According to a report by Punch on Sunday, November 9, 2025, in a landmark development, the ancient and controversial Ohu system — a social‑bondage and outcaste tradition in parts of Igbo land — has been formally abolished by the community of Oguta in Imo State, Nigeria.
According to the traditional chief of the town, Irona‑Nduka, members of the system were warned that they would die if they attempted to end the practice. “We were warned we’d die if we ended Ohu slave system,” he said.
The Ohu system historically labelled certain people and their descendants as bonded or inferior, restricting their rights to marry freeborn, to hold communal titles, or to fully participate in society. The practice was deeply embedded, and efforts to abolish it faced resistance, fear of spiritual sanction and social backlash.
In the recent ceremony, the community’s traditional ruler, Eze Nnani Eze‑Eyiche, and his council declared the abolition of the Ohu system. They credited the move to the efforts of the coalition known as the Oguta Ohu Eradication Dialogue Group (OOEDG) — a group of scholars, professionals, clergy and community leaders who sustained dialogue and advocacy against the practice.
Chief Irona‑Nduka explained that many people born into the Ohu designation suffered stigma, exclusion and even depression over the generations. The fear of invocation of death threats was real for some who dared challenge the system.
The abolition means that henceforth all indigenes of Oguta are officially recognised as equal — no one can be labelled Ohu, no one will be denied marriage or communal rights on that ground. The proclamation called it a “historic moment of renewal and unity” for the community.
Thanks For Reading. If You want More News About This Article, Click The Button Below To Read More ⬇️
Leave a Reply