28 2018; more stringent spiritual implications will be pronounced from Ikpo Eze-Nri against such devaluation of mankind, after an extensive spiritual abrogation exercise. It would be “spiritually suicidal for anyone to continue to hold unto these beliefs and practices after that pronouncement on December 28, as the oldest ofor (scepter of authority) in Igbo land shall be deployed for such pronouncements.”

Eri traditional rulers, also in a statement, said they were set for the abolition and effect reparation for the ancient practice.

The Chairman Of Eri Dynasty Traditional Rulers Forum, His Imperial Majesty, Eze Nkeli Nzekwe Kelly said:

“The whole world needs to witness what is about to happen in our lands on December 28, 2018; because such a thing has never happened before. The last time in history anything close to this happened was 200 years ago. And mark my words, after these abolition and atonement exercises, anybody who continues to uphold these practices will have themselves to blame. It’s time to end these once and for all and unite our people for the new era. It’s time for our estranged brothers and sisters who were sold into slavery to return home. We are more than ready to atone for the sins of our forefathers and reunite with our kits and kins in America, Europe, the Islands, and beyond. It’s time.”

Corroborating his statement in an address at the recent meeting of the Eri dynasty traditional rulers forum on October 26, 2018; Prince Ifeanyi Onyesoh (Akaekpuchionwa n’ Nri) said:

“After the abolition exercise there will be a robust atonement ceremony to atone for the sins of Transatlantic Slavery, which resulted in the heartless and forceful seizure and selling of our kits and kins abroad to live in perpetual slavery. Without this atonement to appease the devastated souls of our ancestors, we may never know peace or see real prosperity in our lands. We will do our part and hope that the foreign collaborators as well will take steps towards effective reparations,”

Hailing this decision, Convener and President of Celibacy International Initiative, Nollywood actor and activist, Joseph Okechukwu praised the ancient kingdoms and their traditional rulers for the bravery and timely intervention to the obnoxious system.

Okechukwu said:

“This singular act will place their names in the history books as abolition and atonement are our shortest cuts to peace, unity and progress.”

According to him, Celibacy International Initiative has been on the move to build broken socio-cultural bridges and mend broken hearts by seeking a total abolition of all obnoxious practices in the Eastern Region of Nigeria and beyond.

“In our quest for a permanent solution to the perceived bondage of the Igbos and their kits in Nigeria, the organization has found very strong reasons to believe that certain outdated practices in the Igbo culture may have contributed largely to the predicament of Igbos in Nigeria.”

According to Wikipedia, the Osu caste system is an ancient practice in Igboland that discourages social interaction and marriage with a group of persons called Osu. Osus are dedicated to the deities of Igboland; they are considered as inferior beings and are usually separated from the Nwadiala or diala.

The origin of the osu caste system can be traced back to the era when deities were believed to ask for human sacrifice during festivals in order to clean the land from abomination thus leading to the purchase of a slave by the people. The osu caste system also has its origin traced to the Nri Kingdom. It is believed that the Nris possessed a hereditary power and thus do go about cleansing various kingdoms of abomination; any community that refuses to be cleansed are called osus. Another view on the history of the osu caste system centres on ostracization. This occurs when a person or group of persons who refuses the orders of a king or the decision of a community are banished from the community thus resulting to the victim and its generation being called osus.

The osus are treated as inferior persons to the class of the Ndiala people. They are made to live in shrines or marketplaces and they are not allowed to have any relationship with the real born. It is also alleged that they are given separate seats in churches. They are not allowed to break kola or make prayers on behalf of the real born because it is believed that they will bring calamity upon the society. This form of maltreatment and punishments have made the osus to flee to other countries for survival.

When a certain persons are regarded as Osus, punishments meted out against them include: parents administering poison to their children, disinheritance, ostracism, denial of membership in social clubs, violent disruption of marriage ceremonies, denial of chieftaincy titles, deprivation of property and expulsion of wives.

Over the years, the osu caste system have been criticized by people who feel it is against human rights to freedom from discrimination and many have called for the abolishment of the out-dated practice.

Abolishing this practice in this day and age is absolutely laudable.