ACM10:
They are not near to the nobles.
As a matter of fact, they are the down-trodden, lowest of the low of the society who ran to the deity to seek for protection from the perceived or apparently perceived persecution from the society
They are untouchable because they belongs to the deity

Confused primitive tribe.

nagoma:

Confused primitive tribe.

*gasp* Nagoma, you too?!!

Ishilove:
*gasp* Nagoma, you too?!!

Sorry Dear but we are the most insulted here, have to react occasionally - especially when what I say is technically correct.

Ishilove:
*gasp* Nagoma, you too?!!

SorryDear - just ignore me.

willsman: ChinenyeN, you must have to go back to the Bible and read how God made the first man and woman very well right? As i commented on the topic, God did not made any other man and woman except the way we are born till now and God himself did not segregated any body in the of 'OSU' then okay? I said that what and what the world at large call 'OSU' is political and nothing else. Just be prayerful for your man to be good in character and woman to be as while marrying and forget about the 'OSU' of a thing please.

the bible God and that foreign magazine is invalid. it came recently and has no effect on the ancient rites and traditions concerned here.

i think the Osu were highly regarded during the Pagan days since they were servitors of the Gods. however christian Igbos discriminate against them (provide separate seats in church,etc.) to them because they were associated with the old deities of Igboland. i hate jesus btw.

PAGAN 9JA:
i think the Osu were highly regarded during the Pagan days since they were servitors of the Gods. however christian Igbos discriminate against them (provide separate seats in church,etc.) to them because they were associated with the old deities of Igboland. i hate jesus btw.

Pay no attention to most people writing crap here. They are not Igbos. The only difference between Osu and Diali is in title taking and marriage. Nobody knows who is Osu or not till marriage. If you observe most of the complaints from real Igbos is about marriage and not discrimination. Osus have no identifiable difference with Dialis. Infact when you want to marry, it takes months to years of thorough investigation to know who is Osu or not.

Abagworo:

Pay no attention to most people writing crap here. They are not Igbos. The only difference between Osu and Diali is in title taking and marriage. Nobody knows who is Osu or not till marriage. If you observe most of the complaints from real Igbos is about marriage and not discrimination. Osus have no identifiable difference with Dialis. Infact when you want to marry, it takes months to years of thorough investigation to know who is Osu or not.

So this claim about not giving Osu Kolanut is not true.
But this business about title taking and marriage is that not wrong imagine if we said the only thing about %&^% people in Nigeria is that they cannot be president or intermarry how would that sound? To apply "ONLY" seems to trivialize it.
What about this business of separate burial is that false too?

I'll keep saying it. People are simply crying more than the bereaved.

ChinenyeN: I'll keep saying it. People are simply crying more than the bereaved.

We are all of us bereaved whether or not we are Igbo as long as we remain together in Nigeria(I remember sometime ago you were making plans to end that) but until that happens the practice has indirect if not direct consequences for everyone. One of the things we hear all the time is how egalitarian the Igbo are.This practice gives the lie to such claims does it not.

ChinenyeN: I'll keep saying it. People are simply crying more than the bereaved.

Nna, o wuu ma I kwuru ya.

aribisala0:

So this claim about not giving Osu Kolanut is not true.
But this business about title taking and marriage is that not wrong imagine if we said the only thing about %&^% people in Nigeria is that they cannot be president or intermarry how would that sound? To apply "ONLY" seems to trivialize it.
What about this business of separate burial is that false too?

Nobody actually knows who is Osu or not unless you go out of your way to investigate. It takes months of investigation and a lot of effort to establish who is Osu or not. This is why most of the couples end up sad because they'd already gone far in their relationship before the Osu issue would come up. Is it everybody in Ijebuland or England that can be Oba and Queen? Osus can contest and win elections and even be President or Governor but they cannot be the traditional ruler or members of the ruling house.

Abagworo:

Nobody actually knows who is Osu or not unless you go out of your way to investigate. It takes months of investigation and a lot of effort to establish who is Osu or not. This is why most of the couples end up sad because they'd already gone far in their relationship before the Osu issue would come up. Is it everybody in Ijebuland or England that can be Oba and Queen? Osus can contest and win elections and even be President or Governor but they cannot be the traditional ruler or members of the ruling house.

I appreciate the explanation but the Ijebu/England monarchy comparison is abominable(pun intended). Is there in your thinking a parallel between that on the one hand and the Osu institution on the other.I would proudly argue that Obaship should continue.The Ijebus/English have no problem TODAY with monarchy though that may change TOMORROW. Are you speaking in defense of this OSTRACISM.
I am afraid I disagree with the bolded. Certainly Osu know themselves that they are Osu and there are sometimes entire communities that are designated as such
This is just wrong but let us agree to disagree on that.

aribisala0: We are all of us bereaved whether or not we are Igbo as long as we remain together in Nigeria(I remember sometime ago you were making plans to end that) but until that happens the practice has indirect if not direct consequences for everyone. One of the things we hear all the time is how egalitarian the Igbo are.This practice gives the lie to such claims does it not.

hehehee I'll still say you're crying more than the bereaved. At this point in time, in this era of readily-available media and means of communication, we are all still waiting for first-hand Osu accounts, and surprise surprise, these "Osu" who are to give the accounts are going about ignorant of their own "Osu"-hood. Why is that? Because many of them don't even know. Honestly, I wouldn't even be surprised to find out that any number of Igbo who say "I would never marry Osu" are actually "Osu" themselves (hahaa). By traditional standards, one can become "Osu" simply by interaction and association. It doesn't take much.

So any one of these people who think they are "freeborn" could have at any time in their life interacted and associated with any one ignorant "Osu", and just like that, they too have become "Osu". Then these new "Osu"-by-association in turn interact with other non-"Osu", thereby making them "Osu" and with that the "Osu" population increases exponentially. Apparently, "Osu" abound. If all it takes is interaction and association, then by now, maybe the majority of Igbo are bona fide "Osu" by traditional standards. Long story short, anyone who tries to play "humanitarian for Osu" is fighting a highly unnecessary battle against phantom discrimination.

nagoma:

Confused primitive tribe.

You do realize your own tribe saw fit to enslave the majority of its population. So much so that people in the North were happier with the British more than anywhere else in Nigeria?

ChinenyeN:
hehehee I'll still say you're crying more than the bereaved. At this point in time, in this era of readily-available media and means of communication, we are all still waiting for first-hand Osu accounts, and surprise surprise, these "Osu" who are to give the accounts are going about ignorant of their own "Osu"-hood. Why is that? Because many of them don't even know. Honestly, I wouldn't even be surprised to find out that any number of Igbo who say "I would never marry Osu" are actually "Osu" themselves (hahaa). By traditional standards, one can become "Osu" simply by interaction and association. It doesn't take much.

So any one of these people who think they are "freeborn" could have at any time in their life interacted and associated with any one ignorant "Osu", and just like that, they too have become "Osu". Then these new "Osu"-by-association in turn interact with other non-"Osu", thereby making them "Osu" and with that the "Osu" population increases exponentially. Apparently, "Osu" abound. If all it takes is interaction and association, then by now, maybe the majority of Igbo are bona fide "Osu" by traditional standards. Long story short, anyone who tries to play "humanitarian for Osu" is fighting a highly unnecessary battle against phantom discrimination.

