Outrage Trails Conferment Of Ozo Title On Women
Outrage is trailing the conferment of Ozo title on Igbo women resident abroad.
The Ozo title is exclusively reserved for men and accords the individual extreme prestige, power, and influence in the society.
Frontline Igbo groups and individuals have condemned the development describing it as sacrilegious.
Igbo apex socio cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, said: “Our attention has been drawn to an online viral video of Igbo women by a group name, Umunwanyi Ozo Prestigious Chieftaincy Association, UK and Ireland. As an apex Igbo socio-cultural association, Ohanaeze needed to investigate the circumstances surrounding such a bizarre development. To this end, Ohanaeze played host to a delegation from the United Kingdom, specifically on the issue of Ozo title by Igbo women. Efforts were also made to reach some of the spiritual leaders of Igbo land. Above all, it is also necessary to take into consideration the views of the various organs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo before our final position.”
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze said: “The National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, sat on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 and stated as follow.
“There are some women who in their Igbo nostalgia joined the Umunwanyi Ozo Prestigious Chieftaincy Association, UK and Ireland without the full grasp of the full implications of their misdemeanor. It was discovered that the conscientious and virtuous among them have already withdrawn from the association and pleaded for understanding.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo draws a distinction between the Ozo title and Chieftaincy title in Igbo Land; whereas a chieftaincy title can be bestowed on anybody by a traditional ruler in appreciation for one’s contribution to the society, the initiation into the Ozo institution must be in a person’s ancestral home after several background checks culminating in cultural and puritanical processes. On the other hand, the sacred dimension of the Ozo title places it at the highest pedestal among other titles in Igbo Land.
“Ohanaeze views the Igbo egalitarianism and republicanism as positive attributes that stimulate and inspire creativity and entrepreneurship but cautions that a distasteful public demeanor attracts opprobrium, condemnations, disdain and most importantly, a shame to the relatives of such deviants.
” Ohanaeze strictly adopts the position expressed by Nzuko Ozo Ndi Igbo in Nigeria “that throughout Igbo land, Ozo title taking is an exclusive preserve for men. WOMEN DO NOT AND CANNOT TAKE OZO TITLE”. The communique signed by Professor Ike Oluka and Prince Ikenna Onyesoh, the Regent of Nri Ancient Kingdom asserts that “it is reckless and irresponsible for a group of Igbo Women within or outside the shores of Nigeria to claim to be Ozo title holders and also claim to have formed an association called “Umunwanyi Ozo Prestigious Association of United Kingdom and Ireland.”
It added: “The Ohanaeze connection to the viral video was also investigated and the leaderships of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the UK and Ireland have already dissociated themselves from the despicable melodrama.
“Based on the foregoing, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has directed all Igbo women to desist from conducts capable of placing them in bad light. For emphasis, Ohanaeze Ndigbo is very proud of several Igbo women of global renown who have displayed unassailable intellect, administrative competence and panache in their chosen fields of endeavor. These Igbo women are pointing to a direction that is worthy and commendable.
“Finally, it is important to point out the age-long universal maxim that holds strongly, especially in Igbo Land: Anybody, no matter how highly placed that indulges in sacrilegious delusions, swell-headedness and megalomania incurs the wrath of the land and as such is cursed with mysterious plagues and a lower status on re-incarnation.
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 ” the 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 ” Maduagwu said.
