i UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES TITLE: THE OSU CASTE SYSTEM IN ISUOCHI, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA, 1956-2012 A PROJECT TOPIC SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF ARTS (M.A) DEGREE IN HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES. BY KAORUKWE UCHENNA PG/MA/15/77199 SUPERVISOR DR. NNAMDI C. AJAEBILI AUGUST, 2018 i TITLE PAGE THE OSU CASTE SYSTEM IN ISUOCHI, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA, 1956- 2012 ii CERTIFICATION This is to certify that this research work has been examined and approved for the award of Degree of Master of Arts in History and International Studies ---------------------------------------- ----------------------- DR. NNAMDI C. AJAEBILI DATE ( SUPERVISOR) ----------------------------------------- ----------------------- PROF. A.N. AKWANYA DATE HEAD OF DEPARTMENT --------------------------------------- ----------------------- PROF. WINIFRED AKODA DATE EXTERNAL EXAMINER iii DEDICATION To my mother, Margreth Kaorukwe. She did her best in bringing me up morally. iv ACKNOWLEGEMENTS I deem it fit to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who had made it possible for this research work to come to limelight. My utmost thanks go to Almighty God who gave me the strength to actualize this work. I remain grateful to my mentor, Dr. P.U Iwunna, for his invaluable contributions. I will not forget my mother and my elder brother, Mrs. Margreth Nkemawunvu Kaorukwe and Chief Monday Kaorukwe (Okachimee 1 of Amuda Isuochi), for their support and encouragement. In a very special way, I remain grateful to my supervisor Dr.Nnamdi C. Ajaebili, whose fatherly and scholarly guidance, corrections, and suggestions contributed to the actualization of this work. I remain eternally grateful to Professor A.N. Akwanya, Head of Department, History and International Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka for the academic role he accorded me. I am also indebted to all the lecturers of the department of History and International Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Among them are Prof. R.C. Ejeaga, Prof. Victor Ukogo, Prof. U.C Anyanwu, Prof. Paul Obiani, Dr. Apex Apeh, Dr. C. C. Opata, Prof. Chima Korieh, Prof. Egodi Uchendu, Dr. Uche Okonkwo, Dr. Chidi Amaechi, and Mr. C.N. Ihediwa for their encouragement. I equally appreciate the encouragement from the following: all Post Graduate Studentsof the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2015/2016) session. They include Mr. Andrew Angbah, Mr. Benjamin Ocheje, Mr. Kalu Ogechukwu, Miss. Uwaya Dorcas, and Mr. Pius Anagwureyi. My special thanks also go to the departmental librarians as well as Nnamdi Azikiwe librarians, for their support. I also thank all who contributed to the successful completion of this work. All thanks to God. v ABSTRACT The Osu Caste System is an ancient traditional practice found among the Igbo people of the Southeast Nigeria. It is a cultural practice which forces the victims of this traditional belief system into lives of servitude and dedication to the service of some deity founded in the victims’ community. This is trans-generational in practice, and consequently transcends from one particular generation of the victims to the generation of their children and grandchildren. It is quite comparable to the Hindu caste system of India where some community members subdue their fellow kith and kin, reduce their ego to the barest minimum, deflect their individuality and personal pride, as well as deny them certain rights and privileges which other members of same community enjoy without undue hindrance. The situation seemed quite similar to Igboland, inclusive of Isuochi community of Abia State where this level of human degradation is prevalent. The origin which was believed to be unknown but was generally believed to have started with the primordial practice of the Igbo to offer people to gods, who automatically became properties of the gods. The work, therefore, critically analysed the evils of the practices of the Osu Caste System in Isuochi and elsewhere in Igboland. It adopted the scapegoat theory to explain how people became victims of the circumstances of what they were quite oblivious of. The findings show that human degradation in the way of Osu still exists in some parts of Igboland. To this effect, the work recommended functional education of the young minds in Isuochi. This would help to bring about the desired change needed as one of the steps towards abolishing the practice. The argument is that an educated mind cannot easily fall to cultural doctrines that do not promote societal good. The work concluded by stating that avenues should be created in Isuochi whereby the history on the origin of the people should be told to both the older and younger generation as a way of educating them on the common historical