Information on the Kisa Osu caste system could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, in an article entitled "The 'Caste System' in Nigeria, Democratization and Culture: Socio-Political and Civil Rights Implications," Victor Dike states that the Osu caste system exists within the Igbo communities of southeastern Nigeria and is "Nigeria's version of Aparthied" (AEA 13 June 1999). The Osu caste system, according to the article's author, is an "ascribed status" that "ostracizes the lower caste groups from the rest of their communities" and "encourages segregation" (ibid.).

A professor of anthropology at Frank and Marshall College who has worked in Onitsha, Anambra State, and written extensively on Igbo socio-cultural issues, stated, in correspondence with the Research Directorate, that the Osu caste system exists within Anambra State (23 Apr. 2003b). She provided the following additional information:

I knew several people living in Anambra [State] who were "known" to be osu-which means that their entire lineages were also osu-although most of them would never characterize themselves using that term (ibid.).

There are no hard and fast numbers, because people don't like to admit to osu ancestry (tantamount to admitting that one is currently an osu). However, there are a number of quite prominent families who are "known" to be osu and many, many less known lineages as well. There are also a lot of people who are actively engaged in trying to hide any osu connections. It's prevalent enough that lineage women, when they go to investigate a prospective spouse for one of their brothers or brothers' sons, ask in local markets, etc., about the osu status of the spouse's lineage. It's a concern in just about every marriage. If the "osu family" is rich enough, it might be overlooked-but it will never be completely forgotten or forgiven. The children of such a union will be looked at askance by some sticklers and may have a difficult time finding marriage partners.

Osu isn't a caste like India's untouchables, although the status shares certain characteristics of caste. Osu are only supposed to marry other osu; osu as a status is contagious (if one of your parents is osu, then you are osu; if you marry an osu ... you can become osu; in some places, if you share food with an osu, you are in danger). I call them living human sacrifices; they are consecrated to a particular deity and to that deity's shrine. In the old days, this meant that they couldn't leave the shrine's vicinity. Osu really took to mission [Christianity] and thus became some of the earliest and best (western) educated members of Igbo society; many osu lineages have produced judges, important businessmen, etc. Today, there is little to mark the osu out from ndiani ("sons of the soil," as Igbo often translate this term)-except for oral narratives and popular histories, and maybe relative wealth, since that early mission education paid off for a lot of osu lineages (23 Apr. 2003a, italics added).

For an overview of caste systems, including details of "untouchability," marriage, labour, socio-economic disparities, political representation and rights, and domestic and international laws, please consult the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report entitled "Caste Discrimination: A Global Concern." In addressing the issue, the HRW report looks at the Osu of Nigeria as one of several case studies. The report was presented at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa, in September 2001, and is accessible online at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/globalcaste.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Africa Economic Analysis (AEA). 13 June 1999. Victor Dike. "The 'Caste System' in Nigeria, Democratization and Culture: Socio-Political and Civil Rights Implications." http://www.afbis.com/analysis/caste.htm [Accessed 9 Apr. 2003]

Associate professor of anthropology, Frank and Marshall College, Lancaster, PA. 23 April 2003a. Correspondence.

_____. 23 April 2003b. Correspondence.

IRB Databases

NEXIS

Internet sites, including:

Africa Online

AllAfrica.com

Amnesty International

BBC Africa

Biafra Nation

Daily Champion

Igbo Culture and Support Network

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)

International Christian Concern (ICC)

Motherland Nigeria

New Nigerian

Newswatch Nigeria

Nigeria Daily

United Nations Fund for Population and Development

World News Connection (WNC)

Search engine:

Google