Enugu gov orders abolition of Osu caste system

GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has directed the immediate abolition of all harmful traditional practices, including Osu caste system, that deprive indigenes of the state their rights and privileges.

Speaking on Tuesday in Enugu during a protest march by some indigenes of Obuno Ndi Uno community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state, Ugwuanyi described such practices as `satanic’.

He said that on no account would anybody be regarded as a slave in their community either on account of their ancestry or otherwise.

He said that the Constitution of the country had placed all Nigerian on equal pedestal, adding that the laws of Enugu State had also abolished all forms of Osu Caste practices in the state.

“Slavery and segregation have been abolished and as far as the state government is concerned we do not recognise Osu Caste system.

“We operate the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

He expressed regrets that such challenges that bordered on dehumanising treatments of fellow indigenes had always emanated from Nkanu clan.

Ugwuanyi said that the time had come for the people to embrace Christian teachings and eschew all manner of injustice in their lives.

“If you know you are holding anybody down in the name of whatever belief that is not godly please release such person and let them be free,” he said.

The governor promised to look into the matter to ensure that the right things was done, adding that his administration would not tolerate injustice in whatever guise.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr Austin Okoye, said they were at the Government House to plead with the state government to conduct an election which would produce a traditional ruler in their community.

Okoye, who is the President-General of the town union, said that the traditional stool had been vacant since 2016 when the former occupant died.

He alleged that the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matter had been hobnobbing with an unpopular candidate in the election with a view to imposing him on them.

“We want the state government to come and conduct the election using option A4. We are ready to support anybody who wins but we do not want imposition.

“Our community is in trouble. There is high rate of crime because we do not have a traditional ruler.

“We want the governor to call the commissioner to order and for him to come and conduct the election,” Okoye said.

A chieftain of the community, Chief Okwudiri Agbo, said that their kindred had over the years suffered all manner of injustice in their community.

Agbo said that they were called slaves by their brothers in spite of the fact that their clan had the highest population in the community.

“My people make up 19 out of the 30 kindreds in our community. Yet we are vilified and regarded as slaves.

“I have never seen where the minority rules over the majority in a democratic setup,” he said.

Agbo alleged that the state commissioner had conspired with their traducers to cause tension in their community.