So it is kind of like a dracula/vampire type thing.But should they not be identified as a sort of caveat emptor even for non-Igbos so they might not get infected or that does not matter too? This idea of crying more than the bereaved sounds like an alibi to me. Pretty much every commentary on Nairaland or life generally is about someone else's bereavement. Why are we intervening in Mali why did the French ? etc. When we fought to establish equality in the constitution for ALL women was that "crying more than the bereaved" .

Explain your position so we are not mistaken when you say crying more than the bereaved do you mean Non-Igbo Nigerians should ignore it? I need clarification on this so I know what you mean.

The issue here is not to play humanitarian but to establish the truth. Often we are told how Igbos are the most EGALITARIAN people ever but this is just not true and what tends to happen is MINIMIZATION(which you are doing) of inconvenient facts that contradict what we wish to project and AMPLIFICATION of those facts that reinforce the desired Narrative. Our objective is a reality check not humanitarianism.
This egalitarianism is narrated not as a modern phenomenon but as an intrinsic historical feature like DNA. At least you are not denying that there ever was such a thing and want to wish it away by saying you have never seen it.Many people have never seen cocaine or Heroin or bullets but they are very close and available readily. When people seek to fight cocaine are they "crying more than the bereaved" or just busybody humanitarians fighting "PHANTOM" drugs?

aribisala0:
So it is kind of like a dracula/vampire type thing.But should they not be identified as a sort of caveat emptor even for non-Igbos so they might not get infected or that does not matter too? This idea of crying more than the bereaved sounds like an alibi to me. Pretty much every commentary on Nairaland or life generally is about someone else's bereavement. Why are we intervening in Mali why did the French ? etc. When we fought to establish equality in the constitution for ALL women was that "crying more than the bereaved" .

Explain your position so we are not mistaken when you say crying more than the bereaved do you mean Non-Igbo Nigerians should ignore it? I need clarification on this so I know what you mean.

The issue here is not to play humanitarian but to establish the truth. Often we are told how Igbos are the most EGALITARIAN people ever but this is just not true and what tends to happen is MINIMIZATION(which you are doing) of inconvenient facts that contradict what we wish to project and AMPLIFICATION of those facts that reinforce the desired Narrative. Our objective is a reality check not humanitarianism.
This egalitarianism is narrated not as a modern phenomenon but as an intrinsic historical feature like DNA. At least you are not denying that there ever was such a thing and want to wish it away by saying you have never seen it.Many people have never seen cocaine or Heroin or bullets but they are very close and available readily. When people seek to fight cocaine are they "crying more than the bereaved" or just busybody humanitarians fighting "PHANTOM" drugs?

The Yoruba monarchial system and every other system that stigmatizes against other individuals should be abolished. Like ChinenyeN told you, the Osu issue has long been a past tense per say and that is why 90percent of Igbos don't know who is Osu or not. The 1st time I learnt of Osu was on a Nigerian movie "Taboo"! I'm sure many Igbos on Nairaland might have learnt of it for the 1st time on this thread.

ChinenyeN:
hehehee I'll still say you're crying more than the bereaved. At this point in time, in this era of readily-available media and means of communication, we are all still waiting for first-hand Osu accounts, and surprise surprise, these "Osu" who are to give the accounts are going about ignorant of their own "Osu"-hood. Why is that? Because many of them don't even know. Honestly, I wouldn't even be surprised to find out that any number of Igbo who say "I would never marry Osu" are actually "Osu" themselves (hahaa). By traditional standards, one can become "Osu" simply by interaction and association. It doesn't take much.

So any one of these people who think they are "freeborn" could have at any time in their life interacted and associated with any one ignorant "Osu", and just like that, they too have become "Osu". Then these new "Osu"-by-association in turn interact with other non-"Osu", thereby making them "Osu" and with that the "Osu" population increases exponentially. Apparently, "Osu" abound. If all it takes is interaction and association, then by now, maybe the majority of Igbo are bona fide "Osu" by traditional standards. Long story short, anyone who tries to play "humanitarian for Osu" is fighting a highly unnecessary battle against phantom discrimination.

. you couldn't have said it better... @ aribisala0. I ll like to know which generation you Are from. Because a ll d tins u said applied maybe a hundred years ago. And here you are painting Ibos like some primitive backward people when nothing of sorts applies to us in this present age. The Osu caste systems have completely been abolished. Even in marriage its no more an issue. If u claim its still in place I ll like to know the name of the town and state that sill does those things u said. In this moderns age when ibos are marrying Yorubas, binis and even white men. Is now their own fellow ibo the won't be able to marry just because of a Silly caste system. I don't think so...

sinie: . you couldn't have said it better... @ aribisala0. I ll like to know which generation you Are from. Because a ll d tins u said applied maybe a hundred years ago. And here you are painting Ibos like some primitive backward people when nothing of sorts applies to us in this present age. The Osu caste systems have completely been abolished. Even in marriage its no more an issue. If u claim its still in place I ll like to know the name of the town and state that sill does those things u said. In this moderns age when ibos are marrying Yorubas, binis and even white men. Is now their own fellow ibo the won't be able to marry just because of a Silly caste system. I don't think so...

Notice how others discuss without inquiring whether I use Colgate or Macleans.That is the way to have a mature debate.

Abagworo:


The Yoruba monarchial system and every other system that stigmatizes against other individuals should be abolished. Like ChinenyeN told you, the Osu issue has long been a past tense per say and that is why 90percent of Igbos don't know who is Osu or not. The 1st time I learnt of Osu was on a Nigerian movie "Taboo"! I'm sure many Igbos on Nairaland might have learnt of it for the 1st time on this thread.

Being defensive does not change anything but only exposes perceived weakness and therefore a need to shift the debate to the "MORE FAMILIAR" Igbo vs Yoruba territory. Do I sense desperation and a paucity of logic.
We are discussing The OSU caste system HERE so random ejaculations that are tangential to the subject will not even be dignified.

THIS ARTICLE IS QUITE RECENT I DON@T KNOW EXACT DATE BUT POST 2007

http://www.frasouzu.com/Issues%20and%20Papers/Onwubuariri%20Francis.htm

APPRAISING THE OSU CASTE SYSTEM IN IGBO LAND WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF COMPLEMENTARY REFLECTION





BY





ONWUBUARIRI FRANCIS



Francis Onwubuariri

(franconiger@yahoo.com)



ABSTRACT

Segregation, stigmatization, subjugation, conflicts, wars, hatred, class division, exploitation and so forth, has been seen as that which dominated the entire spectrum of Osu Caste System in Igbo Land. To solve the alleged problems, several erudite and prolific writers have commented on the issue of the Osu system in an enormous ways an view points, but the onerous condition of the system made some of their several efforts to be without luck. Seeing this, this research work was organized and designed on the ground that it seeks to establish the fact that all human is one, created by one Supreme Being (God), with diverse functions and areas of specialization. With this, it is in the interest of this work that with this mind set of oneness, harmony as well as love, Osu caste system and its intrinsic problems will be solved once and for all. Because with this mind set, each person will act or work based on his/her area of specification with the intention of ensuring excellence in his jurisdiction which will go along way in fostering peace, harmony, happiness as well as development in the society. This work however made recourse to the Professor Asouzu’s “Complementary Reflection” and its inherent concepts.

