The traditional ruler of Oguta community in Oguta Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo state, Eze Nnani Eze-Eyiche has officially abolished the long-standing practice of outcaste (osu) system, putting an end to the discrimination, social stigma, and marginalization faced by its offspring in the community. Over the years, this practice has deprived people born into the Osu families the right to marry into free-born families, hold significant community titles, and enjoy other privileges, as they have been considered as inferior.
Chief Nduka Oduenyi, the spokesman and aide to Eze-Eyiche, announced on behalf of the traditional ruler, the abolition of the Osu caste system in Oguta, crediting the achievement to the relentless efforts of the Oguta Ohu Eradication Dialogue Group (OOEDG), a coalition of distinguished members of the community.
In his statement, Oduenyi said: “Respected community leaders, scholars, professionals, clergy, and traditional title holders, including the Ogbuagus and Oshijis, among others, sustained the dialogue, advocacy, and community engagements that paved the way for consensus on the abolition.
“The long-standing Ohu caste system — a practice widely regarded as discriminatory and inconsistent with human dignity no longer exists in Oguta going forward. Today marks a historic moment of renewal and unity for the Oguta community. For generations, the Ohu caste system perpetuated social division, stigma, and injustice”.
He said Oguta people acknowledged that the practice discriminated against people, saying “it marginalised individuals and families, restricting social interaction, marriage, and participation in community affairs.
“Many have long viewed its continuation as a stain on Oguta’s collective conscience, one that contradicts both modern values and the core principles of human equality”.
He further explained that the abolition will encourage marriages between the sons and daughters of Oguta without discrimination against the outcastes, while commending members of the OOEDG for their efforts and patience in ensuring that the regressive practice was brought to an end in the community.
The chairman of OOEDG, Chief Mike Ogbonna, said, “It took the efforts of so many of us, both in the diaspora and people in Nigeria, and also in Oguta, to achieve this. This issue has transcended generations, and it is not a small feat to see it happen.
“The outcaste system has seen hearts broken, people commit suicide, denied some rights like taking traditional titles, all because some people in the old days tagged them outcastes.
“It is a system that, as educated people, we consider abominable and therefore came together to insist that it should not go on in this 21st century. I say a huge thank you to all Oguta sons and daughters. If this is all we achieved for our town in this generation, then we are fulfilled”.
A Catholic priest, who is also a member of the OOEDG, Prof. Lawrence Okwuosa, commended the abolition, adding that it had effectively stopped the caste system in Oguta.
The Priest said, “With the public proclamation, all forms of caste distinction have been abolished. Every Oguta indigene is equal before God and is now equal before man. Today, they are officially recognized as free, equal, and fully integrated into the life of the community.
He also said that the discriminatory caste system was saddening, and called for the abolition of all other forms of discrimination and marginalization across Igbo land and disclosed that the survivors of the outcaste system were merely offspring of those whose forebears gave them out to families in exchange for either money or other reasons.
He said, “When these people can no longer repay the loans, that child is now seen as sold and automatically becomes the owner’s slave, including their generations,” he explained.