NZE NA OZO TITLE IN IGBO CULTURE: A PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION ON ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN A CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

Abstract

Culture is a universal concept so predominant in the history of man and perceived differently by different sets of people. It is commonly understood as the totality of the people's way of life which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs, traditions, practices, capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of the society. Since man primarily is a cultural animal, Ndi Igbo (Igbo people) are not without a culture. Among Ndi Igbo, the Nze na Ozo title is seen as an indigenous institution through which they engage in questions about the meaning of life. It is a sacred institution performed by initiated men who bridge the gap between the visible and unseen world of the ancestors. Ndi Nze na Ozo are regarded as the custodians of truth, dispensers of justice and the moral compass of the society. Interestingly, with all the sacredness generally associated with this group in Igboland, there have constantly been propositions, deliberations and criticisms of its being misogynistic and biased in its dealings. This is evident from its high cost of initiation, several restrictions put upon women and noninitiates and also some cases of the negation of the truth and justice it seeks to bestow. Thus, the burden of this work is to philosophically reflect on the Nze na Ozo title in Igbo culture so as to reveal its hidden meaning(s) which would assist one to get the truth about it and the various practices associated with it. This will go a long way in ameliorating this Igbo culture and deteriorating the several misconceptions about it. Therefore, employing the analytical method of philosophy, this work discovers that the Nze na Ozo title in Igbo culture has both positive as well as negative underpinnings. It recommends that their fetish and idolatrous ritual practices should be modified in fiscal terms in order to accommodate all and sundry. It further suggests that ndi Nze na Ozo should focus their energies more in enforcing the moral stance of their members in place of affluence.