I just came back from Church where we had a discussion.

They asked 'What are the practices in your village that you know a Christian shouldn't be associated with?'

Ndi mmadu bidoro na a ko

Ozo Title, New Yam Festival, Title taking, Masquerades.

One man added that..

His Priests took some of them to destroy a square where the people assembled, without foot wares.

He said once anyone entered the square, one must tell the truth. But a traditionalist thing.

Lol. I stood up to contribute and they opened their mouths

I asked them first

Can you go to the Mosque to destroy it?

Why can't you leave their place of worship alone?
If you don't like it, don't worship it!

Then I asked again

'Whats the origin of Knight of St John and Mulumba?'

I said

'You abhore Ozo title, 'cos of the origin, but the Knights you gladly accept have a connection with the 30 years war/crusade by the Catholic Church'

They couldn't believe(My mum was there)that the Catholic Church sponsored wars and killed people that opposed the Pope..

I explained that our cultures kept the order in the Igbo society and that like most Catholic practices that were culled from Roman and Jewish cultures,we can introduce them to the church.

For New Yam- Present to the church. You don't have to offer sacrifices to other gods..

For Ozo- I respect this tradition die!
It's just that even the traditionalists ridicule this noble Institution.

There's a saying 'Onye Ozo anaghi atu ashi' Ozo Title holders were like judges. They told no lies. Full of integrity. Now everything is bought with money...

Find a way to introduce it to your new religion too instead of eroding it completely.

New Yam Festival was a show of hard work and Thanksgiving- Why kill it?
Masquerades shouldn't also die.

You see, many Igbo people are very ignorant of what we have.