TABLE OF CONTENTS



CERTIFICATION - - - - - - ii

DEDICATION - - - - - - - iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - - - - - iv

ABSTRACT - - - - - - - vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS - - - - - v


CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION - 1

1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM - - - - 2

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY - - - - 4

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY - - - - 6

1.4 METHOD OF THE STUDY - - - - 7

1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY - - - - - 8

1.6 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY - - - 9

1.7 LITERATURE REVIEW - - - - - 9

CHAPTER TWO: OSU CASTE SYSTEM IN IGBO LAND 17

2.1 THE MEANING OF OSU - - - - 17

2.2 THE ORIGIN OF OSU CASTE SYSTEM IN IGBO LAND 20

2.3 CLASSIFICATION/CATEGORIES OF OSU - 26

2.4 INVOLUNTARY CLASS OR DEDICATION - 28

2.5 MASS CONSENSUS DEDICATION OR CLASSIFICATION 30

2.6 METHODS OF DEDICATION - - - 31

2.7 HOW TO IDENTIFY AN OSU - - - 32

2.8 THE ROLE OR PRIVILEGES OF AN OSU - 34

CHAPTER THREE: IMPLICATIONS OF OSU CASTE SYSTEM 39

3.1 THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF OSU CASTE SYSTEM 39

3.2 THE ETHNICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE

OSU CASTE SYSTEM - - - - - 55

3.3 THE RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF THE

OSU CASTE SYSTEM - - - - - 59

3.4 NATURAL IMPLICATIONS OF OSU CASTE SYSTEM 61

3.5 CULTURAL IMPLICATIONS OF OSU CASTE SYSTEM 63

3.6 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF OSU CASTE SYSTEM 65



CHAPTER FOUR: APPRAISING OF THE OSU CASTE SYSTEM

WITH THE CONCEPTS OF COMPLEMENTARY REFLECTION 74

4.1 THE MEANING OF COMPLEMENTARY REFLECTION 74

4.2 THE CONCEPT OF MISSING-LINK - - 84

4.3 THE CONCEPT OF IBUANYI DANDA - - 94



CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION - 105

5.1 SUMMARY - - - - - - - 105

5.2 CONCLUSION - - - - - - 108

5.3 RECOMMENDATION - - - - - 110

BIBLIOGRAPHY - - - - - - 112





CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Igbo nation like every other nations in the world, Africa as well as Nigeria in particular has certain traditions, customs, cultures, beliefs and worldviews, which constitute their dos and don’ts. Most of these traditions are handed over to them from one generation to the other from their great grand fathers. The violation to these beliefs and traditions are seen by most of them as a great abomination (Aru). Thus, they give a strict adherence to the laws even when they are no longer obtainable in a given epoch like in this contemporary era when and where scientific inventions, globalisations, civilization and so on have become the order of the day.

Among these obnoxious, outrageous and devastating traditions and belief in Igbo land is the ‘OSU CASTE SYSTEM’ which has in different places both in the past and present become an atom of disunity, humiliation, infringements, isolations e.t.c in the places where they are practiced.

Sequel to these, a lot of critical thinkers have deliberated intensively on the possible ways of abolishing the system. As a result of this, several people have appraised the system in several ways with the view of unveiling some of the ill repacutions inherent in it especially as it regards to the human existence, dignity of human person as well as the equality enjoyed by all human beings created by God

It is from this point of view that this research work has come to appraise the Osu caste system from the ambience of complementary reflection. In this context, we are saddled with the responsibility of using the notions of complementary reflection to explore the place of Osu caste system in Igbo land to bring to light its demerit and merit if there is any.

The various chapter of this work will serve as a missing link towards the actualisation of this great task and dream.



1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The concept of Osu and its inherent problems have been in existence since antiquity of Igbo community (Nation). The problem is as old as the killing of twin babies, the killing of innocent children for developing first the upper incisor (teeth) the offering of human sacrifices, the problematic ideas of reincarnation and others which area practiced in the ancient Igbo nation and other nations in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Thus, the Osu caste system has gone through several stages and generations. But due to the fact that most Igbos sees it as an integral part of their culture which can not be easily changed or amended, all efforts towards abolishing it remained abortive and illusive. Today the problem posed by this system has grown beyond ordinary social and cultural into political, economical and more devastatingly philosophical.

Going by the complementary view point, the Igbos may be seen as a people that believe in the mutual complementarily of every body’s effort and ability. This may be seen in their dictum “Agbakota Aka nyuo mmamiri Ogbo ufufu” which means “if all efforts are brought together, the desired goal will be achieved”. Also, Igbos believed in the view of “Ibu anyi danda” which simply means “if every body will bring their efforts together, there will be no load that too heavy for them to carry. Moreover, they believe in the mutual unity among all parts that forms the absolute or the whole. Thus their dictum “Egbe bere Ugo bere”; and ka som adina: simply shows their believe in the conglomeration and the mutual unification of every human being and their efforts. Osu caste contradicts this views, because of it’s teachings on seeing some people as being inferior, les humans etc, it becomes a serious problem that is begging for a rational solution.

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

Osu caste system in Igbo Land is such a problematic system that opinions and views always vary in terms of it’s merits and demerits or in terms of it’s rejection and adoption. Thus, while some people argued that the system is obnoxious and outdated and hence worth’s abolishing and extinction, others are of the view that since it is a system that is handed over to us by our fore-fathers, and like every other Legacies given to us, we should not allow it to die away. For this last set of people, any attempt to eschew this system and other cultures may attract the wrath of the gods of the land who may punish the people in the forms of pestilence, lack of rain, draught and so forth.

Besides, the objective of study in this work will be to unveil the ill consequences of Osu caste system. Another important aim of this work is to show the reason why some of the outrageous traditions in Igbo Land should be discarded. Also, another essential aim or the objective of study in this work, is to make the point that human being are created equal, and all human being are important to the society, thus for the society to make any headway, all the human beings in it should work in harmony, that is, our aim to incorporate the notion of “complementary reflection” Vis-à-vis the interaction of human beings in the society as propounded by Prof. Asouzu.


1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this study is on the exposition of traditional and the non-philosophical views and beliefs and traditions as well as the religions of the Igbos both in the past and the present such as Osu Caste system and other institutionalised mode of discrimination like the out casts, Oru, Ume and others which to an extent constitute the lion share of the Igbo traditional belief, religion and philosophy.

Besides, we shall try in this work to clarify the ambiguous notions and conceptions about the Osu and the cause of the present day’s ill human treatment bestowed on the people who are known as Osus. Thus, our philosophical justification and appraisal to this system (Osu Caste) will expose the negative and the nemeses of the system on the Igbos, Nigerians and Africans.

The research will establish the importance of every body in the society whether old or young, Osu or Diala, to show that every body has a role to play for the betterment of the society. In this view, this research will try to present an overall preview of the inhumanity of man against his fellow man.


1.4 THE METHOD OF STUDY
In this research work “appraising Osu Caste system within the context of Complementary reflection” the method that will be used in it is basically the methods of complementary reflection. Although other philosophical methods and approaches may be employed in the cost of the work like the methods of analysis, argumentation, criticism, evaluation as well as justification. Also approaches like the historical, religious, ethnical, and philosophical approaches will be of a tremendous important for the work. For instance, the historical approach will help us to go in-depth in the exposition of the origin and nature of the system in practice throughout the entire Igbo nation, which will in turn enable us to carry out a complementary assessment on the system. The philosophical, ethnical, cultural approaches will go a very long way in helping us expose the ethnical, philosophical, social as well as cultural and economic short comings of the system in view
1.5 THE SCOPE OF STUDY
Despite the varsity and broad nature of this research work, it is limited in scope, and the scope in this regard is the scope of philosophy and complementary reflection.

