IGBO CUSTOM AND TRADITION.
(How people became OSU and benefits of being OSU)
In igboland, there were 3 major ways one can become OSU..
1.For protection.
2.A communal decision.
3.Parentage.
FOR PROTECTION...
In the olden days some deeds warranted the death penalty and other
(How people became OSU and benefits of being OSU)
In igboland, there were 3 major ways one can become OSU..
1.For protection.
2.A communal decision.
3.Parentage.
FOR PROTECTION...
In the olden days some deeds warranted the death penalty and other
lesser actions could lead to ostracizing of the culprit or forcing the person into slavery.If the guilty person desired to remain in that community and evade the penalty, the only way to do that was to pledge self to the deity, and from henceforth he seized from
being nwafo(son of the soil) until he died.
Ikemefuna story in the things fall apart for example..Had Ikemefuna knew he would be used as an exchange for the atrocity committed by his clansmen, he could have dedicated himself to the deity and became free.
Ikemefuna story in the things fall apart for example..Had Ikemefuna knew he would be used as an exchange for the atrocity committed by his clansmen, he could have dedicated himself to the deity and became free.
COMMUNAL DECISION..
In every community in igboland, whoever caused an OSU to bleed automatically become an OSU.If one jumped over the head of OSU, there were sacrifices required of the person or he became OSU.. Whoever killed an OSU or caused OSU to die could replace the OSU
In every community in igboland, whoever caused an OSU to bleed automatically become an OSU.If one jumped over the head of OSU, there were sacrifices required of the person or he became OSU.. Whoever killed an OSU or caused OSU to die could replace the OSU
or he would authomatically become OSU..There were sacred streams in the communities..if any fetched water from such streams, he/she would become OSU..If a man/woman slept overnight at a shrine he/she would become OSU.
PARENTAGE....
Once a man or a woman became an OSU, all the children he/she would produce shall all be OSU.
BENEFITS OF BEING OSU.
1.. Redemption: a man or woman who was entitled to die could be saved by being OSU.
2...When great men died in the past, they buried them with
Once a man or a woman became an OSU, all the children he/she would produce shall all be OSU.
BENEFITS OF BEING OSU.
1.. Redemption: a man or woman who was entitled to die could be saved by being OSU.
2...When great men died in the past, they buried them with
human beings...becos OSU was no longer flawless, OSU could not be used.
3.. Whatever that's brought to the deity in the shrine OSU has access to it...they were the last in the society to lack what they eat.
3.. Whatever that's brought to the deity in the shrine OSU has access to it...they were the last in the society to lack what they eat.
I HAVE A BIG QUESTION FOR US...
Do we still have OSU in our midst or the sentiments that lived in the mind of people that witnessed the OSU caste system??????
Let's have a healthy conversation concerning this.
Umuigbo nji eme onu daalu nu.
Do we still have OSU in our midst or the sentiments that lived in the mind of people that witnessed the OSU caste system??????
Let's have a healthy conversation concerning this.
Umuigbo nji eme onu daalu nu.
