Group Portrait of Titled Igbo Men

Initiation into the aristocratic Nze na Ozo society confers nobility upon the recipient. In certain communities, such as those in the Awka-Nri axis, a candidate who completes the rites but whose father is still living may be referred to as Nze-agbala, according to Wikipedia. In Onitsha traditional society, the acquisition of the Ozo title elevates a commoner to the status of an aristocrat within an exclusive club known as the Agbalanze.

Initiation into the Nze na Ozo society involves significant financial investment; according to Wikipedia, lower grades can cost in excess of US$25,000 in initiation fees along with annual subscriptions, a process that formally transitions an individual from the status of a commoner to that of nobility.