1.6 ORGANISATION OF STUDY

This research work is delineated into five distinct chapters. This delineation is for the proper comprehension and grasping of the work.

Chapter one is tagged the general introduction. This is the introductory part of the work. It is the chapter that will expose the aim, the problem, and the importance of the entire work.

Chapter two deals intensively with the concept of Osu Caste system. In it, we shall see the origin of the system, meaning of Osu and other related salient issues inherent in the system.

Chapter three is all about the basic implications and outlooks of Osu caste system, implications like the social, ethnical, religious, cultural, legal implication and several others.

Chapter four is the main thrust of the work, it is where we shall see the meaning of complementary reflection, after which we will see other salient notions of complementary reflection which are used in the appraisal of the devastating Osu Caste system.

Chapter five is the epilogue of the work; it carries in it the summary, conclusion and recommendation.


1.7 LITERATURE REVIEW

An Osu according to the Igbo tradition and religion, is viewed as a person or group of persons who are dedicated to a god or gods as it’s property, he (Osu) does not have freedom like every other members of the society(the freeborn). Rev. G.T. Basden in this regard made a similar assertion in his book Among the Igbos of southern Nigeria according to him, “An Osu is a slave, but one distinct from an ordinary slave (ohu/oru) who in fact is the property of the god and when devoted to a god, he has no prospect of regaining freedom and he restricts his movements to the procuts of the shrine to which he was attached” (1921, 109). What the above assertion simply connotes is that an Osu is nothing but a property of a particular god or gods. It is said that in the early days in Igbo Land a particular community will go to a very far land and get a small boy or girl either by buying(slave trade) or by kidnapping, after which, they will dedicate the child to a particular deity for the atonement of their sin. There, the salve (Osu) will take the responsibility of taking care of the shrine, performing other functions like running eras for the deity and the chief priest and so forth.

It is in this context that Rev. Edmund Ilogu in his book Christianity and Igbo Culture defined osu as “slave of the deity dedicated to perform some menial functions which may include sacrificial functions (1974, 123).

Furthermore, C. K. Meek in the similar view maintained in his book Law and Authority in a Nigerian Tribe that “Osu is a person who has been bought and dedicated to the service of the owner’s cult.” For him, Osu is a religious cast slave understand the practice of Igbo traditional religion and system of worship” (1937:25). Mazi Chidozie Ogbalu in a similar vein maintained in his book Omenala Ndi Igbo that Osu is a cult slave dedicated to the gods (1976:83)

In the view of Tagbo Nzeako and Tony Ubesie in their Omenala Igbo and Odinala ndi Igbo respectively, Osu is “a person dedicated to the gods or owned by the community (1976:195 and 1991:195). Victor C. Uchendu in his book Igbo of South-Eastern Nigeria posited that “an Osu is a cult slave, a slave who has been dedicated to the services of the dedicators deity whose descendants are Osu, be the dedicator an individual, extended family or Lineage” (1956, 59)

Beside, Rev. Joshua N. Dimoyi in an interview made the point that Osu Cast System is Land is mere wickedness, a pure social set-up which has no basis in human creation (an interview with Igwebuike 1986). According to J. O. Nwachukwu talking in Sunday Times Newspaper “Osu is a sacred and holy being deserved to live a secluded life, a monk in order to salvage and save the people under him as a king and saviour” (1985,5). This word of Nwchukwu simply shows that an Osu can some times be the chief priest of a particular communities because of some reason which will be revealed in the next chapter, in this context, the Osu is viewed as an intermediary, a mediator between the people and their god or gods.

Furthermore, Igwebuike quoting Rev. Arazu in his book the Osu concept in Igbo land sees the Osu as “a living sacrifice, something or some one totally dedicated to divinity, only natural dead can terminate its existence on this side of reality” (1986,11). What Arazu meant in this view is that when ever one becomes an Osu he/she will forever live as an Osu. Put differently, then is no means of changing an Osu to a freeborn.

According to the Osu bill written by T. O. Elias, S.N. Nwabara, and C.O. Akpangbo which came under the title laws of Eastern Nigeria, “an Osu is more or less like the untouchables of India and probably in worse position Osu was regarded as a degraded human being not fit for the companionship and association of decent and reputable men and women in the society, an out cast fit only to be sacrificed to the idol for the propitiation of the gods. An Osu initially was as it were a non-person scarified to a local deity or idol” (1963,1-2)

Mesembe Edet in this same view made the point in his book titled Outline of Oriental Philosophy, when he said thus: “Among the Igobs of Nigeria some communities distinguish between the ‘sons of the soil or freeborn’ and the ‘Osu’ the Osu does not enjoy the same rights and privileges which the other members of the community who are recognized as freeborn or true sons and daughters of the land do enjoy. The Osu is an out caste just like the outcastes of the Hindu society, they are discriminated against. Marriage to an Osu is a taboos and like the Hindu system, one cannot change his Osu status”. (2007, 28). The above words of Edet tried to show some of the social implication inherent in the Osu caste system which is tantamount to that of the Hindu or Indian caste system.

According to Igwebuike R. Okeke in his book titled Osu concept in lgbo land “the Osus were the alter boys/the mass servers of the juju, cult and /or the deity priest, the significant roles they played in the traditional mode of worship just as the mass services do today in Christian Churches during offerings..., put succinctly, the services of the Osu were then inevitable and therefore a sine-qua-non in the scheme of worship of the Igbo mans religion”(1986:10). Interesting as the above view of Okeke may seem, it is note worthy that the roles played by the Osus in Igbo land cannot be compared to that of the mass servers or the alter boys. They play a more vial role in Igbo land than the mass servers in Catholic Churches.

In the words of Jude C. Mgbobukwa in his book titled Alusi, Osu And Ohu in Igbo Religious And Social life. “In Igbo traditional religion, Osu is seen as an accused human being sacrificed to a deity. In the prayer of consecration, he is made to be the absorber of the iniquities, weakness, and problems of the people. He is also made to take on himself the death of the freeborn. Hence the Osu could well be said to be the redeemer of the freeborns” (1996:39)

In a nutshell, what the above assertions from the different authors and literatures simply connotes is how different people views Osu caste and some of the outcome of the system as well as some of the roles played by the Osu, but since the subsequent topics that we are going to treat will deal deeply with some of these view, deliberating on them now will be out of place.

Besides, interesting to know in this connection is the fact that though Osu caste system is still in practice now in some Igbo communities but it is no longer as pronounced now as it was then and some of the things or practices inherent in it are no longer obtainable now perhaps due to the presence of Christianity which carries in it civilization, education and so forth.

CHAPTER TWO

In this chapter as we have said in the organization of the study, we shall look deeply into concept of Osu. And to judiciously fulfill the aim, we shall look into such concepts like the meaning of Osu, the origin of Osu caste system, the classifications/the dedication of an osu, the role and the privileges of an Osu and other things or issues one needs to know about the caste system.



