The Osu/Diala Divide: Understanding the Caste Conflict in Igboland

Introduction The Osu caste system in Igboland has been a deeply entrenched traditional belief that divides communities and fosters discrimination, segregation, and violence. It categorizes individuals into two broad groups: the Osu, considered outcasts or slaves dedicated to deities, and the Diala, the freeborn who are regarded as superior members of society. This classification has…

ByChuka OdikeJanuary 12, 20250Comments

A Glimpse into History: The Story of a Child from Mgbakwu

A photograph of a young girl from Mgbakwu, located in what is now Anambra State, was taken by British government anthropologist Northcote Thomas between 1910 and 1911. This image was part of colonial studies aimed at understanding African societies to facilitate indirect rule, a key strategy in British imperial governance. The photograph, originally black and…

ByChuka OdikeDecember 6, 20240Comments

The “Crisis in the Soul”: Chinua Achebe on Cultural Alienation and National Identity

Photo: Chinua Achebe shot by Eliot Elisofon in Enugu months after the release of Things Fall Apart (1958), 1959. Smithsonian. Chinua Achebe, one of Africa’s most influential literary voices, highlighted the deep-seated psychological and cultural challenges that countries like Nigeria faced post-independence. In a 1972 interview, Achebe described what he called a “crisis in the soul,”…

ByChuka OdikeNovember 20, 20240Comments

Tag: Colonization

A Glimpse into History: The Story of a Child from Mgbakwu

The “Crisis in the Soul”: Chinua Achebe on Cultural Alienation and National Identity

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