claim to be initiated into the Ozo
traditional society is to tell you how much
the customs and traditions of the Igbo have
been bastardized. It tells you that some
Igbo fathers have failed to impart the Igbo
tradition to their children. This is a very big
failure on the part of such fathers.
“In Igbo society, women have their own
recognition and titles, but it is an
abomination to give the Ozo title to any
woman, no matter her status. Anybody who
commits the abomination of giving Ozo title
to a woman should be made to pay a heavy
fine and even pay to cleanse the land which
he or she has defiled”.
The Ohanaeze chieftain disclosed that
the Ozo title represents peace, honesty,
truth, honour, responsibility and proper
administration of the Igbo society.
“The Ozo title is not just any other title
in Igbo land. It is not just the red cap and
the band on the leg only; the Ozo title also
implies responsibility, honesty, honor and
dignity. There are certain things the Ozo
title holder can’t do because of what he
represents. In some communities, many
people take the Ozo title and also take it for
their unborn children. And when such
children grow up, they are informed about
what has been done on their behalf by their
fathers. They are bound by those
responsibilities.
“It is another way of salvaging our
society by bringing peace, harmony, truth
and proper administration of the society.
This is what the Ozo title is all about. It has
never been extended to women in the
history of the Igbo people. Any woman who
wears a red cap and claims to have been
given an Ozo title should have the cap
removed and chased away. It is an
abomination”, he said.
Ozo Dr. McGinger Ibeneme also has
condemned the illegal and abominable act,
insisting that such is never allowed in Igbo
land.
According to Ozo Ibeneme, there are
women who claim to be modern feminist
but in reality they are modern anarchist
who try to truncate everything and turn the
world upside down.
He however said though women cannot
be initiated into Ozo society but can be
recognized as Ada-Ozo following the
initiation of their husband into Ozo society.
He expressed disappointment that the
same Igbo women who were trained to be
advanced by the men are the one mocking
the Igbo culture.
“Assertion that Ozo title is exclusive for
men only is not completely right because it
is a man and his wife that receives the
honour at same time.
“When a man is initiated to Ozo Society,
the wife will become Ada-ozo, and that is
the only way a woman can join the society.
Ozo was founded by men. All these women
are those who identified themselves as
modern feminist but in reality they are
modern anarchists who try to truncate
everything and turn the world upside
down.
“I have never seen where men insisted
on joining Umu-Ada meeting or form
Women meeting. It is always the women
who want to force themselves into
masculine things. Women have their things,
even in the old, they have women groups,
market groups, dancing groups, women
society and during that time the society
was in order, there was complete
synchrony among the various groups, none
dominated the order.
“As a matter of fact, the Igbo women
were more influential than the men. The
men were tasked to do all the risky jobs
and the women do jobs that are not risky or
physically tasking. There was no conflict or
rivalry. It was for the purpose of orderliness
and complimentary engagement in the
communities.
“But in modern world, most of the
people who propagate this so called
feminism are people who do not want to do
things that women do and are not also
ready to so what men do because when the
chips are down, they still want the men to
do all the things they cannot do as women.
“Ozo society was a cultural association
founded by Igbo men and it conferred
responsibilities to the men who were
initiated and their wives. It is an exclusive
society that conferred nobility on the
initiated. A married woman or single
woman can never by herself be initiated
into Ozo society. It is never done and it
cannot be valid even if it is done.
“I try to see it in a comical perspective,
like in ESUT, they have Nze and Ozo which
is a student thing; it is not serious but a
parody group. That’s how I see the socalled UK Women Nze and Ozo thing. To
that effect information needs to be given
out that it is a parody association and does
not deserve the outrage it is really
commanding at a point in time because
that is making it look more serious than it
is.
“Moreover, you can’t take Ozo title
outside Igbo land and not outside Igbo land
but your community. In some Igbo cultures,
they only permit the Ozo title from your
mother’s home. In my own side, Achi
community in Oji River, the only place you
can take Ozo title and be recognized is from
Achi, any other title outside that is not
recognized.
“The origin of Nze and Ozo is from Nri
in Anambra State and most of Nze and Ozo
in Igbo land get the initial authority from
that ancient kingdom where the
association was formed. So, Nze and Ozo is
not something that after eating and
drinking in a foreign land you just decided
to have the title. Did they do the rituals
preceding the initiation proper?
“Why didn’t they look for other
chieftaincy group since they like the Igbo
culture without trying to mess up an
association that has existed for over three
hundred years? It is an attempt for
anarchy. Why is it that it is Igbo people
that are doing this? The Igbo women are
the most advanced in Nigeria.
“Ndigbo empower women to be
advanced but not to be making mockery of
the culture that empower them. No matter
what the motives are, they were not well
thought out before embarking on it. I
suggest they retrace their steps and
choose another thing else or make it clear
that they are a parody association but not
to make mockery of our culture.
“The Ozo title is a noble order created
originally for the purpose of truth and
mobilization of funds for Igbo traders
founded by Prince of Nri in 1420 AD and it
grew into a noble association that began to
play leadership roles in the community. It
has different connotations in different Igbo
clans; it has different recognitions in
different communities, even the reach is
not exactly the same as it differs from place
to place.
“The real thing has been watered down
because people who are very modern were
not comfortable going into the actual
ritualistic things. However it does not make
it inferior, the important thing is that you
swore the oath of purity, to live above the
board, to always tell the truth, to be in a
truthful arbiter and do contribute in the development of your community.
“It is an exclusive Association that one of its basic qualifications is that
you are an Igbo man and you are married because once you become
initiated into the Society your wife automatically becomes Ada-Ozo. The
person who is qualified is screened by the community”, he explained.
Senator Joy Emodi and former Anambra State House of Assembly
speaker, Hon Rita Maduagwu, also condemned the development.
According to Emodi, who represented Anambra North senatorial zone,
“such an act is pure madness. People should respect our culture no
matter who you are.This is the tradition of Ndigbo and should be
respected. It is wrong for those women to dream even about it. They have
no right to delve into it in the first place” Emodi said
Also speaking in the same vein, the former Assembly Speaker in
Anambra State, Rita Maduagwu, told The Nation that the Ozo title is the
exclusive preserve of men in Igboland.
She said some women should not lean on being abroad to desecrate
their land, adding that she was in total support of every move or action
being taken by the apex Igbo socio -cultural organization, Ohanaeze
Ndigbo to stop such anomaly
“Have they forgotten that Ndigbo have customs and traditions? This action
they are taking, is it because they are abroad? It is not right; they should
retrace their footsteps before it’s too late. I will never support evil
in our society?”
Amidst the foregoing outrage across Igboland, the Umunwanyi
Prestigious Chieftaincy Association, UK & Ireland have tendered a public
apology to the Igbo nation over the controversies generated by their
alleged reception of Ozo titles in the United Kingdom.
The apology which was contained in a statement by the chairperson of
the group, Chief N. Obieze, read:
In the light of all that has happened in the last one week and all has been
said, we listened and have resolved to remove Ozo from our name.
We apologize if the use of Ozo has caused distress as it does not
reflect our association.
We stress that we have not conferred any title or Ozo title on anyone here
in London neither did anybody or association confer chieftaincy title on
any of our members in London.
No ‘akupe’ of any of our members bears the words ‘Nze na Ozo’.
Members of our association obtained their chieftaincy titles in their
respective towns in Nigeria.
Our association is a social club with cultural undertone which is
designed to uphold culture and tradition.We can’t be breaking that
which we are meant to be upholding.”
THE ECHO 