OSU in a Contemporary Igbo Society: A Christian Theological Evaluation
CHAPTER ONE
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Basically, the aims and objectives of this study are:
- To shed light on the Osu caste system in the contemporary Igbo society.
- To investigate the myriads of taboos that surrounds an Osu.
- To examine the social economic, political and religious impact of Osu caste system in Igbo land.
- To proffer solutions to the challenges of the Osu caste system.
- To see if the Osu belief has basis in the Christian scriptures.
CHAPTER TWO
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).
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.
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.
CHAPTER FOUR
APPRAISING OSU CASTE SYSTEM WITHIN THE CONCEPT OF COMPLEMENTARY REFLECTION
As the crux of the matter, in this chapter, we shall appraise or justify the fore going Osu Caste by using or from the point of view of complementary reflection and some of its intrinsic tenets and concepts like, missing-link, Ibuanyi Danda an others. What this simply means is that in this chapter, we shall know as well as well unveil the significant role played or that can be played by the concept of complementary reflection to ensure the eradication of class division, segregation and so forth, which are intrinsic dimensions of osu caste system. Complementary reflection has in it certain concepts as mentioned above which helped in buttressing its point or points. Meanwhile, we shall start by knowing what complementary reflection is all about.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
Seeing how the Osus are segregated, stigmatized and dehumanized in their inter-social relationships with the freeborns in such salient areas or issues like marriage and several other areas of social life, though I am not an Osu but I was distributed and pricked in mind. Thus, I thought it wise to reach the entirety of the world with this crusade of de-encasing the mind of the Igbo people by letting them knowing that both the Osus and the freeborns are all essential for the development of the society, because development can never find its way in any society if there is no mutual oneness or togetherness of all the members of the society. However, to conceptualize or establish this great aim, the need to look for a fortifying concept arose and after several cortical ponderings, complementary reflection appeared to be the most accepted concept or theory that will; help to actualize and optimize this elegant view.
Complementary reflection as it were, is seen in this paper as more of a way of life that has to do with the biblical “follow peace with all men”. It is a concept, a view, theory; as well a doctrine that envisaged that to solve any problem of the opposites, there should always be a harmony existing between the two.
With this, we come to the understanding that the only possible way or means of solving the problem of Osu caste system in Igbo Land is by establishing this concept that will enlighten their both minds to see each other as one though with different assignments which its finality is to promote enhance as well ensure the happiness of all.
Thus, Like Empidocus in the ancient period of philosophy, who said that everything is part of everything, complementary reflection established and showcased the fact that all human both the Osu and the non Osu are one and are missing – links to the ultimate goal of human existence which may be happiness or development. Also like the ant called Danda in Igbo land, complementary reflection believed that if every body will come together and work with one mind, by bringing all their efforts together, they will subdue, surmount and overcome their entire problem and get the peak of their existence which is happiness. Finally, it is from the above background, that the entire gamut of this work from its Genesis to Revelation was based, that is, on using complementary reflection to appraise Osu caste system. And it is obvious that from all indications, segregating ones follow human being because of mere conventional or religious and emotional purposes is absolutely wrong. The wrong here did not come just from the emotion of the researcher but from the trace of both biblical, ethical, legal, social natural as well as cultural points of view. It is believable that after reading this work, any critical, emotional and humanitarian thinker will see the reason and the need to abolish the system. Thought that is not the concern of this work.
CONCLUSION
From the fore –going in this topic “appraising Osu caste within the context of complementary reflection” It has been made obvious that Osu caste system as one of the religious practices in the ancient Igbo land, has a lot of inherent problems and ill repercussions as this paper has tried to unveil in the various chapters above. These problems posed by Osu caste system have been lingering from time immemorial. Several attempts have been made by several people both scholars and non scholars to terminate the problem but the saddest point are that the more they try to solve the problem, the more onerous the problem becomes. The problems that are meant here are the problems of restricting the Osus from getting married to the freeborns and vice-versa and that of making an Osu a chief or king over the freeborns. These two mentioned problem culminated into one million plus one other social problems like social segregation, stigmatization, dehumanization, wars, enmity and so forth which in turn do not only bring retrogrativeness in the areas of socio-economic, socio – cultural and the socio – political growth of the society, also hampers almost every other aspect of the social development in the areas where it in practiced.
However, since the previous writers could not provide a lasting solution of the problems in question, it became the onus of this paper to proffer a solution to the alleged problem. The way out of the problems of Osu caste according to this research work is the application of the concept of complementary reflection which is postulated by professor Innocent Asouzu, which its major tenet is to establish a mutual harmony to solve problem or conflicts of opposites. Thus, complementary reflection provide us with the idea that to solve the problem of Osu caste system, there should be a mutual coming together of every individual ideologies, efforts, strength as well as personality. This background therefore establish the view that every body is important and every bodies imitative whether positive or negative is needed for the achievement of the societal summum bonum which may mean happiness of all and societal development.
RECOMMENDATION
I want to use this medium to advice the Igbos especially those that practice this obnoxious system to annihilate the idea of division caused by Osu caste system and import the idea of togetherness, oneness and unity. Because with unity it is believable that any community will stand, but by division the people are doomed to fall. For the Igbos, let us invite the spirit of ‘Obinwanne’ and do away with ‘Obiakolo’.
Igbos has a lot of external aggressions from their enemies who have shown their aggression and wickedness to the Igbos in several ways, thus if Igbos is not united, they will not be able to defeat their enemies, and if they are fragmented, their enemies will find it very easy to defect them. Thus, there is the need for them to always be one so as to fight their battles to finish. Like the sticks of a broom, if they are united in one bunch, it will not be easy for one to break them, but if one or few are singled out, you find out that they will be easily broken.
Also, those who practice Osu caste system should embrace the method of complementary with
which they will realize that each human being is as important as him the self with this, they will also come to the understanding that segregating or dehumanizing ones fellow human being is evil as it hinders the societal proliferation and development.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Amadife, “The Culture that must die.” In Sunday Times March 23, 1988.
- Anyichie, A. A. Ikwu Amaghi Ibe Ezi Ako. Enugu: SNAAP Press, 1991.
- Arinze, F. A. Scarifies in Igbo Religion Ibadan: University Press, 1970.
- Aristotle. The Politics. Translated by T. A. Sinclair, Revised by Saunders, T. J. London: Penguin Books Inc. 1981.
- Asouzu, I. I. The method and Principle of Complementary Reflection in and beyond African Philosophy. Calabar: University of Calabar Press, 2004.
- Asouzu, I. I. IBUANYIDANDA: New Complementary Ontology Beyond World-immanentism, Ethnocentric Reduction and Imposition. KG Wien: Lit Verlag GmbH and Co., 2007.