origin that binds them together. vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS NAE: National Archive Enugu OKDIST: Okigwe District VOL: Volume IFC: Isuochi For Christ POW: Prisoners Of War IMT: Isuochi Mass Transit KKK: Ku Klux Klan UDHR: Universal Declaration of Human Rights UNO: United Nations Organisations ICCPR: International covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICESCR: International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights ICERD: International Covenant on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination CAT: The Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment or Punishment vii GLOSSARY OF IGBO WORDS AND PHRASES 1 Ọkpara: Eldest male member in the family lineage 2 Ọfọ: A symbol of authority in Igboland 3 Orimgbeahịalọrọ:It is a derogatory remark targeted on men who could not producefood for themselves as well as their family membersthrough agriculture. 4 Ogbodo: Uninitiated member of the spirit being or incarnate being 5 Nmanwụ:Incarnate being 6 Ochi: Founder of Isuochi 7 Ịwu: A local delicacy made from cassava 8 Atanị: Local zinc made from raffia palm 9 Nkata: A local basket used for washing Iwu 10 Mmịmị: A local instrument made from palm tree used for drying Iwu 11 Diochi: Elderly men who are well skilled in palm wine tapping 12 Nta: Hunting 13 Ajala:Community deity 14 Mbịama: A traditional festival 15 EgbeAjala: A traditional festival 16 EgwuEgbechukwu: A traditional festival in celebration of womanhood in Isuochi 17Ndichiee: Ancestors 18Apupa: Hepatities viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page - - - - - - - - - - - i Certification page - - - - - - - - - ii Dedication Page - - - - - - - - - iii Acknowledgement - - - - - - - - - iv Abstract - - - - - - - - - - v List of Abbreviations - - - - - - - - - vi Glossary of Ibo words and phrases - - - - - - - vii Table of content - - - - - - - - - viii List of maps - - - - - - - - - - x-xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Background to the study - - - - - - - - 1-3 Statement of the problem - - - - - - - - 3-5 Purpose of the study - - - - - - - - - 5 Scope of the study - - - - - - - - - 5-6 Significance of the study - - - - - - - - 6-7 Research methodology - - - - - - - - 7 Sources of data - - - - - - - - - 8 Structure of the work - - - - - - - - - 8-9 Theoretical framework - - - - - - - - 9-10 Scapegoat Cultural Theory - - - - - - - - 10-11 Literature review - - - - - - - - - 12-20 Summary of Literature Review - - - - - - - 20 End Notes - - - - - - - - - - 21-25 CHAPTER TWO: LAND AND PEOPLE OF ISUOCHI Geographical Location of Isuochi - - - - - - - 26-27 Origins of Isuochi Community - - - - - - - 27-30 Economic Organisation of Isuochi - - - - - - - 30-33 Political Organisation of Isuochi - - - - - - - 34-35 Socio-Cultural Organisation - - - - - - - - 36-37 The Belief System and World View of the Isuochi Community - - - 37-40 ix End Notes - - - - - - - - - - 41-43 CHAPTER THREE: THE CONCEPT OF THE OSU CASTE SYSTEM Introduction - - - - - - - - - - 44-47 The mythology of Osu Caste System - - - - - - - 47-49 The Osu Caste System in Isuochi, Igboland - - - - - - 49-55 The Osu as a Human Creation - - - - - - - 55-58 The Osu Caste Law of 1956 - - - - - - - - 58-63 End Notes - - - - - - - - - - 64-67 CHAPTER FOUR: THE IMPACTS OF THE OSU CASTE SYSTEM IN ISUOCHI. Reduction of human dignity and relevance - - - - - - 68-71 Denial of rights in the community - - - - - - - 71-75 Promotion of pagan practices and idolatry - - - - - - 75-76 Declassification of the human society - - - - - - 76-77 Segregation in Isuochi Community - - - - - - - 78-82 End Notes - - - - - - - - - - 83-85 CHATER FIVE: THE OSU CASTE SYSTEM: HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVES The question of human rights - - - - - - - - 86-87 Human rights as a universal issue - - - - - - - 87-93 The issue of human rights in Nigeria - - - - - - - 93-95 Human Rights as a controversial subject in Isuochi, Abia State - - - 95-97 End Notes - - - - - - - - - - 98-100 CHAPTER SIX: Summary, Recommendations and Conclusion - - - - - 101-106 Interviews and Bibliography - - - - - - - - 107-117 x MAP OF ABIA STATE SHOWING ISUOCHI Source: Ministry of Lands and Surveys, Abia State and Modification by Nidichie C.C. Gis Unit Geography Department UNN 2016. xi MAP OF ISUOCHI Source: Google Map 2016 and Modified by Ndichie C.C GIS Unit, Geography Dept, UNN, 2016 1 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY Isuochi is one of the communities in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State. It comprises nine villages which include Umuaku, Amuda, Ngodo, Lomara, Umuelem, Mbala, Achara, Ihie, and Ndiawa1. It occupies a strategic position in Abia State. It is located 22 kilometers from Northern border of Okigwe, in Imo State2. It shares boundaries with Owerri-Ezukala in Anambara State, Nkue in Enugu State, and Ihube, in Imo