Christianity and Ọzọ title-taking in Igboland: The Catholic Church response

Abstract

Ọzọ society constitutes a well-structured and highly esteemed social stratum, which recognizes and places a member belonging to the group at a status much higher than the social level of his age or other mates in society. The Ọzọ ex-cathedra, are supreme in matters affecting the progress and well-being of all the communities in general. The findings of this study discovered that the Ọzọ title taking in the present times has been modified or Christened to exclude what was considered as fetish practices in order that Christians may participate in the exercise. Following this development, the study x-rays this modification and its relevance in promoting the Igbo traditional/Western religio-cultural assimilation. To achieve this task, the study adopted the primary and secondary sources of data collection with historical method of data analysis.