[size=15pt]Who are the Osu?[/size]
Osu – the Problem of the Outcast

In Things Fall Apart, we are reminded of a disturbing practice taking place around the world and covertly in our very nation: prejudiced discrimination promoting invisibly segregated, though sometimes not, caste systems. After the beginning of the Christianization in Mbanta, some of the tribe’s outcastes, or osu, “seeing the new religion welcomes twins and such abominations,” decide to try the church out. After a great stir, and even a new convert rejecting the religion for ignorant sympathy, the osu are accepted as ‘brothers and sisters,’ as the Christian overseer promoted equality among the Ibo people. As the Christian Europeans saw it, all the ‘heathen’ needed a Savior, not just the rulers of the tribes.

I was determined to find out a little more about who the Osu people are and how they become social outcastes.

Originally the Osu were a group of people dedicated to serving at shrines and temples for the deities of the Igbo, or Ibo people, and as slaves to whatever deity they served, their label transformed into a social stigma. Thus, over time the social interaction between the Osu and freemen, or Diala, also morphed from respect to fear and the cultural norms that guided their conduct and interactions became rules of custom that ostracized and branded anyone who violated the rules of interaction as Osu themselves. Thus, not only was categorization of outcast something inherited but also something to be feared. One site put it this way:

However, the “indigenous monks,” upon mastering their spiritual functions (of learning to serve the gods) were unjustly and erroneously assigned the Igbo pejorative name of Osu, Ume or Ohu arusi (the slave of the deities/gods or shrines). And so was the story of how the institution of the Osu cult (ritual slavery) originated. The Osus and their descendants belonged to the gods; and they become the properties of the shrines. And they resided in the vicinity of the shrines of major deities and for all practical purposes excluded themselves from routine engagements with the rest of the community. In other words, being the agents of the deities the Osus maintained an aloof relationship with the rest of the civil society.

Another definition of how people became labeled as Osu was found at the International Society for Human Rightssite. It explained that anyone who became ostracized by a particular tribe and “sought refuge with the gods,” became the spirit’s property and begat a “life-long exclusion from the community.” I could see how a son like Nwoye, who shows signs of effeminacy, could have been ostracized by a zealous, proud and many father like Okonkwo and fled for refuge with the Osu if the need had arose. Instead, he found refuge with the Christians, which he was permanently persecuted for anyway.

Many contemporary African natives, especially those indoctrinated and raised in democratic principles of liberty and freedom, believe the continued practices of ostracizing those labeled osu is a heinous evil. They say that, “Some traditional sentiments are unfortunately expressed, by those who believe in the preservation of our primitive heritage and customs, whenever the issue is mentioned. Some of them may shift uneasily in their chairs; yet other may even tiptoe away, at the mere mention of the word ‘Osu’. Those individuals who observe this tradition with reverence treat any of the so-called ‘Osu’ person with callous disregard.”

It appears that Africa has an endless struggle against a form of racism commingled with religious sentiments that it must attempt to seize and destroy through education and manipulation. Sounds familiar enough, especially for anyone who lived through the Civil Rights movement; and who knows what will happen with the future of white, black and Hispanic interactions.

http://resurrected.blogspirit.com/archive/2005/11/30/who-are-the-osu.html

It seems I've hit on a topic close to the heart of my able friend bilymuse.

I'll read your articles and make my comments.

Please note that slavery is entirely different from the despicable Osu caste system.

My argument will be to show you that without belief in all those useless superstitions aka juju, that despicable caste system would not exist. You'll be reading from me.

This is still going on


lol Richy aka Doubting Thomas

platinumnk:

This is still going on


lol Richy aka Doubting Thomas

Yep, that's me. My mom used to call me that when I was five.

The 419 fraud is far more sophisticated and effective than juju. While juju can do nothing to that divorced mom in Cleveland OH, the 419 fraudsters have used their skills to touch may lives around the globe. Hence, one should be more afraid of giving his bank account number to a 419 con man than giving his piss (urine) to some disheveled hag chanting gibberish in an unkempt hut in a dark and dirty part of "forest nowhere".

When will Nigerians come to terms with the glaring fact that ALL juju claims are fraudulent?

