AFRICAN EPIC MYTH: THE OZIDI SAGA OF NIGERIA

OZIDI – Over the years, Balladeer’s Blog has examined several epic myths from around the world. I’ve reviewed Navajo, Hawaiian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Greek, Roman and African epics. Among the African epics I’ve examined were the Mwindo Epic, the Woi Epic, the sagas of Aiwel Longar, Bakaridjan Kone and others.

For today, the subject is the tale of Ozidi of the Ijo/ Ijaw people in what is now Nigeria. It is another African Epic performed in words and music over the course of several days. Every major character has a musical theme of their own which gets repeated throughout the performance of this epic, a wonderful anticipation of modern-day musical scores for movies.  

PART ONE: Among the Orua, the nation’s kingship is rotated among each of its royal clans. (In the popular 1990s adaptations this was instead depicted as the rotating series of political candidates who rise to become the head of state.) It is now the turn of the clan of Ozidi the Elder, commander of the army but Ozidi himself is the second-oldest son and therefore not eligible to become king.

Ozidi’s older brother Temugedegede becomes king despite being mentally challenged and a drunkard. General contempt is felt for King Temugedegede and none of the other families pay him any respect or offer him traditional coronation gifts like the severed heads of enemies.

At length Ozidi is filled with anger over the blatant snubs toward his older brother and determines to collect the first head himself and present it to Temugedegede. (In some versions Ozidi simply confronts the other royal clans and tries to shame them into according his brother the respect that a king is owed.)     

Ozidi leads the expedition but some traitors among his officer corps betray him. They treacherously murder Ozidi and behead him. As the final insult they offer HIS head to the addled and unfit King Temugedegede. In some accounts he immediately abdicates but in others the mentally challenged king is used as a figurehead while the traitors who conspired against Ozidi rule Orua from behind the scenes.

Ozidi’s widow is pregnant with their child. She flees to the home of her sorceress mother Oreame in Ododama. Eventually, the widow gives birth to a son whom she names Ozidi the Younger in honor of her late spouse. She was in labor with him for seven days and nights while a storm raged.

Her mother Oreame steps to the forefront now. She plans for the newborn Ozidi to avenge his slain father and take the clan’s turn as king. As a murder victim, Ozidi the Elder’s spirit is trapped in a deadlands limbo unable to join his ancestors in the afterlife until his murder is avenged.

I ‘LL PICK UP NEXT TIME WITH THE RITUALS THAT OREAME PERFORMS TO MAKE HER GRANDSON OZIDI READY TO BEGIN HIS QUEST TO AVENGE HIS FATHER.