This Saturday, being an Eke market day in Igboland, all roads will lead to the Community School Alaenyi, Ogwa (opposite Afor otisi Market) where the six autonomous communities Traditional Rulers, Presidents-General and the entire good people of the ancient Ogwa Anunu Umu Mgbe Clan in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State have resolved to abrogate the obnoxious practices of Osu, Ume, Ohu and Diala social divide in Ogwaland.
For many years, these evil and dehumanizing practices had tended to place a socially damaging and derogatory stigma on a group of our brothers and sisters for a reason no present-day living individual can trace or vouch. Not only that these mundane and shibboleth practices had robbed on the socioeconomic developments of the ancient community they have inadvertently acted also as a clog to the developmental strides of the community.
As a strategic means of achieving the eradication of these inhuman cultural and traditional inhibitions special thanks must go to some non-governmental organizations (NGO), like Pillar of Hope African Initiative, POHAI, Global Family Foundation, GFF, Kemdi Chino Opara Foundation, KCOF as well as National Human Rights Commission, NHRC for spearheading the crusade in collaborative partnership with Ogwa Renaissance Movement, which is
an umbrella body, made up of the Presidents General, the Traditional Rulers, top clergymen of Ogwa extraction and other Ogwa progressive minded individuals committed to the abrogation of these evil practices of Osu, Ohu, Ume and Diala Castes system in entire Ogwaland.
It’s a historical fact that Christianity came into Ogwaland in 1909, the second place the Church started in old Imo State after Egbu Community. Regrettably, we have continued to wallop in ignorance by the strings of these practices. Having embraced the word of God early enough, it is assumed that we would have done away with all these shades of evil and dangerous practices.
It’s an incontrovertible truth that Christianity brought education and enlightenment in Igbo land and other parts of the world that led to the total rejection of sometime infamous cultural practices in the past like killing of twins, killing of children with abnormal birth circumstances and a lot of other atrocities. According to the Scriptures, ” in the days of ignorance, God overlooks”.
It’s really unfortunate and sympathetic that more than one hundred years Christianity came to Ogwaland – more than a century ago, the people have read Bible and have seen Scriptural verses like 2 Corinthians 5:17 that said “if a man be in Christ, he is a new creature and old things have passed away”. The same Bible, in Galatians 3:28 says “There are neither Jews nor Gentiles, slaves nor Freeborns, nor is there any male or female for we are all one in Christ Jesus, yet we still talk of Osu, Ume, Ohu and Diala caste system. What manner of Christians are we?
It is noteworthy to observe that this man-made social class has tended to hinder lots of progress and development in Ogwaland. It’s in view of this that it’s now paramount to return Ogwa Anunu Umu Mgbe ancient clan to the path of cultural, traditional and religious sanity so that the community can embrace progress, growth and development in all facets of human endeavors.
This Abrogation Ceremony has three phases, the first phase was Advocacy and Sensitization. During this period, the crusaders visited the six autonomous communities at the palaces of their traditional rulers and interacted with the various stakeholders. Most agreed that the practice is no longer tenable in modern times and needs to be done away with.
It was on the strength of this that the crusaders moved to the second phase, that is, the abrogation ceremony proper. In this phase, the campaigners will be expected to engage Ndi Nze na Ozo in a ceremony, that would entail the renunciation, denunciation and reversal of all ancient agreements and covenants that established such practices. The climax will be the spiritual cleansing of the land vis-a-vis the rededication of the people and the clan to God by notable and powerful men of God. Among them, His Grace, Most Rev A. J. V. Obinna (Emeritus Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese), His Lordship, Bishop Chukwuma Chinekezi Opara, PhD, the Bishop of Owerri (Anglican) Diocese, Bishop Chukas Samuel Ekemam (rtd.) A. M. E Zion Church and many other eminent men of God.
The last phase would be the implementation phase. At this stage, our partners like the National Human Rights Commission, Pillars of Hope Africa Initiative, the Global Family Foundation and the state government were expected to come up with legal framework that would prosecute and defend the rights of any citizen whose rights of dignity becomes infringed upon within the context of these practices.
It’s a thing of honour and privilege that the historical abrogation ceremony slated to hold on Saturday 5th of November,2022 by 12 noon at Community Primary School, Alaenyi Ogwa, opposite Afor Otisi Market will be chaired by Chief Dan Chibuzo Iwuorie ( Ogbuagu Ndi Ogwa) while His Excellency the Executive Governor of imo State, Distinguished Sen. Hope Uzodimma will be the Special Guest of Honour.
Other eminent personalities expected to grace the occasion include Barr. Uche Ohia, the Honourable Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon. Henry Nwawuba, the House of Representatives member representing Mbaitoli/Ikeduru Federal Constituency and Hon. Okey Onyekanma, member representing Mbaitoli State Constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Okwa Dike former Governor of Old Anambra State and Major General Rogers Nicholas (Rtd.), the former Theatre Commander Operation Lafia Dole, Maiduguri, Borno State.
Others are Prof. Steve Nwokeocha, former Director of Operations, Teachers Registration Council, Abuja, High Chief Dr Kemdi Chino Opara ( Ome Udo na Mbieri), Okenze Pastor Chidi Nnadi, Evangelical Voice Ministry, Accra Ghana while Ogwa Council of Ndi Eze and Ogwa Council of Presidents-General are the Chief Hosts.
The Local Organizing Committee is headed by High Chief Myke Onwusiribe, KSJI (Ebube Nna na Ogwa) with Dr Chidi Ukomadu as the Secretary and other members
It’s our fervent prayers that the general public should be part of this abrogation of obnoxious cultural and traditional heritage’s that centres in caste system, by praying, supporting and cooperating in making the dream a reality. Read more.
Written by Chief Everest Ezihe, Aka Ekpuchi Onwa na Umueze / Abazu Ogwa Autonomous community)
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