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The Eight wonder of the Present world: The Caste system



The late Dr. Ohonbamu of the University of Lagos said
 
“Give all the education in this materialistic world of ours to a pig, with special emphasis on cleanliness and hygiene. In the end, the pig will remain a pig. An intelligent pig if you care”

I remember being a kid born in the 90s; I watched a lot of Nigeria home videos. I would be amazed when the play is about a girl/boy who has been referred to as Osu (Outcast). I never really understood after all, I wasn’t living in that era so I never cared.
Fast forward to 2016, I receive a call to please write on the Osu caste system. I was reluctant as I felt that was no longer needed. But then I was struck by lightning when the caller explained to me how a lady’s wedding was just called off because she was an “Osu”. I was stupefied.

Osu in Nigeria is practiced majorly in the South Eastern region. The Osu known as outcast in English is a person who has been dedicated to Alusi (deity) throughout their life and are inferior to the Freeborn (Ndiala) of the land. This practice dates back to as long as the 1800s. The Osus could not inter marry with a freeborn and were denied many privileges enjoyed by the freeborn. They are seen as unclean and are not allowed to make prayers for the land. They cannot be leaders in the land and are not allowed to speak out in their communities. Then Christianity came. And all deities were wiped out and shrines destroyed (or so we thought). Everyone supposedly turned to God where there was no discrimination. In 1956, Igbo Legislators at the House of assembly Enugu then in Eastern Nigeria abrogated it and imposed fines on those who practice it. I am sure they all felt we have a new Paradigm.
Which way Nigeria? Why are we stuck on barbaric and primitive ideas? When would we be emancipated? Are we really under a mental curse? We live in the 21st century but think like people who live in the medieval era. This draws me back to the cry for secession by Biafrans. Is this what you want to go and practice when you get to your new country? You are at war with the government, at war with Nigeria and at war with yourselves? I feel so ashamed tabling this topic. It is like we take one step forward and then sprint backwards. All our education has amounted to nothing. Our minds are still stuck in times unknown. Our lives are paradoxical.
This is why Africa will always be looked down upon. Because every time they look at us, they see a group of people who have refused to evolve with the times. I would not be surprised if there are still parts of this country where Twins are being killed. Looking down at an individual because you believe she is an Osu is a crime of discrimination. You are trampling on her rights to live freely in her society. You are infringing on her rights to even live at all. Many of you go to church and hold significant positions there. Some of you have been exposed to the western worlds for studies and so on. Yet you come back and speak of Osu? That is bigotry. This is indeed “the tragedy of a nation”.

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