The place of Nze na Ozo in Igboland

Nri is the originator and bestower of Nze na Ozo in Igbo land. Eri, the progenitor of Nri bigoted the Nze na Ozo title to his son Nri, who in turn bestowed the title to Ndigbo. Nze na Ozo title is a very rigorous exercise, which culminates in the holder becoming Ichi Ukwu.

The Nze na Ozo title institution is the most important feature of our social and cultural life in the Igbo socio-cultural setting. This phenomenon has been with us since the first Nri; Nri men introduced it to Ndigbo.

There are slight differences in the modalities of Nze na Ozo title-taking in different Igbo towns today. Overall there are three routes to taking Nze na Ozo Title in Igboland:

• The first is through Original Initiation Rite which could include:“Iza Nze na Ozo ozuza” (regarded as the most elaborate of protocols and celebrations for attaining an Nze na Ozo title before one can become an Nze or Ozo. One must be of a certain class of citizen to qualify for Nze na Ozo title because people to questionable character are etymologically precluded from acquiring Nze na Ozo title. The Original initiation process is the most expensive and most difficult way of acquiring an Nze na Ozo title, and it is also the most rigorous.
• The second route is by inheritance: Nze na Ozo title holders have offspring assignable privilege to Nze na Ozo title, known as “Nwa Nze na Ozo”. The recipients can then transfer the Nwa Nze na Ozo to their sons, brothers, or other relatives, and in this case, we call those types of Nze na Ozo titles as “Nze na Ozo nwelu nna” meaning that the holder inherited it from his father or relative and did not go through the rigorous process. Still, these titles have no lesser value other than in the order of seniority, they are bound to be junior to those who acquired Nze na Ozo titles before them.
• The third is to buy Nwa Nze na Ozo from an Nze na Ozo offspring assignable privilege recipient. This is because an Nze na Ozo title recipient can sell his Nze na Ozo title offspring assignable privilege to certain APPROVED and VETTED people and receive cash for such sale of Nwa Nze na Ozo. People have been known to do this in order to raise money for their children’s education or to build a house or pay dowry in order to marry for their sons. This is not done frequently as most people tended to preserve these offspring assignable privileged Nze na Ozo titles for their sons and grandsons. Nze na Ozo title is etymologically for men only. Anyone who buys Nwa Nze na Ozo is still required to perform an abbreviated initiation protocol, including “Izu ahia Nze na Ozo” meaning attending a public market to announce and celebrate his initiation.

There are three classes of Nze na Ozo title which include Iddi, Ume, and Ebili classes. Each class has a head but the most senior of all is Iddi class. The Nze na Ozo title is not a chieftaincy title. Members must meet and abide by very rigorous standards which formed the basis of morality in the community. There are other requirements which Nze na Ozo titled men must respect even if they don’t understand it.

Some of these rules are slowly changing, but includes:

• Nze na Ozo do not eat snail. Some Nze na Ozo titled men currently do not comply with this rule due to Christian
• Nze na Ozo most their best to adhere to the morality
• Nze na Ozo must tell the truth at all times and must not lie. This is slightly difficult with some of the present day Nze na Ozo
• Nze na Ozo must dedicate themselves to good deeds and to avoid evil
• Nze na Ozo should avoid “ebie ebighaa” meaning that no Nze na Ozo should rule on a case or matter and subsequently reverse himself. This rule is very important for two reasons:
  • First, Nze na Ozo titled people were regarded in the community as the most honest people who held the final appeal position in matters related to disputes in the community. As a result, if they were in the position where they acted as Supreme Court Judges, as with the decision of Supreme Court, the decision of these Nze na Ozo titled men also had to be final and not subject to appeal.
  • Secondly, the rule against reversing oneself is intended to avoid bribing members. This does not mean that people who have cases pending before Ndi Nze na Ozo should not seek private help and counseling from Nze na Ozo titled people. Indeed, one is advised to seek out an Nze na Ozo titled man and pay him (Igo ngo equivalent to hiring an attorney) to guide and represent him in a case pending before Ndi Nze na Ozo. The Nze na Ozo titled advisor in this contest would only be coaching the defendant or plaintiff on how best to present his case before Ndi Nze who are charged with hearing and ruling on the matter before them.

