The true story of the Omaliko clan in Abetete written by Yvonne Okoro.
Since my childhood, I have heard stories about different ethnic groups and some states in Nigeria, some of which are either true or false. Urhobo men don’t work; their wives feed the family. Esan men are evil; you’ll rather keep a snake alive than save them. Yoruba’s are extremely dirty.
Anambra’s have deadly rituals. These stories and many more about various communities have been spread by so many decades ago but I had no opportunity to confirm them until recently.
As a writer, I love traveling. However, I have visited many places outside Nigeria. For my 25th birthday, I decided to go on a tour with a group to Anambra state, one of the states I have heard so much about. Luckily, it was during one of their many rituals/festivals- the Omaliko Abatete festival which I had heard so much about.
I desired to experience their culture and write about it.
Did you know that some things you term evil isn’t accepted as evil in some communities? The outrageous belief of some communities will amaze you. Anambra state is one out of so many.
Abatete is a village located in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra state and made up of four villages- Nsukwu, Agbaja, Ogbu and Odida. Like most Igbo communities, Abatete has a rich cultural heritage that is proudly embraced. There’s still an unsettling truth about the ancestral father of the community although Okolie Otie was claimed to be the ancestral father.
In Abatete, there’s a long period of dry and wet seasons with a little visit to harmattan. It’s is believed that its early settlers are artisans but currently, they are farmers. The people are extremely polygamous, they believe that for higher production in the farm and to attain higher positions, polygamy is a must. To date, the community still supports polygamy. It is, in fact, a necessity to be conferred the title of chieftaincy.
Abatete is a flourishing community that excels in its field. However, they have a deadly clan called the Omaliko occult clan. The requirements to become a member of this clan and to acquire a higher chieftaincy is disgust to the ears.
One of the most celebrated African festivals is the Omaliko Abatete festival.
It is the greatest in Igbo land. It is believed that it promotes its cultural heritage. The town’s masquerades in their beauty walk and dances around as they’re praised and worshipped by the people. Spectators from different parts of the country gather to witness this festival. Although it is meant to showcase the town’s rich cultural heritage, it has become a haven of fear and hatred by so many firstborn daughters who hail from Abatete in Anambra. During this festival, elders are conferred by new titles. The festival is believed to be fetish even though the leaders claim that it is no longer as it used to be – a lot of reforms have been done on it as anything concerning fetish practices has been removed. However, this is hardly true.
It’s a well-hidden secret that to attain a higher chieftaincy title in Abatete, a male born child is a must requirement. If there’s no legitimate male born from the elder, he marries off his first daughter to another elder in the clan regardless of the number of wives in his household – which acts as an exchange for the title. The children who run away are hunted until they’re forced to marry the chosen elder. This is the true reason firstborn female children from the community hide from their folks in the village. They hide until they no longer have a safe place to hide.
While this is an age long practice, I found out they accept second born and third and fourth etc depending on the circumstances surrounding the birth of the first daughter, such as deformity, illegitimacy, mental illness, genetic disorders and many more.
This adjustment to the law clearly tells you that these are just selfish man-made laws set aside to satisfy
these paedophiles hiding under the umbrella of tradition.
Do you know that Fathers give off their 20 years old daughters to 90 years old men in exchange for a place at the palace or a chieftaincy title?
The Abatete community indeed upholds its culture, however, this evil practice of terrorizing firstborn females and marrying them off to older men in exchange for titles is truly deadly and dehumanizing. No woman should be forced to marry who they don’t love. This is a war almost every female child in Abatete fights, and while some of them win, a lot of them lose.
- Yvonne Okoro