Like the ancient Greeks and Romans, the Edo society/village is divided into grades. Most times, these grades are age-based. There are rites of initiation into these grades. Your seniority in the grade depends on when you were initiated into the grade. The Edo grade are as follows:
a) IKPOLO UGHE (Ikpolughe). This group is made up of people about age 7-to 18 years. As the name suggest, they are the people responsible for sweeping the UGHE( VILLAGE SQUARE ) clean and tidy. They perform other chores for the society. If you fail to report for duty when the your leader calls you out, you are given a steep fine. You have to pay the fine and not your parents. If you fail to pay on time, the elders will authorize the Igheles to seize any goat, sheep or chicken that they could lay their hands on in the community. You have to arrange with the owner how to pay for the animal, so seized.
b) EGHELE (iGHELE). To this group belong the young men between 18 years to age 40 and above. These are the men who fight the wars, who farm the farms and in most cases they are married with children. These are the men who impose religious curfew when the ” spirits” are out of the grove. They are the policemen of the community.
c) EDION. These are the people that have been initiated into the Edion society in the village. Most are of them are old men but you may have some young men initiated because or religious obligation or duties. Members of the royal families-the male sons of departed Enigies, are initiated into the Edion grade as soon the most senior son is seated as the new OGIE, during the last day of the funeral of the departed one.
d) ODION OGHE OWERE ( Odionwere) He is the head of the government of the village in the absence of an Enogie/Ovie/Obi
