ABSTRACT
The Igbo historical society holds a valuable cultural legacy rooted in the traditions of the Osu-Caste. This exploration of history holds significance for both the younger generation and those involved in research and policy-making, aiming to comprehend the intricacies of the Osu-Caste System within the Igbo community. This practice has an extensive history spanning several decades. Despite the influence of Christianity, education, civilization, and the advocacy for human rights, the Osu-Caste System endures as a problematic custom among the Igbo people. Numerous individuals have criticized this system for the suffering it has imposed on innocent individuals, yet the issue persists. Nevertheless, it is evident that the discriminatory Osu system is an archaic tradition lacking justification for its continuation in present-day Ugwulangwu Village and the wider Igbo region.
In addition to enduring the status of inferior individuals with an enduring and unchangeable disability, those identified as Osu frequently encounter diverse instances of mistreatment and prejudice. Moreover, it has demonstrated how the persistent continuation of the Caste System jeopardizes the unity of the nation, consequently hindering progress and advancement. It is therefore evident that in order for Ugwulangwu Village, and by broader extension, Igbo land and Nigeria, to overcome its existing obstacles to development, which are exacerbated by divisive tendencies such as the continued practice of the Osu-Caste System, proactive measures must be taken to completely eradicate all manifestations of the Caste System in Igbo society.