2.1 THE MEANING OF OSU

The word Osu in Igbo land simply means a belief system, a traditional and religious belief that certain people should be discriminated from others. It is a name that is given to slave, untouchables and outcasts. It is the name given to those humans that are sacrificed to the gods, those that are banished from their community who do not have anything to do with the people of the society or community and finally those people that ran to a far distanced town due to inversion from their enemies, and so forth. Besides, Osu in the other hand in most cases is seen as signifying course, in other words, Osu is viewed as course, thus, umuosu are referred to as coursed people. This is the reason why calling one an Osu is more dangerous than calling him a thief, harlot or any bad name.

Besides, Father Anyichie in his Ikwu amaghi Ibe ezi ako made the point that the name or word Osu mean thus: “One connected with the deity or the divine in a special way as opposed to the ordinary man born under natural and normal circumstances of his “CHI.” According to him, this is the reason why most people are named often deities like Osuji, Osuagwu, Osuamadi, Osuigwe, Osuala, osuchukwu and others. For those people that are sacrificed to the gods or deities for the atonement or appeasement of the sin or wrong doings of the community (Osu arusi), rather they are foreborns (Diala) that are born under the tutelary or influence of the deities they are named after. (1991, 12) Osuagwu for instance means a child that is derived from an Agwu (a small deity that is responsible for child bearing), Osuigwe may also mean that the parents of the bearer of the name have gone to Igwekala in Umunoha to perform some rites vis-à-vis child bearing, and so on.

Having seen these, the major concern of this work is not mainly on the meaning of Osu but how to complement the work of an Osu and that of freeborn to produce a viable and stable society that will be discrimination free, and to clear some ill thoughts and conceptions about the system, and moreover, to seek for a way of bringing a mutual complementarity between the Osu an the non Osu, to enhance the socio-economical wellbeing of the people or the society. Note, we are not envisaging that there is nothing like Osu but our view is that it is an out-dated issue or practise meant mainly for our fore-fathers who neither know anything about Christianity nor civilization. Thus, having been educated and civilized, our view is to eshew the system and focus on the possible ways of developing our nation.

2.2 THE ORIGIN OF OSU CASTE SYSTEM

Rules, regulations, laws doctrines, traditions and so forth, came into existence like the positive laws when human beings sees it to be pertinent for the individual freedom to be controlled by a certain code of conduct. Like the Hobbesian state of nature, these individuals became tired of their original state of nature which is characterised by brutishness, nasty and short. Thus, they came together to not only form a society or to produce a leader, rather they also make Laws that will be binding to all a sundry.

Nevertheless, Osu Caste system may be said to have started from the time immemorial, but the problem with the system is that there is no general accepted date of it’s establishment, thus a lot of people have a lot of conceptions about it’s origin let us consider some of these conceptions. According to Uchegbulem in his thesis titled ‘the ethical implications of the Osu caste system in Igbo land’ “… Osu caste system has its roots in practice of human sacrifice in Igbo Land” (1994, 27) what he meant in this view is that Osu caste system originated from the time when angry gods started demanding human beings for sacrifices in place of the usual animals for the atonement of the evil the people have committed. To buttress the point Uchegbulem continued “occasionally circumstances arose in which human sacrifices were believed to restore harmony, and so they resorted to, to pacify an enraged deity to save the community, the group or the family”.

According to Amadife talking in an article titled ‘The culture that must die in Sunday times newspaper followed the line of Uchegbulem as he said that “ Some of the gods in Igbo land demanded human sacrifices during their festivals to remove the abominations committed in the communities within the past years” (1988,3). The failure to comply to the demand of the gods may bring about several problems and in order to avoid the misfortune, the people will contribute money which is called Utu aja’ to the general purse for the purchasing of a slave form the slave market or the kidnapping of a slave which may be either man or woman depending on the one demanded by the gods. This person bought or kidnapped is referred to as an Osu whom after his/her sacrifices to the deity will start carrying the iniquity of the people. He will be seen as the personification of the rage of the god(s), his presence will be reminding the people of the rage of the god and the calamity that caused his being sacrificed. Thus to a large extent is the major reason why an Osu is stigmatised and seen as a living death. This type of Osu is generally refer to as “Osu arusi”.

Another salient view about the origin of Osu caste system in Igbo land is the view that the system originated from Nri kingdom. It is said that in the early days Nri people posses some hereditary powers and rites to proclaim cleansing to any kingdom where abominations are done in the past consequently, any community or kingdom that refute or regret the cleansing by the Nri spiritualists, or any village (community) that is unable to meet up with the requirement needed for the cleansing will be viewed as impure; and any community that is termed impure is referred to as an Osu or untouchable.

To clarify this view, C.M. Ezekwugo in his book titled Ora Eri Nnokwa and Nri Dynasty that “Nri descendants posses certain hereditary rites to perform traditional and cultural ritualistic functions. One of the functions is the rite of cleansing the land where abominations (Aru) are committed, such abominations like murder, suicide and other such heinous acts on account of which spirits are angry, required purification of the Land” (1987,10). In a nutshell, according to this view, any un-purified community is outcaste or Osu, which means that other purified communities should segregate themselves from the un-purified one because they are viewed as impure set of people.

Furthermore, Osu caste system may be said to originated from the inter-communal migrations and inversions. According to my mother, who also heard from her parents in an oral interview, in the olden days some stronger communities will wage wars with the smaller and weaker communities and kill a lot of them, when this mall communities sees that most of their members have died in the war which always comes in the might, they will carry their remaining wives, children and other relevant properties and migrate to a very far land to settle. On getting to this far land, the owner or the settlers of the land will welcome them and give them land to cultivate and build their house. While settling in that land the owners of the land will always refer them to as Osu. There, they will develop and form a village of their own.

Furthermore, according to Mr. Cletus Asomusha in an interview, in the early days when a women gave birth to a bastard, the bastard will be isolated from his age mates and due to the isolation, people will start referring to him or her as an Osu or an untouchables, they will neither get married in his town nor have assess to any property in his/her land”.

The last but not the least in the origin of Osu caste in Igbo land as far as this work is concerned is the view that ostracism is the root of Osu caste system, according to Mr. Asonmugha also, “when a certain person or group of people refuted a particular decision of a king or the entire community, the king will banish them from the land, thus, they will have nothing to do with people of the community, when this banishment or ostracism has passed through generations, it will get to a generation when the community will refers to the ostracised people as Osu or outcasts”. (Mr. Cletus interviewed in Owerri 2007).

It is important to note in this connection that aside the first or the institutionalized form of the origin of Osu caste system, all other theories of the origin of the system as we have shown in the paper is a loose sense of the origin of the Osu caste system.

2.3 CLASSIFICATIONS/CATEGORIES OF OSU CASTE SYSTEM IN IGBO LAND

Osu caste system in Igbo land has to an extent become a bone of contention because while some school maintained that the system is natural, others sees it as being inventional. Among the peoples that sees the system as being invent ional is Igwebuoke Okeke, according to him “Osu Caste system is an inventional, conventional, religious proposition established by our fore-fathers through religious ceremonies with religious apparatus to serve a religious purpose”(28) Also what the bible said in the book of Genesis chapter one verse twenty-seven (Gen.1:27) buttressed the points according to the bible “So God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27 KJV). The following assertions from Iqwebike and the Bible, Plausibly shows that Osu caste system is a human invention particularly the very point made by Bible from the above quotation is that God created every human being to be equal. Thus class division like osu caste system is nothing but a human convention, which is out in the original plan of God during his creation.

