The+Acquisition+of+Titles+and+the+Council+of+Chiefs

The Acquisition of Titles and the Council of Chiefs
 * The Igbo people emphasized personal achievement (hereditary succession to titles were considered to contradict notions of leader ship and fair play)
 * Igbo men acquire prestigious titles allowing them to be acknowledged as great men or chiefs. Titled chiefs formed their own councils and represented their communities to outsiders.
 * Igo men desire to seek admission into the council of chiefs but it is very hard to succeed.
 * from a very young age they work, and learn the importance of earning titles, if not reached a certain title, unable to dress certain ways
 * wear heats a certain way, shake hands, or take things before others
 * Such titles cost a LOT of money; (men with exceptional abilities and good luck)
 * Man without titles= man without status
 * Low titles be termed agbala, a woman, isi igwu= head full of lice
 * Highest title in Igo Communities is ozo
 * In order to be ozo, man must have acquired junior titles and discharged all the duties normally assigned to members of the junior groups
 * Accumulated enough wealth, completed ceremonies with 2nd burial of father (can't be in a rank higher than father when he is alive)
 * No man could inherit immortality, acquired through title taking called ichi-echichi "to secure the breath of life" to attain immortality or godship
 * ozo man to reach level of immortality, no longer human but god (purchased HIGHEST TITLE)
 * admitted into association of rulers otu ochichi, initiated into the cult of ancestors, otu ndichie.
 * At secular level, highest title spared its holder the indignity of manual labor.
 * guaranteed him a seat in council of chiefs
 * reserved him for portions of fees paid by new initiates into the title association
 * 20th century ozo lost appeal, colonial officers took power away from traditional idgo chiefs. => Subordinated them to British appointed warrant chiefs and Western- educated Africans