The Ogo story of Afikpo, Ebonyi state
The Ogo is a cult initiation into manhood done only by male children born in Afikpo. As a general rule, men were neither allowed to marry nor to impregnate a girl until they had been initiated into the secrets of the Ogo cults. The Ogo cult keeps their secrets from the women and uninitiated male folk. It is very significant as it symbolizes ones maturity into manhood. This initiation occur in four stages.
STAGE 1. The first stage is called "Ipu Ogo". A male child of about 7-8 years is taken for initiation. Some committed parents even take their male children below the stipulated age for the initiation. The boys spend up to one month for a whole lot of orientation that will be given to them, they will be educated on so many things, and trained on how to endure and overcome hard times.
A lot is been taught there which women are not expected to know about, not even your mother, no matter your age.
After that, they come out and wait for the next year to go in for the second stage which also takes another one month.
STAGE 2. At this stage, it is expected that you have become a bit matured, you will also undergo another state of training and you are sent on errand to the village where you will go and get food for the people still in stage 1 and stage 3 because those ones do not go out.
Women are not expected to see them. If you do, you will either go deaf and dumb for life or remain barren for the rest of your life on earth. You won't give birth, but if you eventually give birth they will keep dying until you appease the gods.
Those people in the second stage are the ones to go into the village with their whistle informing the villagers of their coming. As they are blowing the whistle, you will know they are coming then you bring out the food and drop it in front of your house, remember you are not to touch them. And you are not to exchange words with them.
As they come, they will pick up the food and then walk away or probably drop the plate they came with.
Peradventure they came when the food is not yet ready, they will stay outside and be blowing their whistle until you come out and tell them either to exercise patience that you are almost done or you will tell them to come back later.
They won't talk to you, then they will walk away. Whatever message you need to send across, just keep talking. They are not to reply you.
Same thing happens on 3rd stage. We call it "IBU ISI UGWU" this is the main initiation and the final stage of that level. This stage is like your first degree in university. The other stages are like your masters, doctorate and professorship of which it is not everyone that goes beyond the 3rd stage.
The 4th stage is the stage where you perform masquerade. We call it "ONYE IGIRI"
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