Besides, there are several other classifications of dedications of Osu caste system but this research will be restricted aptly on three distinct classifications namely voluntary or self servitude, involuntary dedication and mass classification dedication. By voluntary dedication, we mean a way of becoming an Osu that deals with personal volition, in this case, one is not force to join nor did he or she became one by inheritance, rather, he or she became an Osu because he or she delights being an Osu. There are certain conditions that can make one to become an Osu voluntarily, for instance victimization and frustration. Here a person due to frustration and helplessness may decide to embrace a deity for either protection or guidance; as a result the person becomes an Osu. Another condition in this regard is poverty and indebtedness. Here a person may become the property of a deity due to his/her inability to pay up his/her debts, the person may run to the deity to scare his debtors away, and having run to the deity the person automatically become its property. Finally, one of the essential conditions that make people to become properties of the god voluntarily is laziness. Hence, some people became an Osu just because they are too lazy to work and earn their own living. They easily go to the deity and become its property in order to be eating the sacrifices sacrificed to the gods. There was a story of a man in Dikenafai, in Imo State whom due to laziness and greed agreed to become an Osu in order to receive a certain amount of money which was contributed by the people for the purchasing of a slave who will become the sacrificial slave to the Oriehie deity. Thus, the man and his descendants are Osus today due to his laziness and greed.



2.4 INVOLUNTARY CLASS OR DEDICATION:

In this class, people do become properties of god or deities ignorantly and unknowingly. In the early days in Igbo land, a lot of situations and conditions can lead some into becoming an Osu and this is the major reason why the people are always very careful and conscious in their daily dealing and interaction with their fellow human beings, because whenever one is known to be contaminated with the Osu stigma, he will live his entire life and his family as an Osu, because once an Osu is always an Osu. However, the following can make one to become an Osu involuntarily. Firstly, killing an osu, that is, killing someone that has been sacrificed to gods whom the Osu is sacrificed to will demand another person, and this will not be another person than the killer. Besides, walking across the out stretched legs of an Osu while he or she is sitting or lying can make a person an Osu. Being an Osu incarnate can easily make one an Osu. Also, marrying an Osu unknowingly can easily make a person an Osu. But in this case, one can change his or her own Osu status by running away from the Osu family where she is married or divorcing the Osu women respectively. Finally, another salient way of becoming an Osu involuntarily is by inheritance. Here, if a person is born in an Osu family he will be immediately become an Osu whether he/she likes it or not, in this case, there will be no way of averting it.



2.5 MASS CONSENSUS DEDICATION OR CLASSIFICATION

In this context, one becomes an osu due to the conventional pronouncement of the stigma on the person. For instance, a slave bought from a far land is never known as an Osu until when the community started calling him or her an Osu. Also an ostracized person is not an osu until when the entire community started conceiving him or her as an osu. More so, a person that committed adultery and capital crimes like killing may also be dedicated to the gods through a unanimous consensus, and when this is done, he become a pronounced Osu.

Besides, there are other classification of Osu in Igbo land for instance, in Igbo we have ‘Osu Arisi’ which mean Osu to a deity, they are the people that lives closer to a deity or shrine. There is also ‘Osu Ahia’ which means slave to a market. Though this is not the case in all Igbo land. There are such other ones like Osu Iyi, that is Osu to river or stream, the osu here takes care of the stream and others. These classifications show that in Igbo land in the early days, Osu caste system forms an integral part of the Igbo tradition and religion.



2.6 METHOD OF DEDICATING AN OSU

In the above classes of osu, the only class of osu that goes with a special method of dedication is the one that deals with consensus dedication. However, in Igbo land, to dedicate an osu, a diviner will be called who will reveal the mindset of the gods. If by his words it is obvious that the gods are in need of a human sacrifice, The people having bought or kidnapped the sacrificial person will quickly bring him to the deity (IHU ARUSI) and the chief priest (OnyeIsI Nchuaja) will give the slave some of the properties of the shrine to handle (properties like clay pot stone etc) which simply means that the slave has exchanged his person and forfeited his right, liberty and freedom with the property of the deity he is holding. The slave will nevertheless be asked to make a certain citations before the deity and the entire people present. After the citation the chief priest will cut his or her ear or any part of the slave’s body and sprinkle the blood on the stones and other properties around the shrine. After these series of ritual Sacrifices, the person becomes an osu instantly, and when he wishes to many, he will marry another osu woman else where and like that they will spread into osu village.



2.7 HOW TO IDENTIFY AN OSU

An osu especially those ones whose dedications are celebrated can be identified in several ways. For instance, most of them have cut in their body, either that their ear is cut or one of their fingers or toes are cut. According to Eze Godson Ezekwensiri quoted by Igwebuike “….Some parts of his body, like an ear or a finger is also cut to identify him. (38). Apart from the identification by mark, one can also identify an osu by their Inherent devastating body odour. It is said that osus have a very bad body odour that no matter how they try to remove it with perfumes it does not go. Another important way of identifying an osu as we have said earlier is by the place they live though this may not be the case in all parts of Igbo land. Any group of people found to be living near a shrine, market, stream and so forth respectively are said to be osus. Besides, osus may also be known in some cases by their level riches, development and education. It is said that due to the fact that Osu do not have lands to farm and to do other local activities, most of their father gave their children to the early whit missionaries who took them to their land and educate them, and through their education, they became affluenced and they developed their people, thus, most of them are passionately rich and educated more than the firstborns.



2.8 THE ROLES / THE PRIVILAGES OF AN OSU IN IGBO LAND.

The question of what should be the role, important and privilege as well as the use of an osu has generated diverse opinions and views, consequently, to some, it is better to imagine role played by the Osus in the socio-economic and political set up of the Igbo society than discussing it, but for this work, that is not the issue.

However, it is interesting to acknowledge that the Osus occupy an indispensable and envious place and position in the traditional religions arrangement in Igbo land particularly in the areas where it is practiced. The Osus in some communities are priests of cults (shrines) and in some other cases; they are subordinates to the chief priests like the mass serves in the Catholic churches. Thought aside the fact that they can be given the sacred place of priest, they are still seen as priests without power and prestige by the freeborn because they do not and cannot command the respect or attract the admiration of the freeborns due to their Osu stigma in the sight of the freeborns due to the fact that they see them selves as inferior beings.

Furthermore, in most Igbo communities in Igbo land in those day when the system is fully in practice, the Osus are saddled with the responsibility of keeping vigil in the village when the house slaves (Ohu or Oru) and their master must have gone to farm especially between the home of 10am and 12 noon. Thus, they in this connection acts as watch dogs in the villages for the protection of couples still with children between the ages of two and ten who could easily become preys and victims to the kidnappers.

Nevertheless, there are those Osus who acquire the powers to make powerful charms during inter-tribal wars which were assembled via the Chief Priests of the shrine on behalf of the sons and daughters of the soil. According to Iqwebiuke “these charms were believed to be very powerful and difficult to defile because of the fact that the Osus don’t neutralize any charm known to have been prepared by fellow Osu” (43)

They are also used during inter-tribal wars as frontiers that were normally given charm pots to carry as the battle zone was being approached; perhaps, their body odour is enough to scare their enemies away before their arrival to the merits of their owners. Though as plausible as it is, it is not immune for criticism. The view is just a mere subjective conception.

