The Anambra State Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artwork, Culture and Tourism has backed the December 28, 2018 fixed for the formal abolition of the Osu caste system in the South-East.
In the Igbo tradition, the Osu are said to be dedicated to deities (Alusi) while the Ohu are said to be slaves by birth.
Major traditional rulers in the South-East had made known their resolve to outlaw the practice and set December 28, 2018 for its formal abolition.
A statement on Monday quoted the Anambra State government as throwing its weight behind the planned abolition.
The state Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artwork, Culture and Tourism, Sally Mbanefo, reportedly wrote to the Director, Celibacy International, which is championing the abolition campaign.
The letter, according to the statement, read in part, “The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artwork, Culture and Tourism has been inundated with your efforts in raising awareness on the traumatic stigma of Osu/Ohu/ Ume caste system.
“As a ministry, we also commend your selfless and bold commitment to the abolition of this demeaning caste system in the land.
“Consequently, we wish to express our unflinching support for abolishing the scourge of this unfortunate practice in Igbo land.
“We, therefore, have no reservation whatsoever in endorsing your project to abolish the osu practice.”
According to the statement, Bishop Obi Onubuogu of The Rock Cathedral, Enugu, has also backed the December 28 abolition date and is leading a cross-section of high-profile South-East religious leaders to Agukwu Nri for the formal abolition.
“We will ensure that the exercise is a huge success. We are all in agreement that this is long overdue. We can’t continue like this. One of the reasons God kept some of us alive is to see that things like these are abolished from our lands. And we will do this and save our generation and race from self destruction and extinction,” the bishop said.