The origin of Osu revolve around a people culture and believe within the contest of a period in history. Every society designate a method it want to worship it God. Osu system , irrespective of its shortcoming is not about slavery, Richy is trying to twist history and focus on a narrow angle to prove a point.

The biggest problem with Richy is about his narrow definition of juju.
Juju is not just a charm, amulets, object; its a religion a belief and the culture of a people . Its encompasses such thing like traditional medicine, dancing , music. Its a body of knowledge , idea and philosophy; for anybody to call that fraudulent is preposterous and unforgivable.

Like every aspect of life it has its own shortcomings, but  does not mean we should throw away the baby and  birth water. Christianity has its shortcomings, and science too.  Nothing is perfect

juju is not perfect, and definitely not fraudulent

bilymuse:

The origin of Osu revolve around a people culture and believe within the contest of a period in history. Every society designate a method it want to worship it God. Osu system , irrespective of its shortcoming is not about slavery, Richy is trying to twist history and focus on a narrow angle to prove a point.

The biggest problem with Richy is about his narrow definition of juju.
Juju is not just a charm, amulets, object; its a religion a belief and the culture of a people . Its encompasses such thing like traditional medicine, dancing , music. Its a body of knowledge , idea and philosophy; for anybody to call that fraudulent is preposterous and unforgivable.

Like every aspect of life it has its own shortcomings, but  does not mean we should throw away the baby and  birth water. Christianity has its shortcomings, and science too.  Nothing is perfect

juju is not perfect, and definitely not fraudulent

Stop conflating issues. Whoever said that Osu is slavery?

You're trying to paint me in a negative light because you disagree with me on my assertion that ALL juju claims are fraudulent.

Juju does not encompass our culture and tradition.

The fraudulent claims I refer to are those that are just plain nonsense, e.g., rotting human corpse turning into crisp naira, dollar or pound notes. Such claims are fraudulent, cheap lies to deceive mugus!

I have nothing against traditional African religions. People should worship whatever they want to worship - Ogun, Esu, Sopono, Amadioha, etc. However, we must not allow the fraudsters disguising as priests to deceive us. No juju can stop the rounds from this tank:

[img]http://image.dieselpowermag.com/f/16249135/0902dp_01_z+m1_abrams_tank+right_front_angle.jpg[/img]

But so many lost Nigerians believe in the lies they're fed by hungry juju priests that couldn't even stop MOPOL boys (who raided that lunatic center called Okija Shrine) from pummeling them as they were dragged to the police station and locked up.

ANY JUJU CLAIM THAT GOES AGAINST ANY OF THE LAWS OF NATURE IS FRAUDULENT!

We'll start with that tank. Can juju stop a round fired from that tank?

@RichyBlack,

It seems you are going round and round this time. You are making a lot of contradictory statements that will do your reputation and/or integrity no good.

You are in a hurry to make categorical statements even when they cannot withstand any serious scrutiny.

Enjoy the rest of the week as you continue to redefine your positions along the way based on facts.

Afam:

@RichyBlack,

It seems you are going round and round this time. You are making a lot of contradictory statements that will do your reputation and/or integrity no good.

You are in a hurry to make categorical statements even when they cannot withstand any serious scrutiny.

Enjoy the rest of the week as you continue to redefine your positions along the way based on facts.

I don't know what you're talking about. My position has been consistent: ALL juju claims are fraudulent!

Richy- Look at your Siggy-

Ephesians 6:12- For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.


And you say there is no such thing as Juju and that snakes were hidden in Pharaoh's Magicians Rods.



Funny-


I agree with Afam

Osu is another topic in and of itself, and beyond the scope of this discussion.

ChinenyeN:

Osu is another topic in and of itself, and beyond the scope of this discussion.

I agree with you, however, the belief in the fraudulent claims of juju priests is what has made the despicable Osu caste system possible.

If Nigerians ignored these fraudsters disguising as priest, aka juju priests, the Osu caste system would not exist.

So, the Osu caste system is one consequence of people listening to and believing the fraud of juju.

RichyBlack, I partly agree with your above post.

