2017 Odenigbo lecture of Owerri Catholic Ecclesiastical Province holds Saturday

The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical province, Dr Anthony Obinna has announced the 2017 Odenigbo lecture will take the issue of Osu caste system headlong.

Archbishop Obinna who was speaking during a media briefing in Owerri on Tuesday condemned the killing of a ten year old boy, Somtochukwu Ibeañusi during the demolition of the Ekeukwu Owerri market last Saturday.

He disclosed that the parents of the late 10-year boy came to him at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral for consolation and direction shortly after the shooting, saying because of the blood shed, the matter portrays the State government in bad light. Archbishop Obinna disclosed that he alongside with three other Bishops prayed for the repose of the boy on Monday at the Cathedral, as well as the restoration of peace in Ahiara dioceses, and peace in the State and Nigeria as a whole.

He disclosed that a member of the Catholic community who pleaded anonymity offered N1million to the family of the slained 10-year old boy over the loss, saying the church is not indifferent to the plight of the Ibeañusi family.

On the 2017 Odenigbo lecture Archbishop Obinna disclosed the theme as “Uwa di egwu, nma na ujo (the world is awesome: the goodness and the dread in Igbo world)”, with Most Revd John Okoye, the Catholic Bishop of Awgu in Enugu State, a specialist in Biblical studies as the guest lecturer.

He stated that the church is inundated with cases of Igbos who are restricted by family and tradition from marrying fellow Igbos, adding that the number keeps increasing by the day.Archbishop Obinna expressed concerns that despite the gift of salvation for mankind, “many practice still hold many Igbos in bondage, such as Arusi, Osu and the likes”.

He therefore, regretted that over 100 years of Christianity in Igboland, the people though educated and forward-looking still hold many fetish practices particularly Osu caste system to heart. He disclosed that Odenigbo lecture started in 1996 to promote Igbo language .