Imo Community Abolishes ‘Osu’ Caste System

The people of Abba community in Nwangele local government area of Imo State have made it an anathema for anybody in the town to refer to a fellow indigene as an out-caste (Osu/Ohu or Ume).

The community also made it an offence to segregate anybody on account of being an outcaste. Speaking at the ceremony to do away with the age long caste system, which had dogged the Igbo race for centuries, the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Metropolitan Province, Archbishop JVC Obinna, said that for 65 years, he had championed the abolition of the Osu caste system and expresses delight that Abba people have finally decided to take a major leap in the abrogation of the caste system.

He expressed optimism that with the example led by Abba community, other communities in Imo still deep in the practice of the obnoxious Osu system would understand that it is out of touch with humanity.

He said, “Today in the four communities of Abba, we are rejecting bad customs and behaviours. We are rejecting bad talks, insults intimidation, unnecessary envy, looking down on fellow citizens and the worship of idols and all things associated with the Osu/Ohu and Ume caste system in Abba clan.

This is the resolve and the promise we make today in the name of Jesus Christ.” Chairman of Abba Autonomous Communities Development Union (AACDU), Nnanyereuo Paul Ozigbo, said that it was the collective will and resolve of the four communities that made up Abba clan to abolish and abrogate the system from their land.

He thanked all the indigenes of Abba at home and in the Diaspora, traditional title holders, (Ndi Nze na Ozo and Ndi Oji Ofo), for making the ceremony successful.

Traditional ruler of Ekitiafor Abba community, Eze Boniface Ononenyi Uzoma, apologised to all those who have by omission or commission been segregated against or considered as second class citizens through the outcastes system.

He warned that by the final renunciation ceremony, anybody or group that segregates against the other person or group of persons would have themselves to blame.

The highpoint of the ceremony was the administration of mixture of salt and water on the chiefs, elders and traditional rulers from the four communities as the final rites of renunciation by the Archbishop.