@Topic

So people still believe that "Odieshi" works? Has anyone here seen it work "koro koro" or is it the usual hear say?Odieshi is an Igbo word.Why didn't the biafran army use it against the Nigerian army or will we end this with the usual defense "the Nigerian army's jazz was stronger"?Ehhhn?

The ignorance of my people is heart breaking.

RichyBlacK:

In addition to the fact that the so-called juju priest promising this and that has no way of keeping to such promises.

All of you should read "BLOOD SECRETS" The true story of Demon Worship and Ceremonial Murder by Former JUJU High Priest Isaiah Oke as told to Joe Wright. The fact remains that ritual killing does not produce results by the invisible world but does produce results by fear. A death is still a death. Christ is still the only way to salvation.

@Richyblack

Physical laws/ laws of nature are made by scientists based on what they know.

I'm sure you must have heard of the difficulties that early scientists faced in trying to prove new concepts and ideas to the world many centuries ago.

The fact that "juju things" can not be explained by physical laws does not nullify its existence.

Scientists are limited by what they know, and those laws of nature are man made, based on the current knowledge that they have.

It also says in the Holy Scriptures. These people have eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear.
The ritual of 200 cuts doesn't turn people into anything but dead. I'm not talking about the once a year ritual at spring where they heap their sins on a goat then strip it's flesh off. I'm talikng about the darker ritual where a human is sacrificed so that the sacrifice becomes a soul slave. It doesn't matter whether or not if the one who is the owner of the soul slave get's his wish of power now does it? The fact remains that the human sacrifice was tortured unto death. People in the JuJu religion believe this. People who are Satanists believe this, the witches believe this so they do the ritual. Belief or no belief, someone dies. I think sicience proves this. Strip a humans flesh off and finally cut his/her throat, they are dead.

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Please feel free to request any of the following Magun types at affordable prices

1 - The Man/Woman will remain in the sex position until you release them
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mccloud said:

@Topic

So people still believe that "Odieshi" works? Has anyone here seen it work "koro koro" or is it the usual hear say?Odieshi is an Igbo word.Why didn't the biafran army use it against the Nigerian army or will we end this with the usual defense "the Nigerian army's jazz was stronger"?Ehhhn?

The ignorance of my people is heart breaking.

Do you believe in the alleged miracles of ''Jesus'' and the other alleged miracles in the Jewish bible?

If so you are stuppid, ignorant, brainwashed hypocrite.

RichyBlacK:
Page 410

Give a dog a bad name to hang it..If Christianity can't be seen as fetish, then our traditional beliefs shouldn't be termed fetish.

They came with the bible in one hand and the sword in the other.

They destroyed our core values, Culture and Belief systems.

The Oyobulo rightly spelt Yök Obolo and The Juju house destroyed by A.A Whitehouse was the center and most important part of the Andoni (Obolo) culture.

The skulls found in the shrine were does of war victims, and wasn't anyway fetish as Whitehouse claimed.

The Yök Obolo still remains the national god of the Obolo (Andoni) people, and the shrine still exist till today.

A thread on how the Juju house Yok obolo was dedtroyed
www.nairaland.com/2348572/1904-british-punitive-expedition-against

@Lalasticlala this is worth recycling.

stephenmorris:
cc-seun ,lalasticlala,plaetton,Joseph1013,Hahn....akintom,libradeus,loj.kevoh,fratermathy,

UncleSnr:
@Lalasticlala this is worth recycling.

For real

Good article, how did I manage to miss this? Need to settle down and read this!

Following....


RichyBlacK, if you are still online please let try something maybe you will believe there is Africa science. What you don't know senior you.

Only juju?
religion is a fraud, the same people bad mouthing juju here are just as stupid and naive to believe in religion and heaven after they die.
Africans are the lowest humans on planet earth, like monkeys or just above them. There is no other way to explain it!

it's alright

win2kwire:
Only juju?
religion is a fraud, the same people bad mouthing juju here are just as stupid and naive to believe in religion and heaven after they die.!

GBAM....one of the best comments I've ever read...........they say their god is supreme but call other gods idols.....foolishness

Old topic.
a new one should have been started.

*Grabs a chair*

Old topic, sorry I don't comment on old thread ,
But @topic you never see anything