The Osu/Ume Caste System: Crime Against Humanity And Anachronistic Cultural Relic That Must Stop Now 

While Oxford Reference, sees culture as the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society; I define culture as mainly, those diabolical acts, practices, beliefs and deeds that are rooted in the fear of deaf and dumb gods –  created spirits that have no right to exist on Earth because they are not human beings.

It must be stated however that not all aspects of African, nay Igbo Culture are satanic, for example; naming ceremony, “Igu/ikpo aha,” and the customary visitation of the mother-in-law immediately after childbirth to nurse her daughter and new baby known as ” Omugwo”.

The Osu/Ume Caste System, which is an ancient practice in Igboland that prohibits social interaction and marriage with a group of people, referred to as outcasts (because their ancestors were allegedly dedicated to deaf and dumb deities) and thus seen as inferior to the so-called “Nwadiala” (freeborn) is one atrocious cultural relic that elicits current of revulsion.

Annoyingly, the people referred to as Osu/Ume include great men and women of high repute that have attained the apogee of success in life.

The origin of the irritating caste system could be traced back to the dark and evil period when giving birth to twins was seen as a bad omen hence they were either killed or thrown away and abandoned in the “evil forest,” to die, dead chiefs were buried with living beings and people were sacrificed to dumb and deaf gods as ritual offerings of propitiation.

Stubborn and rebellious people, who refused to obey the orders of autocratic Kings then or decision of the community whether wrong or right, were also turned into Osu/Ume.

Over the years, many prominent Igbo leaders and human rights groups have spoken against the embarrassing caste system and campaigned for its abrogation.

Late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, (Zik of Africa), had in his historic address to the defunct Eastern Nigeria House of Assembly in 1956, described the system as devilish and said that it is uncharitable to brand any human being with a label of inferiority due to the accidents of history.

The late Chief Sam Mbakwe PhD, first civilian governor of old Imo State, also banned the system during his tenure.

Yet, despite these attempts to abolish the obnoxious cultural practice, people still approve of it in some parts of Igboland, stigmatizing many innocent people in the process.

I can recall how the repulsive caste system cost me my first true love. She was afraid of stigmatization by my people despite my genuine assurance that I will protect her, resist and confront any attempt to label her as Osu. I loved her so much but she was afraid and left me broken-hearted. To date, I remain nostalgic about the sweet moments we had together.

The so-called “Ajuju,” which is the formal enquiry about the background of prospective husband and wife by their respective families or an emissary before proceeding with the marriage rites is all about ascertaining their cultural status with regard to the caste system because an Osu/Ume cannot marry the so-called “free born.”

Why should Ndi Igbo allow themselves to be enslaved by remnants of a dark era, characterized by inhuman practices?

Where is the place of Christianity in Igbo land when people still fear fellow creatures like deaf and dumb gods that deceive and enslave the gullible?

The truth remains that Igbo nation began to experience real prosperity and development after the interface between Christianity and paganism.

We cannot as a people, renounce and reject paganism/idol worship but continue to uphold those evil acts and deeds associated with that era of darkness, when Igbo land was in a state of satanic dominance.

Abolishing this system will restore the dignity of human beings, promote peaceful relationships and reduce conflicts in society.

OSU/Ume Caste System as Crime Against Humanity

According to the United Nations, the term “crimes against humanity” was first developed as early as the eighteenth century, particularly in the context of slavery and the slave trade, and to describe atrocities associated with European colonialism in Africa and elsewhere

The 1998 Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court,  is the document that reflects the latest consensus among the international community on this matter. It is also the treaty that offers the most extensive list of specific acts that may constitute the crime.

Article 7 (1) of the Rome Statute stipulates that crimes against humanity do not need to be linked to an armed conflict and can also occur in peacetime, similar to the crime of genocide. That same Article provides a definition of the crime that contains the following main elements:

A) Physical element, which includes the commission of “any of the following acts”:

Murder; extermination; enslavement;

deportation or forcible transfer of population;

imprisonment; torture; grave forms of sexual violence; persecution; enforced disappearance of persons; the crime of apartheid and other inhumane acts.

B) Contextual element: “When committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population”; and

C)  Mental element: “ When committed with knowledge of the attack”

The contextual element determines that crimes against humanity involve either large-scale violence in relation to the number of victims or its extension over a broad geographical area (widespread), or a methodical type of violence (systematic) like the obnoxious Igbo Osu/Ume Caste System.

As an Osu/Ume, one is kept in a state of permanent and irreversible social disability and subjected to abuse and discrimination.

The Osus/Umes are made to live separately from the “freeborn” and live close to shrines and marketplaces. They are not allowed to have any form of relationship with the “Nwadialas.” They even may not break kola nuts at meetings or pour libation or pray to God on behalf of a “freeborn” at any community gathering.

They are equally prohibited from occupying the position of traditional ruler in the community regardless of their achievements in life.

With the coming of modernity in Igboland and acceptance of Christianity, people have criticised the Osu/Ume Caste System for defying basic human rights even as a couple of scholars have equated the Osu/Ume Caste system to slavery and which must be abolished.

However, irrespective of the efforts of  prominent Igbo leaders like the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, to abolish the Osu/Ume Caste System in Igboland and liberate affected people from stigmatization, it is still being practised in many parts of Igboland and the ill-treatment meted out to the so-called Osus/Umes has forced many of them to migrate to other countries, abandon marriages and make them feel ostracized in their respective communities by an inhuman culture.

Perhaps, in further attempt to dislodge the anachronistic practice, two communities in Isu Local Government Area of Imo State namely Amurie Omanze and Oboro Amurie –  have decided to  abolish the Osu/Ume Caste System.

I commend the traditional rulers of Amurie Ancient Kingdom comprising Amurie Omanze and Oboro Amurie Community in Isu Local Government Area, His Royal Highness (HRH) Eze C.O. Nnajiemere and HRH Eze V.O. Ahamefule for setting the pace in abolishing the negative caste system in Igboland.

I am also confident that more communities in   Imo State and Igboland will follow suit by abolishing the condemnable caste system, which dehumanizes fellow men and women.

I equally commend the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Pillars of Hope Africa Initiative, POHAI, G’naira Family Foundation (GFF) and Kemdi Chino Opara Foundation (KCOF) for their consistent advocacy against the nasty and devilish caste system, which is appalling, disgusting, detestable, repulsive and repugnant.

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that: “All human beings are born free and equal.” While Article 4 of the same declaration holds that “Everyone has the right to be free from slavery.”

The fundamental Human Rights of persons in Nigeria, enshrined in Chapter 4 of the Nigerian Constitution as amended include: The Right to Dignity of Human Person  and the Right to Freedom from discrimination.

The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, which Nigeria is a signatory to, has expanded and reinforced the fundamental Human Rights provided in the Constitution.

These rights should never be violated by any person including law enforcement agencies/agents in any part of Nigeria and because the Osu/Ume Caste System is a violation of the Right to Dignity of Human Person and the Right to Freedom from Discrimination of those branded as Osu and Ume, I recommend that commensurate legal action should be taken against the violators of those essential rights including individuals, families – as it pertains to marriage and recalcitrant communities.

The Imo State House of Assembly should as a matter of necessity, enact a law that will make it a criminal offence to label or address any Imo person as Osu, Ume etc. I believe that such a move will give more meaning to the provisions of the Constitution and other efforts to end the reprehensible and outmoded “Culture” of uncivilized and paganistic (prehistoric) Igbo society just before the coming of British colonialists.

God bless Imo State!

– Hon. Prince Ben AHANONU, is Special Adviser (CSDP) to the Governor of Imo State.