Tony Okafor, Awka

A Conference of Coalition on Osu Cast System headed by three retired Anglican bishops have asked the Igbo to end the Osu stigma or face the wrath of God.

The clerics stated this at a sensitisation conference in Awka, Anambra State, on Wednesday.

They wondered why the Igbo would not end such “obnoxious act” 62 years after an Eastern Nigeria law abrogated the practice throughout Igbo land.

The clerics at the helm of the battle are ex-bishops of Ihiala, Niger West and Isiukwuto/Umuneochi dioceses, Raphael Okafor, Anthony Nkwoka and Samuel Chukuka respectively.


The conference regretted that the South East governors, legislatures and traditional institutions were paying what it called lip service to the issue.

Describing the practice as “wicked and retrogressive,” the bishops said they would not relent in the struggle to end the act.

The bishops said: “We are worried that generations who know nothing about these cultural and idolatrous practices are today suffering from the stigma, whether their forefathers willingly or unwillingly became Osu.

“It is wicked and very unfortunate. Moreover, the Osu caste system is antiquated and had been outlawed since 1956.”

While saying that they would mobilise the youths, monarchs, governmental and nongovernmental bodies to fight the cast system throughout Igbo land, the bishops said “God would judge and punish those who had continued the practice up until now.”

Their statement read in part, “The Bible makes it clear that God will judge and punish those who violate His laws and regulations.

“For a Christian to assign another Christian to an idol as Osu is hypocrisy of the highest order.

“Is it not absurd, barbaric, retrogressive, hypocritical, shameful, unbelievable and unacceptable that after 160 years of Christianity in Igboland and after over 60 years since our parents and grandparents abolished the Osu caste, it still continues among us?” the bishops stated.

http://punchng.com/end-the-osu-stigma-or-face-gods-wrath-bishops-warn/

MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR PART 2.

I have encountered many people since I started, both on and off the social media.
A young man's comment on one of my posts on Nairaland shook the foundation of my entire being and understanding. He said " Osu can never be abolished" . Me: why? .
Him: if we do, the dialas will lose some portions of their land"
Now, this young man understands that the so feared consequences were false but chose to continue out of greed.
A traditional ruler in Enugu state rejected and refused to accept our proposal letter for advocacy meeting with him and his council members. This same traditional ruler is an elder in Winners Chapel, and met with Bishop David Oyedepo who laid hands on him in prayers before his coronation. But he swore that Osu will never be abolished in his community now that he's sitting on the throne.
My questions are:- what is he doing in the church of Jesus Christ as an elder? What is he doing for God as a believer with his throne? His community is presently at war and in court over who's superior to who?
Our constitution says no to inequality, the Eastern assembly abolished Osu and all of it's kind and declared anyone who practices it a criminal and the Bible also condemns it, so what's his defense in court and before God!?

Almost everyone I have met have asked me these questions: " why are you campaigning against the continued practice of Osu caste system? Are you Osu?. The truth is that I had an encounter that changed my life. The full details will come soon. But if you want to know if God called me into doing it; oh yes He did and that's why I have stood firm before all resistance without fear!.
I accepted to do it because of my love for humanity, but most especially for the love I have for the igbos.
My message is the message of peace, love, reconciliation and light. And I pray that my people will embrace it.

Let's go spiritual a bit :
We have a prayer team and God is been so faithful to us as He has revealed and spoken to us on different occasions and times, but I'm going to talk about one only in this piece. After a night prayer, our prayer coordinator Steve Chris was paid a visit by some demons and it was confrontational. They introduced themselves as the demons of Osu, Ohu, Ume and diala, and in their words they said " Your ancestors handed over the igbo region to us and you people do not have the right to chase us away". Of course, you and I are aware that we have got the right and the authority as the present generation and in Christ Jesus!.

Follow me closely and let's reason together :-
If our region and us were handed over to the demons of outcast and slavery which has unleashed the spirits of injustice, oppression and inhumanity, how then do we complain of being treated and regarded as slaves and outcasts in Nigeria; the land of our birth!?
Our ancestors brought it upon us, and if we practice a belief and tradition that says that all are not equal, why then do we complain about not being treated as equals in Nigeria?
The same judgment you pronounce on others, you will be judged and the same measure you use, will be used for you is the law of nature!

The relics of the evil practice our ancestors handed over to us are segregation, inequality, discrimination, hatred, war, wickedness etc, and there's no how peace and tranquility will thrive in our communities.

In the part 1 of my experience, I mentioned that we approached some of the victims of the Osu caste system. We did not go to them because they are guilty or that we are fighting for them. Rather we went to them because they are igbos just like the dialas and we all need to come together as a people and discard the evil tradition.
The spirit of Osu, Ohu, Ume and diala are spirits of division and no house stands divided.
Our victory is in Isaiah 49:24-25.
Shall the prey of the mighty be taken away, and the lawful captive delivered?
But thus says the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible delivered. For I will contend with those that contend with you, and I will save thy children. "
But we can't be delivered if we are still holding on to the same sin that made us lawful captives.

Our guilt and judgment is in Exodus 20:5. It will continue to be effective in the live of the igbos, but because of God's grace through Christ we can confess and be delivered.
The igbos have continued to hate God by calling and treating His children as slaves.
Ohaneze Ndigbo can hold a million meetings and seek for restructure from the Nigerian government, Nzukko Umunna can also extend a million hand shakes across the Niger and igbo Leaders of thoughts can demand for restructure, but they should first of all, go home and restructure our tradition and extend the hand shakes to their brothers at home, otherwise, their will never be a restructure and the igbos will continue to be marginalized and betrayal will never cease among us. It is not a curse but reality.

Sometimes some crazy thoughts cross my mind, and I will be like:- could Obama and Jerry Rawlings have been presidents respectively if Ghana and US were igbo land?
What are we bent on killing ourselves for?
What are we tenaciously holding on to and how has it been gainful to us?
Why are we validating the devil and evil in our communities, yet we blame others for our predicaments?

We may have been born under the curse of Osu, Ohu, Ume and diala, but we are not under no obligation to die under it!
God is ready to show us love and the time is now.
He's not punishing us out of hatred, but He wants to be honored in our lives.
Let's honor God our Creator!
Thanks

To be continued..

#loveisthegreatestgiftfromGod.
#ifetacsiosbigdream.

Ogechukwu @ifetacsios.com