Also, the Osus especially when they are the Chief Priests fetch/attracts offerings or sacrifices to the deities because if they were peradventure injured by anybody, such a person would have to incur the expenses of providing the spirit he serves with a new one. According to M. M. Green talking about making an Osu priest in his Book Igbo Village Affairs, he made the point that “The Osu people looked up as horrible and holy by the society do not necessarily make them into people of authority, because of their anomalous position in some society, but it does not mean that they are or may be a part of the mechanism whereby law and order are preserved (1978, 20).

Igwebuike interviewed Arazu, on the role of an Osu as he maintained that “an Osu is the living symbol of the invisible spirit when he is carrying the emblem (of the spirit or a god). Thee emblem carrier is seen as the most important person on such occasions, this is because, in the very blood of the Osu runs the potency of the spirit, hence, they are feared”. According Igwuike the osu would make the best occultists and mystics thus he said: “if I were an Osu, I would go in completely for occultism and mysticism in order to develop the power inherent in a ‘Kratophany’ because the particular spirit which the Osu was dedicated is not the devil and is not one of the demons” (Interviewed in May 15, 1986).

Moreover, according to Cardinal Arinze in his book titled Sacrifice in Igbo Land “non wicked spirits in Igbo traditional region are to be regarded as angels” what he meant here is that it is a sheer absurdity to see the Osus as evil and harmful like the way many people used to do. it is this view that make Igwebuike say that “To me therefore Osu in the religious context, has no bad connotations and cannot be viewed otherwise”.

What the above views about the role of an Osu and the privileges of Osu simply shows is that Osu occupies a crucial position and plays an important role in the socio-economic and cultural well being of the Igbos. Thus, they deserve some privileges. Having seen this, it is out of place to see them as turds or discriminate them from the rest of the people in the society. Meanwhile, what we are envisaging in this regards is having seen the roles of the Osus and knowing that each individual in any society has his or her own work and the freeborn can not do the work of the Osus neither can the Osu do the work of the freeborn, hence they should work together with the spirit of complementarity in order to achieve the summum bonum of the society.

CHAPTER THREE

VARIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF THE OSU CASTE SYSTEM

In this chapter, our main focus and emphasis will basically be on viewing Osu Caste System from several view points so as to expose some of it’s demerit and merits if any. Also, this chapter will deliberate a little on the Legal efforts towards the abolishment of the system. Meanwhile, our major bones of contention will be on the social, ethnical, religious, cultural, natural as well as the legal implications of Osu Caste System in Igbo land.



3.1 THE SOCIAL IMPLICATION OF OSU CASTE SYSTEM

One of the major implications of Osu Caste that will be discussed I this work is the social implication. When we talk of social, we are simply laying emphasis on things that have to do with society. That is, the inter relationship of the people of the society. Thus, in this context, we are meant to look aptly and indeptly on the position of Osu Caste System vis-à-vis the day to day inter relationship of the people of the society where the system is practised.

Although, Osu Caste System has been known as a social issue which simply depicts that it is something that has to do with the social life of the people, and also, due to the fact that all the alleged problems of it like segregation, discrimination, dehumanization and others, are all social activities, but our main focus in this aspect will be on such salient points or issues like the marriage between an Osu and the Diala, the funeral rites of an Osu, the chieftaincy of an Osu and several other essential concepts.

It is note worthy that it is not only on the above concept that Osu Caste System in Igbo land can be known socially, there are several other ways or issues in which the system can be known but space may not permit us to enumerate all the social view point of the system. However, we shall deliberate on the above mentioned concepts one after another.

Imagine this Evil system of discrimination and some people here are saying such should not be discussed,people should not be educated about it cuz this is Nairaland,an Yoruba site and discussing it amount to ''washing Igbo dirty linen in Public''..........!!!


These people that are saying it shd not be discussed are same people that are discriminating against Osu why shd u wanto conceal ill......why do u wanto be silent on ill......why should it not be discussed same way u think what transpired during Biafra war shd be discussed!!


If u re not guilty of discriminating against people who are created by God just like U,why do u want it hidden......why do u want people to feel it does not exist!!!

Some people think simply because they could not see beyond their Village other people could not!!


I don't know when Igbo become so small a nation that what transpires in Igboland is unknown to Non-Igbo!!!

hahaa at the man who sold his children's freeborn-hood for money. Anyway, I already took my time to read through that work when you first posted the link. In particular, I was looking for such an in-depth work to provide names of specific Osu communities, yet not a single mention of one. I was very disappointed. The author couldn't even be bothered to point us in the direction of the actual discrimination, but will write that entire dissertation. It wasn't what I was expecting, but oh well. It is what it is.

I'm not sure how Osu can be identified as a caveat emptor, when they can't even be identified in the first place. Contrary to what was written in that article, Osu have no marks of identification or any other mark that will distinguish them from "diala". This concept of Osu scarification that the author presented is news to me. By traditional standards, Osu are living offerings, living under the protection of the deity they are tethered to. It is an abomination to draw Osu blood. An Osu is practically untouchable by "diala" (and this is not meant in the same sense as the Indian caste system). A freeborn has no business putting his or her hands on an Osu, in any way, by traditional standards.

You can't compare Osu with cocaine or any other kind of narcotic. There is nothing phantom about the "bereavement" of narcotics users, but in the case of Osu, there is everything phantom about it. When the "bereaved" themselves are apparently going about their business, as well-integrated members of society, many of them ignorant of their "bereavement", it makes no sense for Igbo and non-Igbo alike to continue raise dust for nothing. That is what I mean by crying more than the bereaved. We are still waiting for first-hand Osu accounts, in this era? After all these years of writing articles, scholarly works, etc. we are still waiting for the specific Osu communities to be identified? Upon all the discussion held over these past decades, we still see no empirical study on the state of Osu; nothing to quantify or qualify. Instead, people will continue writing "Osu this" and "Osu that" and "problem of discrimination in Igboland those". Empty sandstorms that do nothing but irritate the eyes.

I maintain that there is nothing to talk about, when it comes to Osu, unless one wants to talk history.

ChinenyeN: hahaa at the man who sold his children's freeborn-hood for money. Anyway, I already took my time to read through that work when you first posted the link. In particular, I was looking for such an in-depth work to provide names of specific Osu communities, yet not a single mention of one. I was very disappointed. The author couldn't even be bothered to point us in the direction of the actual discrimination, but will write that entire dissertation. It wasn't what I was expecting, but oh well. It is what it is.

I'm not sure how Osu can be identified as a caveat emptor, when they can't even be identified in the first place. Contrary to what was written in that article, Osu have no marks of identification or any other mark that will distinguish them from "diala". This concept of Osu scarification that the author presented is news to me. By traditional standards, Osu are living offerings, living under the protection of the deity they are tethered to. It is an abomination to draw Osu blood. An Osu is practically untouchable by "diala" (and this is not meant in the same sense as the Indian caste system). A freeborn has no business putting his or her hands on an Osu, in any way, by traditional standards.

You can't compare Osu with cocaine or any other kind of narcotic. There is nothing phantom about the "bereavement" of narcotics users, but in the case of Osu, there is everything phantom about it. When the "bereaved" themselves are apparently going about their business, as well-integrated members of society, many of them ignorant of their "bereavement", it makes no sense for Igbo and non-Igbo alike to continue raise dust for nothing. That is what I mean by crying more than the bereaved. We are still waiting for first-hand Osu accounts, in this era? After all these years of writing articles, scholarly works, etc. we are still waiting for the specific Osu communities to be identified? Upon all the discussion held over these past decades, we still see no empirical study on the state of Osu; nothing to quantify or qualify. Instead, people will continue writing "Osu this" and "Osu that" and "problem of discrimination in Igboland those". Empty sandstorms that do nothing but irritate the eyes.

