In the morning, the heavens opened and it began to rain. Bella grabbed her umbrella to get to school, as she walked out of the hostel the first
No doubt African tradition has been outstanding among other traditions. Osu started from the time of our forefathers when ancestral worship took over, eaten deep into the fabric of our societies. Egede was a poor man, though hunger doesn't respect even an upright man. Since he married Okwuchi, it has been from one ill luck or the other.
It was actually appalling, the villagers conspired to accuse Egede of stealing a fowl that belongs to Nonso. Nonso
insisted his being hung as tradition demanded, that Egede was guilty of the charge leveled against him, the alleged was brought before the chief priest, after consulting his gods pleaded him guilty before Chief Oguejiofor who gave a final judgement and consented his trial.
The next day, he was out of the cell of thorns where spike prickled him all through the night before that morning. So, before the guard could grab him for execution, Egede ran away to go and inform his family, before he could get to his hut, his family were scared of what their fate would be, they were confused because they knew the grievous consequence. Egede gathered his family and ran immediately while the guards ran after them.
The Egedes got to a sacred tree and embraced the gods and ancestral spirits that possessed there, "Ogugu save us, we have accepted to serve you as our god all the days of our life. All we need is your protection, guidiance," Egede promised. Only the spiritual pay tribute to that sacred tree of Ogugu in Ikpa (evil forest)-
Immediately those guards saw them ran into them already in that tree shed they retreated their steps.
That was the emergence of Osu in Umundidi community in Imo State. From that day till today that root was recognized abominable and incestous people throughout the linage in the land. No doubt, the generation of fourth, fifth and so on of Egede would be treated seperately. Initially people abstain from them completely as defiled and uncircumstance people (slaves to the gods). In the market place, they have no right to associate with others, and were not participating in village meetings.
Quite unfair Osu people were treated like infidel in most parts of Nigeria even today. The difference with that time and recently is that lately people arebeginning to accomodate them, being granted freedom of association, in different places of worship and social gatherings. They can attend church like freeborn, village meetings or social activities but one thing the freeborn forbid doing with them is being in affair or solemnization of marriage.
This act is irreversible neither does it need vigor because it's unerasable. This has really become a tradition that circulates in many tribes, rampant in Igbo land. A freeborn who marries Osu (outcast) has committed a taboo in his land and his people will begin to treat him indifferently. He will be rip off of all preferential treatements due for a freeborn, regarding him as Osu (outcast). "See Daniela"
Osu (outcast) issue in African tradition, Nigeria, amongst people of Igbo land has really come to stay, can never be abolished. Even when the Osu rejoiced that Christianity has brought oneness and equality, the said Christian believers still recognize the existence of Osu and discriminate them when it comes to marriage.
Though i was opportuned to be a freeborn but that won't make me to discriminate and see myself as superior to Osu. The Osu are just victims of circumstance and we have to live with that fact...
It was actually appalling, the villagers conspired to accuse Egede of stealing a fowl that belongs to Nonso. Nonso
insisted his being hung as tradition demanded, that Egede was guilty of the charge leveled against him, the alleged was brought before the chief priest, after consulting his gods pleaded him guilty before Chief Oguejiofor who gave a final judgement and consented his trial.
The next day, he was out of the cell of thorns where spike prickled him all through the night before that morning. So, before the guard could grab him for execution, Egede ran away to go and inform his family, before he could get to his hut, his family were scared of what their fate would be, they were confused because they knew the grievous consequence. Egede gathered his family and ran immediately while the guards ran after them.
The Egedes got to a sacred tree and embraced the gods and ancestral spirits that possessed there, "Ogugu save us, we have accepted to serve you as our god all the days of our life. All we need is your protection, guidiance," Egede promised. Only the spiritual pay tribute to that sacred tree of Ogugu in Ikpa (evil forest)-
Immediately those guards saw them ran into them already in that tree shed they retreated their steps.
That was the emergence of Osu in Umundidi community in Imo State. From that day till today that root was recognized abominable and incestous people throughout the linage in the land. No doubt, the generation of fourth, fifth and so on of Egede would be treated seperately. Initially people abstain from them completely as defiled and uncircumstance people (slaves to the gods). In the market place, they have no right to associate with others, and were not participating in village meetings.
Quite unfair Osu people were treated like infidel in most parts of Nigeria even today. The difference with that time and recently is that lately people arebeginning to accomodate them, being granted freedom of association, in different places of worship and social gatherings. They can attend church like freeborn, village meetings or social activities but one thing the freeborn forbid doing with them is being in affair or solemnization of marriage.
This act is irreversible neither does it need vigor because it's unerasable. This has really become a tradition that circulates in many tribes, rampant in Igbo land. A freeborn who marries Osu (outcast) has committed a taboo in his land and his people will begin to treat him indifferently. He will be rip off of all preferential treatements due for a freeborn, regarding him as Osu (outcast). "See Daniela"
Osu (outcast) issue in African tradition, Nigeria, amongst people of Igbo land has really come to stay, can never be abolished. Even when the Osu rejoiced that Christianity has brought oneness and equality, the said Christian believers still recognize the existence of Osu and discriminate them when it comes to marriage.
Though i was opportuned to be a freeborn but that won't make me to discriminate and see myself as superior to Osu. The Osu are just victims of circumstance and we have to live with that fact...
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