OSU: Are Children Responsible For The Parents They Have?
Culture is one sacred thing that has refused to bow down for civilization. Perhaps, the reason is because culture is part of the people and you cannot separate a man from its culture. African culture permeates so many moral things and regards some as forbidden or taboos. Once anything is regarded as a taboo, Africans refrain from such.
Tribalism is a big problem in Nigeria but no one is paying attention to the divisions evident among same tribe. There is virtually hidden discrimination among many tribes that are not so open to the public.
Today, I will be questioning the OSU caste system. It is a system that regards some people as outcast and not true sons of the soil (land).
There are two classes of people among the Igbo people of Nigeria and they are the OSU and the Nwadiala. The OSU people are by definition the outcast, slaves who are dedicated to the worship of gods. The Nwadiala on the other hand are the true sons of the land.
It is believed that the OSU people are not allowed to talk in a public gathering, they cannot break nuts neither can they lead prayers during a public gathering. There are so many stories surrounding the OSU caste system. One story has it that there was a famine, suffering and war in a certain Igboland and a man in order to protect his family from this problem took his family to an 'evil forest' and offer to worship the god of that forest if nothing happens to his family. The man and his family did not experience any evil and as such, they started worshiping the god so they were labelled the outcast.
The Discrimination
The OSU people were often discriminated upon and were denied friendship or association by the Nwadiala. During the ancient era, if an OSU sells anything in the community, he would not be patronized. Parents would go as far as telling their children not to associate themselves with the OSU people.
It is very hard to see the Nwadiala marry an OSU. The people believe that there will be bad circumstances from such union because the OSU are not to be associated with. Some persons have tried to marry the OSU people but the results are often bad ones which can be traced to the stigma or human design.
We know that no child has the power to choose his parent and as such we were born into a world we know nothing about. If the OSU people were initially idol worshipers, are their children also idol worshipers?
Why Is it that the sin of their great great grandfathers are being asked on their heads? Majority of us are now Christians and Muslims, can’t we forget this belief and hold on to the unity and oneness our religions preach?
Should a girl or a boy be held responsible for his/her great grandfather’s sin which he/she has no knowledge about? Is it not a crime to punish these people for what they know nothing about? Are we not first human before our tribes and countries?
Humanity should be superior, sacred and honored over and above any tribal sentiments.
What happens when an Nwadiala unknowingly marries an OSU? The ones we heard of were known ones, what if the man or the woman has no knowledge of his/her true origin, would evil still befall them? Or is it the case that once you associate with any OSU, you will experience evil? Is this a cause and effect scenario that once you associate with an OSU, you will experience evil?
What is the way forward from this OSU caste system because even in 21st century, parents are still not allowing their children to have anything to do with the OSU people. Have we not really transcended this old traditions? Has our religions done nothing to make us see that human beings should be loved irrespective of culture, customs and traditions?
Should children be condemned for their forefathers’ misdeeds? Are innocent children to be blamed for an ancient problem they were never part of?
What is the way forward from this discrimination?
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It is a pity that this OSU stigma is still prevalent in igbo land. Children suffering from the sins of their fore fathers but then no government has the right to interfere with the laws of the land. The only way forward is to keep sensitizing them on the need to let go of such archaic beliefs and embrace westernixation in totality. As a matter of fact, does anything really happen when one marries an osu? If it does, then you will understand the power of "belief"
Hey Nne there, sorry I have taken much time to reply cuz I traveled.
Well I think people's custom should be preserved and not destroyed or violated in any way. Every society has norms and rules and so ours should not be different.
Thanks for visiting.
@eurogee
Naturally, am of the opinion that nothing will happen if one marries an OSU girl but the devil will use some agents to cause problems in that marriage and at the end, they attribute it to the OSU. Let an OSU give all her devotion to God, and travel away from the people with that tradition , marry and never get back home, deny them completely, after all, they called her out cast dear, nothing will happen
Hahahahahsh I pray nothing happens but I once cannot be a case study.
What an amazing topic
The issue of Osu has caused more harm than good in the lives of the children especially a young man or woman engage to get married to the love of his life.....then on making enquiring of the girl lineage.....they found out that the girl is an Osu and the kindred and the parent of the guy will not approve that marriage.
Thanks for sharing @eurogee
Thanks dear. I think customs and norms should continue to hold sway.
Thanks for visiting
Wow, am glad you wrote about this topic. Now I can air my view. Its barbaric and unfair for any group of humans to hate, marginalise or cast another group out. Who made all? Only one God. Most of these believes came from pagan origin and are happening to those who hold tenaciously to it. Free your mind and cleanse your yourself of anything having to to with archaic traditions, trusting in God for help all will be fine.
People's custom must be allowed to thrive for them. Thanks for visiting