Age Grade (Otu)

As soon as the child was old enough to associate with others, the child is then combined with children of his age to form a new age-grade called (otu) in Ogba language. The names of the known age-grades and their various years of foundation are given below.

The names of the age-grades appear significant as they seem frequently to reflect the most topical issues at the time when particular age-grades came of age (i.e. when the members were fifteen years of age). At that age, most age-grades took a permanent name. The following examples may clarify this point:

The Osukwu (highest grade oil palm) age-grades member (born about 1868) were about fifteen years old in 1883 when legitimate trade in palm oil was most probably at its peak. Ogbomdi (cannon) age-grade members (born 1888) were fourteen years old in 1902 when the “expeditionary forces” used cannon to subdue different parts of southern Nigeria (e.g. Arochukwu expedition for the destruction of the long juju or chukwu took place in 1902).

The Abaam age-grade born about 1890 were fifteen years old in 1905 when many of the battles of resistance against colonial conquest were fought. (The Abaam people near Ohafia and Arochukwu were the recognized professional mercenaries hired by the Aro and others in their resistance efforts). The “German” age-grade youths were fifteen years old in 1901. (Around this time, German control of the neighboring Cameroon territory may have been topical).

Okpamma (armed men) age-grade suggests violence and insecurity around 1905. Awusa (i.e. Hausa) age-grade youths were fourteen years old in 1914 when North Nigeria (locally known as hausaland) was amalgamated with Southern Nigeria by Lord Lugard and Hausa began to travel freely in large numbers to settle in Southern Nigeria. Zik age-grades born about 1944 were about fifteen years of age in 1960 when Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (alias Zik) became the Governor-General of Independent Nigeria.

Ghana age-grades were fifteen years old in 1965 when the international fame of Ghana reached its peak. The Rivers State age -grade were about fifteen years old in 1970 when the Nigerian Civil war ended and former combatants came to acknowledge the rivers state for the first time.

New age-grades were formed every two or three years. An age-grade had a “President” and other officials and was organized to levy fines and dues and enforce discipline. This pattern was apparently borrowed from Oru through the contacts made since the late 18th century, every Nkwukwu or sixteenth day, members of the male age-grade hold traditional meetings at which they drink and dance asawa and sing in the Kalabari (Ijaw or Oru) tough (egwu asawa) although only an occasional member may understand that language.

All age-grades have their female counterparts but these are more or less “notional” associations. On great occasions, women attend the male age-grade meetings in company of their husbands.

Ali Ogba: A History of Ogba people By Ellah, Francis J. 1995