By CHARLES IWUOHA

A socio-cultural group, Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo (NNII), has condemned in strong terms the alleged desecration of the revered sacred Ozo cultural and traditional institution by some women claiming to be Ozos abroad.

The group, in a statement signed by the Founder/President General of NNII, lyom Josephine Anenih, said it strongly believes that those women acted out of ignorance and mischief.

The statement was addressed to Prof. Ike Oluka Ozo Ohamadike, Chairman, Nzuko Ozo Ndigbo Nigeria.

The statement issued on Saturday reads in part: “Our attention has been drawn to a viral video where a man was condemning an alleged desecration of the revered and sacred OZO cultural and traditional Institution by some women claiming that they are Ozos in England and Ireland.

“We strongly believe that these women acted out of ignorance and mischief. From the pictures displayed some of them are close to or up to 70 years old and therefore should have no excuse for not knowing what is right.

“Most of us are feminists who recognise and acknowledge male and female genders. We know the biological differences and accept ascribed gender roles.

“We believe that men and women are different but complementry to each other. It is this complementality that we promote when we seek partnership with men in the development of our communities.

“We do not want to be men. We are women who want to work with men for a better society. “We know that there are traditional titles such as NZE na OZO and IGWE that are for men; and IYOM, OMU, NNE, AKAEZE and LOLO that are for women.

“We also know that in Igboland the OZO title is not taken by everybody. There are qualifications and requirements to be met before being admitted into the Society where the individual can take any title he wishes to be addressed by.

“Our mission in NNII is to revive and uphold the Igbo culture and language. We also wish to restore the Dual Governance system that our forebears practiced before the colonialists came and instituted the single male only Governance system that has been the bane of our country.

“We are researching into our glorious history to record and teach our children and grandchildren so that we as a people are not lost.

“Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo (NNII) is made up of Women of all ages who are Igbo by ancestry or marriage. We are from all fields of human endeavour and have excelled in our different callings.

“As we continue to teach the younger generation, we need the men to partner with us and not leave the upbringing of children to their mothers alone. A united family with acceptable values will translate to a united people with acceptable values.

“We plead that you thoroughly investigate this matter to determine the communities from which these erring contemporaries of ours in Ireland and England come from and remedy the situation through the traditional authorities of their various communities.”

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