I maintain that there is nothing to talk about, when it comes to Osu, unless one wants to talk history.

The fact a thing is news to you is of what significance to its veracity really?
Are you of any renown on the subject.?
Derision, denial and proxy comparisons are are poor ersatz for debate.I can appreciate that YOU do not wish to discuss it for your own reasons or perhaps it is just "irritating" to your eyes.That is a normal psychological response.

I do not wish to guess exactly how many hours were spent on writing that article and researching it but it does seem like quite a lot. Too,the author cited specific instances of ostracism and discrimination that cannot be dismissed by specious phrases.
You seem to be suggesting the best approach is to "IGNORE" it completely and pretend we have never heard about it. The only thing you have established so far is you have NO PERSONAL EXPERIENCE and LITTLE KNOWLEDGE about it now based on your own life experience. I cannot dispute that but it is churlish to dismiss several well written articles without offering any research.Naturally we all have our blind spots which we refuse to illuminate with logic and would rather revert to what we find palatable as a view of reality. I did not write the article or several other articles abound yet you dismiss them as "dust for nothing" Let us see whether that will suffice to settle the dust.
Is it or is it not the case that many associations in Lagos and elsewhere expressly forbid(IN WRITING) in their constitutions "OSUS" from leadership roles and other such title as Eze Ndi-Igbo. Is this not true of MASSOB

Is this also fiction:


"In 1989, there was a communal clash in Ifakala in Imo State, over the location of a water borehole. A section of the community refused to drink water from the borehole on the ground that it was located on Osu land. The bore hole had to be abandoned."

http://www.iheu.org/node/2452
Why then was this Necessary ??

Eziama-Obiato abolishes ‘Osu-caste’ system

http://www.christianvoicenewsonline.com/?p=186

WHAT ABOUT COSMOS ? IS HE PHANTOM ??
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7977734.stm

IS IT OR IS IT NOT HAPPENING TODAY that some Catholics refuse communion from and Osu priest??

Do not make assumptions about my position. Read things as I state them and do not make any extra efforts to infer anything.

I still maintain that you and anyone who raises dust about Osu is crying more than the bereaved. I've said it several times in this thread that Osu have become and are continuously becoming well-integrated into Igbo society, from birth to marriage. It doesn't matter how much talk and dust people want to raise on the issue, what stands now is that we have Osu going about who don't even have an idea that they are even Osu. As you continue raising dust here, the number of integrated and perpetually ignorant Osu continues to rise. Osu is a phantom issue, taking the course that every dead social institution takes. If one wants to talk Osu, then it would be Osu history. Do not make claims of discrimination and injustice between "Osu" and "Diala" categories, when the two do everything together, from eating, to associating, to sex and marriage. If you want to mention instances though, then feel free to do so.

ChinenyeN: Do not make assumptions about my position. Read things as I state them and do not make any extra efforts to infer anything.

I still maintain that you and anyone who raises dust about Osu is crying more than the bereaved. I've said it several times in this thread that Osu have become and are continuously becoming well-integrated into Igbo society, from birth to marriage. It doesn't matter how much talk and dust people want to raise on the issue, what stands now is that we have Osu going about who don't even have an idea that they are even Osu. As you continue raising dust here, the number of integrated and perpetually ignorant Osu continues to rise. Osu is a phantom issue, taking the course that every dead social institution takes. If one wants to talk Osu, then it would be Osu history. Do not make claims of discrimination and injustice between "Osu" and "Diala" categories, when the two do everything together, from eating, to associating, to sex and marriage. If you want to mention instances, then feel free to do so. It does not change the fact that "Osu" and "Diala" do everything together.

POINT OUT ANY FALSE INFERENCE OR NOTION I WRONGLY ATTRIBUTED TO YOU AND I WILL REDACT IT AND APOLOGIZE

No mistaking your position : IT IS A PHANTOM ISSUE and THOSE RAISING IT ARE RAISING DUST

That is clear enough but the only thing you offer is YOUR ASSERTION and while many may disagree with you others do not. I believe the internet will be around for a long time after we go our ways and those coming after will see this and other writings on the subject.It is for that posterity that I write, not to persuade you. I have offered many links here citing examples all you have to offer is assertion and dogma and even a catchphrase;
crying more than the bereaved -
at least you concede there are "bereaved".
This is certainly a monstrosity that is still very much around,written into constitutions of several "community associations " in the the near and remote diaspora and we can play :

it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie
forever.
Will change nothing nor remove the glaring evidence which is just too inconvenient for you to countenance or acknowledge

aribisala0:


POINT OUT ANY FALSE INFERENCE OR NOTION I WRONGLY ATTRIBUTED TO YOU AND I WILL REDACT IT AND APOLOGIZE

No mistaking your position : IT IS A PHANTOM ISSUE and THOSE RAISING IT ARE RAISING DUST

That is clear enough but the only thing you offer is YOUR ASSERTION and while many may disagree with you others do not. I believe the internet will be around for a long time after we go our ways and those coming after will see this and other writings on the subject.It is for that posterity that I write, not to persuade you. I have offered many links here citing examples all you have to offer is assertion and dogma and even a catchphrase;
crying more than the bereaved -
at least you concede there are "bereaved".
This is certainly a monstrosity that is still very much around,written into constitutions of several "community associations " in the the near and remote diaspora and we can play :

it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie it is true it is a lie
forever.
Will change nothing nor remove the glaring evidence which is just too inconvenient for you to countenance or acknowledge

So what do you want us to do? To lie and agree with you? Okay there are some Yorubas in Owerri, why not ask them if they've ever met anyone labelled osu throughout there stay. There is the NYSC section, you can as well go there and start a thread asking anyone to testify if he/she has encountered any osu-related issue throughout his/her stay in an Igbo village.

Abagworo:

So what do you want us to do? To lie and agree with you? Okay there are some Yorubas in Owerri, why not ask them if they've ever met anyone labelled osu throughout there stay. There is the NYSC section, you can as well go there and start a thread asking anyone to testify if he/she has encountered any osu-related issue throughout his/her stay in an Igbo village.

Who is us ? All those links I posted are they not Igbo.? Is cosmos not Igbo ? Better to hear from an Igbo man even if he is OSU than an Yoruba from Owerri?NO?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7977734.stm

http://www.christianvoicenewsonline.com/?p=186
Why should you lie after all according to you it is no different from Having an Oba of Benin? It is a good thing to be admired!!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Osu-Caste-Discrimination-Igboland/dp/0595459218

Abagworo: So what do you want us to do? To lie and agree with you?

I wonder myself. No one is denying Osu, in any way, but that doesn't mean we will sit and talk as if Osu is some prevalent and definition social institution or say that Osu and Diala classes do not interact. Osu and Diala interact heavily. The existence of communities with the Osu institution in place does not take away from the fact that Osu and Diala do everything together, from birth to marriage.

But you are denying it. You said we can only talk about its history.That it is "phantom" if that is not a denial then I am a Diala Nri
http://www.amazon.com/The-Osu-Caste-Discrimination-Igboland/dp/0595459218

http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/506adcc72.pdf

UNITED NATIONS