By Michael Onwuka
The Osu Caste System is an indigenous obnoxious, discriminatory and dehumanizing practice in South East, Nigeria that discourages social interaction and marriage with a group of persons called Osu. This class of persons are believed to be dedicated to the deities and as such considered as inferior beings. Hence, they are usually separated from the ‘freeborn’ in the society and it is considered an abomination for the ‘freeborn’ to marry Osu.
On May 10, 1956, the defunct Eastern House of Assembly abrogated this obnoxious practice through an act of parliament due to its inherent ills. Sadly, several years after the abrogation, this practice persists in most states of the South East, including Enugu State.
The Osu has varied Igbo names with the same connotations such as Adu-Ebo, Nwani or Ohualusi, Osu Ume, Ohu Ume, Omoni etc. In the Nsukka and Nkanu areas of Enugu State, it is referred to as Oruma and Ohu respectively. The set of people so referred by the aforementioned names are regarded as sub-human beings, the unclean class, or slaves.
This age-long practice has led to perpetual communal wars and displacement of people in areas where they exist.
Recently, the echos of this caste system reverberated in Ishi-Ozalla Autonomous Community, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State where members of Edeaniagu village which is one of the 12 villages in the community were allegedly tagged as slaves and ostracised by their kith and kin..
According to the spokesperson of the community, Mr Christian Uzochukwu, their crime is daring to field a candidate for the election of a new traditional ruler in the community.
The traditional stool in the autonomous community has been vacant following the demise of Igwe Frank Onyemechi Nweke, the father of a former minister of information, Mr Frank Nweke (jnr).
According to Uzochukwu, the immediate past President General (PG), Ishi-Ozalla Autonomous Community, his village, Edeaniagu exercised their rights to field a candidate for the kingship stool after the celebration of the last Ofalla in honour of the deceased king as required by tradition.
Uzochukwu said: “I found out that there was a gang up against our village led by Mr Frank Nweke jnr. As he was intimidated by the popularity of our candidate. A meeting was held in his house on Jan. 15 and 17, 2021 where they took the decision to ostracise members of our village.
“They directed members of the community not to greet, talk or relate with us and also not to buy from or sell to us while a sanction of N200, 000 was placed on anyone who flouts the directives,” he said.
To Uzochukwu, the move was orchestrated to scheme out the candidate from Edeaniagu village and, thereby, scuttle the chances of a member of their village to occupy the kingship stool.
He described the ostracism as an affront on their fundamental human rights and called on the state government to put off the election pending when all issues surrounding the exercise would be addressed.
Uzochukwu said that going ahead to conduct the election slated for March 22, 2021 would be unfair and an infringement on their rights.
An attempt was allegedly made to stop another member of the village, Mr Uchenna Nweke from burying his deceased mother on Feb 4, 2021 due to the ostracism.
According to Nweke, the sponsors of the hate act told him that the remains of his mother will not be allowed entrance into the community. However Nweke, eventually, buried his mother following the intervention of soldiers who provided him with security.
Meanwhile, the the PG, Ishi-Ozalla Autonomous Community, Mr Obinna Mvene debunked the alleged ostracism and stereotype of people of Edeaniagu village.
Mvene said that the issue has been clarified in several fora, adding that there was no time anyone was precluded from participating in the election.
“We are going ahead with the election as directed by the state government and every indigene of Ishi-Ozalla is qualified to contest,” Mvene said.
On his part, Mr Frank Nweke (jnr.), said that he will not allow his name to be dragged into the matter. The former minister pointed out that anyone in doubt of the developments in their community should embark on an independent investigation in order to establish the truth.
Furthermore , it is gratifying that the government is not paying deaf ears to the human rights infringements occasioned by the harmful and inhuman traditional practices in some of the rural communities in the state.
On the instant case for instance , the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Charles Egungbe reiterated the stance of the state government against any obnoxious and inhuman traditions that demean the people.
Egumgbe said that the state government has abolished all harmful traditions, adding that no individual or group of persons will deny anybody their rights on the basis of being ‘free born and slave’.
One wonders why this obnoxious cultural practices have refused to abate in spite of the impact of Christianity and civilization in the area.
It has, therefore, become necessary to collectively renounce this repulsive and reprehensible practice. The authorities should impress on Igbo communities and town unions to rise up against such practices by protecting and defending human dignity and envision a society where residents can cohabit peacefully.
