Enugu Commissioner Angry At Osu Caste Practice, Says Ban Still In Place

Barr Charles Egumgbe, commissioner for chieftaincy affairs, Enugu State, says the practice of Osu caste system remains banned in the state. Barr Egumgbe, reacting to an alleged denial of the natives of Edeani-Agu village in Ishi-Ozalla autonomous community in Nkanu West LGA of the state to contest the Igwe title based on ‘free-born’ speculations, described it as obnoxious and inhuman.

The Newscentre quoted one Eberechukwu Okoye as saying that, “In 2012, we lost our traditional ruler, Igwe Frank Nweke. Since that time till date, we have no Igwe. The constitution says that when the king dies, within one month, the Onowu will take over to enable the community to bury the king, after which the first son of the king will take over as a regent for one year, to allow the community to do the final burial, and in the six months after the final burial, there would be a handover to the new king. But key politicians in our community have refused that to happen. Anybody that comes out to indicate interest to be the king, they will intimidate the person with government, police, thugs, and EFCC until the person is subdued to drop the interest.”

She added that, “One of their illustrious sons, Don Sylvester Nweke, was chosen by Edeani-Agu people to contest the position of the traditional ruler. In other to achieve that, his immediate family gave him a chieftaincy tile and blessed him as the incoming traditional ruler of Ishi-Ozalla; but that gesture was misconstrued by the stakeholders in Ishi-Ozalla. They now declared that Don Sylvester Nweke crowned himself the Igwe of Ishi-Ozalla, and declared Don Sylvester, his family, entire Edeani-Agu and others ostracized.

“They merged people from Amaechi, Ningbo, Ndiagu, Amaeke, and Ndi Ugwu as Edeani-Agu and pronounced them ostracized. Nobody should relate with them, sell or buy from them, that they are now an outcast. As if that was not enough they started to implement it. Some people that went to the church were chased out; some that went to the stream were beaten up; our children that go to school are being mocked; people will say all kinds of things against our young ladies getting married.”

Against this background, Commissioner Egumgbe said the state government banned all demeaning practices that infringe on the fundamental rights of the people, Osu caste system inclusive, adding that ‘nobody, by law, had the rights to categorise anybody as ‘free-born or slave’’.

In his words, “This ministry is bound to protect the fundamental rights of the people in the communities. Ostracism has no place in the constitution of town development unions.”

On the election to fill the vacant kingship stool of Ishi-Ozalla, the commissioner said, “It is a right for anyone wishing to participate to be part of the exercise. If anyone is denied the chance to participate in the election in whatever guise, such a person should report to the ministry. We are here to protect the rights of people.”

The spokesman of Edeani-Agu village, Mr Christian Uzochukwu, told newsmen that members of the village had been humiliated and intimidated, arising from the ‘slave’ tag. In his words, “Directives were given to members of the community not to talk or relate with us and not to buy from or sell to us. They placed a sanction of N200, 000 on anyone that would flout the directives.”

The president-general, Ishi-Ozalla Autonomous Community, Mr Obinna Nvene, however, denied the allegation. He said, “The town union had on March 10, 2021, received a letter from the ministry of chieftaincy affairs on the need to conduct the kingship election. We are going ahead with the election as directed by the state government. We are selling forms and every indigene of Ishi-Ozalla is qualified to contest.”