Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The people of Amurie Omanze in Isu Local Government Area of Imo State have at last agreed to put an end to the Osu, Ohu, Ume and Diala caste practices in the community in January 2024.
The Eze Udo II of Amurie Omanze, Eze C.O Nnajiemere, who revealed this while addressing his subjects recently, said that putting an end to the archaic practice was occasioned by the Pillars of Hope Initiative (POHAI), National Human Rights Commission, Ga’nairu Family Foundation (GFF) and Kemdi Chino Opara Foundation (KCOF), due to their persistent campaign.
In a statement by POHAI’s Executive Director, Chinyere Oge-Kalu, yesterday, Eze Nnajiemere lamented that in the last three years, the community had been dragged into unnecessary conflicts on whether to abrogate the discriminatory cultural inhibitions.
He also recalled that the community, on its own on August 14, 2020, initiated, constituted and inaugurated an abolition committee, in conjunction with the Eze-in-Council led by Chief Nze Obinna Greg Madu of the blessed memory, who was at then the cabinet chairman.
The monarch pointed out that the decision was taken in agreement with the village heads, kindred chairmen, and their executives, Town Union executive members, Ndi Nze na Ozo, Town Union women wing, all the religious heads/clergy in the community, youth wing of all the villages in Amurie Omanze, and the diaspora union representatives.
He added that the members of the Committee were previously drawn as three persons from each of the five villages in Amurie Omanze, which included Oboro, while Boniface Osunwa (Bontec) from Ndiuhu was made the chairman and Charles Chukwu from Amaeze was appointed to be the secretary.
“However, an originating document detailing the decisions of the Eze, Eze-in-Council, Ndi Nze na Ozo, the President General (PG) and the village heads in agreement to abrogate, and abolish the obnoxious caste system, which they described as very reprehensible, barbaric and absurd, as well as the terms of reference to the Committee was duly signed by all concerned.
“The Committee went into full action with groups, individuals and village to village consultation/awareness campaigns, prompting them to painstakingly make a comprehensive, well detailed and articulated report to the Palace, and also made recommendations on the need for the community to adopt the recommendation for the abolition,” he said.
The traditional ruler observed that the recommendations, which he said was still available went through scrutiny and review by the Palace, and was unanimously passed and adopted as a working document, and thereon, they directed the committee to proceed with the document as their working tool.
Also, Boniface Osunwa, said it was on the strength of this that Eze Nnajiemere publicly pronounced that henceforth all forms of caste system would have to be totally abrogated, thereby leaving the community free of any of such practices and stigma associated with that.