Nze na Ozo title open to all male indigenes of different towns with good reputation, who are NOT bankrupt in character, who came to wealth through robbery, not criminal or ex-convict. Title taking in a sense is an invitation to the people to come and share in one’s wealth through lavish feasting entertainment. Those aspiring to take the Nze na Ozo title must undergo stringent processes to becoming the bearer of the ring of truth and a dispenser of justice without any fear or favor, irrespective of who is involved.

1. Preparation Stage: Before taking the title, the aspirant must:

• Firstly joining an age grade.
• Must be married and have child or children.
• Perform the Imachi Ritual
• Oath taking to ensure that they live a good and upright life in the service of humanity. Presently, there is nothing fetish about the oat taking as people tends to believe. The recent changes and modifications in the initiation/swearing in process paved way for Christians, especially Catholics to acquire Nze na Ozo title. Previously, the swearing in process was said to contain certain rites reserved for pagan worshipers. 

2. Title taking stage: After completion of Preparation Stage, the aspirant-
• Starts the process by taking the minor titles such as Nlinwamadu Title: This permits him to take one of his Nze na Ozo names. He is now empowered to speak in the palace of Eze Nri, if he is the only one with that title in his age grade, he will be their spokesman at any gathering in the community. He is now entitled to carry (Akpa Nwefii), which will always house his Ofo. With this title he can attend and collect his shares whenever someone is taking Nlinwamadu title in his Ogwe Muo unit, in Nri.
• The aspirant can proceed by taking other minor titles in his Umunna. To let his Umunna know that he is in the process of taking the Nze na Ozo title. He will also meet the requirements of Umuada, Inyom Di. He will feast his Umunna to their requirements. He will also feast Okolo/Okolobia.
• Having completed his Umunna requirements, the aspirant will feast his village by giving them their requirements.
• The aspirant will then move his Ogwe Muo unit. There are two Ogwe Muo unit in Nri for easy administration. On application to his Ogwe Muo unit of his intention to take Nze na Ozo title, the Ogwe Muo unit, which of course is made up of Nze na Ozo titled men, whom the aspirant intends to join will then refer his application to the screening committee. This process is very important for they must know who wants to associate with them, the nobles, in the society. The report of the committee will determine the fate of the aspirant, vis-avis becoming Nze na Ozo title man in the society. What the screening committee will be looking for among other things are:
  • If the aspirant has Criminal records, if any
  • How the aspirant made his wealth
  • If the aspirant is an ex-convict
  • If the aspirant had performed the Imachi Ritual
  • If he aspirant lives in his own house
  • If the father of the aspirant is alive and what is his reaction. Nri tradition forbids son(s) to take the Nze na Ozo title before their father or elder brother. If the father or any of his older brother(s) have not taken the Nze na Ozo title, the aspirant must first and foremost fund the Nze na Ozo title for them before he can embark on his own.
• If the report of the screening committee is positive, the aspirant can now proceed further: he can now perform the Igba-Ego-Nze na Ozo. His Ogwe Muo unit will then give him the list of requirements for the purpose of title taking. The aspirant will start with Igba-Ego-Nze na Ozo, followed by:
• Ifeka-Ofo-Nze na Ozo
• Idoo Mua
• Ima Nza
• Ala Mmuo
• Ikpata –Ofo
• Ebute Anulu.
• On Uka Eke, he performs the Izu Afia Nze na Ozo
• Immediately after, he pays homage to Eze Nri, the custodian of Nze na Ozo title in Igbo land.
• Registration with Nze na Ozo title men association follows. He is now a full Nze titled man with Atali (spun wool) on his ankle, a red cap on his head and Nku Apkuko. He is now Ichie Ukwu. Only death or defilement can stop him from being Nze na Ozo.
• Upon death, the Nze na Ozo titled man joins his ancestors without his title. His Nze na Ozo title shall be disconnected from him. This is done by cutting the Atali Nze na Ozo. His title ends in this world. When he gets to the world beyond, he can take all the title he may wish. He remains Ichie Ukwu in his ancestral home and Umunna.

It is hoped that the screening process for Nze na Ozo in this present day will continue to be rigorous as ever and that the Nze na Ozo titled men will continue to be the bearers of the ring of truth and dispensers of justice in Igbo land.