IGBOZURUOKE FORUM

He may have considered it a parting gift; but it smacks of arrogance and subjugation.  His Grace, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna, the outgoing Archbishop of Owerri, made what may be termed a spurious declaration on Thursday, March 17, 23, on the Osu caste, in Igbo land. His recent declaration: “We have put a seal on abolition of Osu caste in Igbo land” sounds bogus and worrisome.

There is no doubt that Bishop Obinna, appears to be constantly burdened by this Igbo malady and frustrated by the seemingly lack of sufficient progress it’s abolition is making, but his endeavours towards this effect will continue to collapse at the altar of exclusive and sanctimonious postures, he and his clique have adopted to checkmate this evil for sometimes now.

The fact that he has become vociferous at different forums and media platforms, on the same issue, could be understood, since he comes from an area where the Osu caste system is endemic. Also, as a scion of a prominent Igbo family, who traditionally contributes chief priests to a deity that may be a custodian of this disorder, his acquaintance with the evils of the caste may have accounted to this posture.

Except when he spoke at a forum where the Initiative for the Eradication of Traditional and Cultural Stigmatisation in Our Society (IFETACSIOS), organized a conference, on September 23, 2019, the Bishop is not known to have stretched any hand of comradeship to the Igbo traditional institution and its custodians for an input in a matter he is keen to tackle.  At the forum, he made a veil reference to the traditional institution for support, where he said: “I charge custodians of the tradition institutions in the South-east to lend their full support to the clamour for the abolition of the Osu caste system in the area.

It follows that, Bishop Obinna’s quest to confront this menace has not yielded much dividend, due to ego and disdain to those who are the custodians of the caste, and who are vested with the authority to abolish it. Unfortunately, the Igbo traditional institution, a critical establishment that is saddled with this matter, has not been considered a partner, let alone, the arbiter that it is, by the Bishop and his clique. Like the Igbo will always say: “You cannot overlook the height of Nwangwu, if you intent to hoist a high roof.” So, what prevents the likes of Bishop Obinna and other concerned clergies to approach Igbo chief priests and decorated patriarchs, whose deities, the Osu question resides with.

Let me inform His Grace that unlike in the past, when Igbo deities were manned by rustic and tobacco-snuffing old men, emerging Igbo chief priests are young, educated and enlightened. They are discerning and likely to lend a sympathetic ear  if their cooperation is needed.  For example, if you meet the current chief priest of the overall deities of Owere Nchi-Ise, Ala Owere, Ejiogu Reginald Kelechukwu, or the youthful and educated double chief priest of Nnemiri and Ala Ezema, of Ezema town, Chibuzor Anunobi, of Ngor-Okpala LGA, you will agree with me, that changes have taken place, including the ways they design their shrines and their modus operandi has been equally adjusted to fit into modern exigencies.

Let us look at this scenario, supposing, His Grace, Bishop Obinna, on his own, or along with his colleagues, deem it fit to drive to the residence of Ejiogu Reginald, the chief priest of Ala Owere, or to a gathering of an association of chief priests of Owerri zone over this issue, don’t you think it will elicit more positive response and results. In the sixties, Irish Rev. Fathers, who were at St Peter claver Seminary, use to visit my uncles who were then chief priests. Apart from joining the priests in their shrines, they joke and drink palm-wine with them there. It was as a result of this fraternization that some of them gained confidence about the church and encouraged their wards to become Christians and to attend schools. The issue with our Igbo clergies is the problem of ego. They see themselves as more important, and the Christian faith—a creation that must be adopted and regarded by all, in every Igbo community.

The problems of the Osu caste in Igbo land, do not plague or inhibit the Christian faith alone, rather, it torments every patriotic and discernible Igbo person and community. The destructive elements of this malady, is incalculable when measured in Igbo economic and social engagements. Dishearteningly, the system has become a devastating tool in the hands of riff-raff and evil kinsmen who deploy it to demonize achievers, progressive elements and philanthropic individuals in their communities. More so, there is a hypocritical tendency on how most Igbo view and practice the Osu segregation these days.

For example, a Diala, who would be employed and sustained by the Osu, will turn round, after a flimsy altercation and castigate the same benefactor as an Osu. Today, most Igbo men would not mind to sleep with an Osu lady, but raise hell, once the issue of marriage is mentioned. In the past, Osu was an Osu. The segregation was tight and maintained, while the tenets that guided their association with the Diala, strictly observed.

The Osu caste, is in two forms. We have the redeemable and the irredeemable. However, our discussions here, center on the latter, since the former, is like a man with the elephantiasis of the scrotum, who becomes free, once he gets rid of it. In Igbo land, there are about seven ways through which one can become an Irredeemable Osu. Only two out of the seven can be defended—where a free born was bought or kidnapped and consecrated by overzealous and covetous chief priests who want their deity to be custodians of Osu like others; and an Osu that occurs inadvertently. In this case, a man may accidentally kill damage or lose a property that belongs to a powerful deity. If he cannot replace the item or make amend before a giving time, he could use himself or any of his sons as replacement.

Apart from these examples, the other five or more ways to become one are self-inflicted. The Osu caste, was an important tool available in ancient Igbo to regulate social ills and discourage evil men from wrecking havoc in Igbo communities. In fact, if the Osu caste is still a course being followed today, ninety-five percent of current Igbo political leaders would have automatically become members. So, for the revered bishop to mount the pulpit or state at forums that there is no more divide into Diala, Osu, etc., that the Dialas are still in bondage, as long as they give credence to the fact that people were sacrificed for shield protection…or that Igbo people should rise above cultural barriers and embrace modern doctrine…are not felicitous. It amounts to grandstanding, indifferent to cultural issues and blackmailing present day Igbo for an issue they did not create but inherited from their forefathers. There must be a concerted effort of how the menace can be effectively resolved for the benefit of all.

Again, the entry into the caste, its consecration and rules that guide the existence, differs from one community to another. In the same vein, not all parts of Igbo land have the Osu caste. All Ngwa land and most communities of Abia north, do not have or condone the system.

My advice to His Grace and others, anxious to abolish this disorder is to seek collaboration. Let the assaults be community based. It is the custodians of an area, their chief priests, who know how a particular caste emanated in their area, will be able to invent the best way to tackle it. To this effect, there should be Igbo conferences, where sensitizations are made paramount. While some communities may be willing to jettison this age-long practice, others, like in the old Owerri zone, where the system is endemic and strongly resented, could be tackled by a sustained enlightenment and sensitization programs, that will allow the influence to gradually fade away. This possibility arises, because, some of the deities that gave life to the system are no longer in existence, as some have receded, due to lack of care and patronage.

The fight to abolish the Osu caste, must be the responsibility of all Igbo, who wish Ala Igbo well. Fiery speeches or ecclesiastical rhetoric alone will not abate or end it.

Boniface Alanwoko,

Editor, publisher,  Igbozuruoke Forum