The presidency has congratulated United Nations International Peace Advocate Ambassador, Professor Nwaocha Ogechukwu, who won the 2022 Mahatma Gandhi International Award in Canada, for his unique contribution to the abolition of the caste system in Southeastern Nigeria.

The congratulatory letter with Ref. No HC/OTT/ADM.15/1 dated October 21, 2022, was signed by the High Commissioner of Nigeria to Canada, Ambassador Adeyinka Asekun.

The award was presented to him by Ambassador Asekun, during the celebration of the Mahatma Gandhi Day Dinner, at the Convention Centre, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

He said: “It is my honour to congratulate you on behalf of the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the recent conferment of the prestigious 2022 Community Development Award on you by the centre. You have earned this most commendable recognition for your outstanding contributions to the struggle for the abolition of the age-long practice of the Osu Caste system in Southeastern Nigeria.

“While applauding you for this spectacular achievement, I urge you to see it as a call to great service to humanity, particularly in the struggle for the eradication of all forms of sociocultural prejudices and discriminations, not only in Nigeria but across the world. I have no doubt in my mind that with firm determination and a united voice, this practice will altogether be completely eradicated in our generation,” he said.

The don, who is an ambassador of Peace from the Bureau for Peace and Conflict Resolution (Government of Imo State) and a nominee for the 2022 Nobel Peace prize, is one of the leading Nigerian peace advocates to be nominated for such an award.

Also, his contributions geared toward the peaceful cohabitation of Igbo families advocates human right development, promoting it through social equity and equality, and the total unity of Igbo communities for proper integration for the nation’s peacebuilding.

He has published many peer-reviewed academic works in international journals to that effect, and as a result, became the first scholar to develop a three-phase model, as a theory, for the abolition of the caste system in Africa, in which thousands of traditional rulers and rural communities used for the total abolition of “the socio-cultural prejudice that has trade- Religious root in Igbo culture.”

The professor was also shortlisted for another CAPCR award at the University of California, United States of America, recently.

According to a statement signed by Dr. Davies Sasere, Adjunct Faculty, California State University, Sacramento, Division of Criminal Justice, USA, the jury of the Committee has shortlisted the don for the 2023 CAPCR African Peace Award in the University of California, USA.

In his remark, Ogechukwu thanked the Presidency and the Nigerian High Commissioner for their support. He seeks partnerships with the Federal Government and international organisations in the continuation of his project, in the abolition of Osu Caste and other of his activities in the promotion of humanity in the country.