Olufuko is not child marriage – Nujoma

Founding president Sam Nujoma has defended the practice of olufuko, saying it is a way for older women to teach young girls about aspects of womanhood.

Nujoma was speaking at the official opening of the annual olufuko festival at Outapi on Tuesday.

He said part of the teachings include promoting celibacy until marriage.

Nujoma said while the lessons and ceremonies are part of Aawambo culture, the traditional rite of passage of young girls into womanhood is also an opportunity to discuss contemporary social issues, such as teenage pregnancy.

“If this practice, as a traditional rite of womanhood, is widely celebrated in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and many other parts of Africa, why can’t we also practise the olufuko festival as a celebration of sexual purity and promotion of sexual abstinence among young girls?

“There are people who are saying we are encouraging child marriage by hosting olufuko. Let me once again make it categorically clear that initiation is not marriage, but the rite of passage for girls from childhood to adulthood,” Nujoma said.

The founding president said young people should free themselves from mental slavery, and the nation should resolve, among other things, to preserve its history, write present accounts, and erase from literature the lies and distortions about the African people.

According to him, Namibians must, therefore, not give up on celebrating their culture against the new onslaught of social and cultural imperialism but let the culture be one of the important tools they use to undo the legacy of centuries of colonialism in Africa.
About 45 girls are participating in olufuko this year, Nujoma said.

“I, therefore, urge the girls who are taking part in this initiation to finish their education as olufuko is only here to help them to become responsible citizens who are aware of their cultural norms and values.

He urged the olufuko preparatory committee not to divert from the original aims and objectives of the practice, saying this has the potential to re-invigorate the African traditional moral compass that has been partially destroyed by the era of colonialism.

Nujoma also said religion should not be to the exclusion of African values.

Nujoma said religion and culture can co-exist and there can be common ground of mutual understanding as it is granted by the Namibian Constitution for every citizen to observe, practise and exercise his or her religion and culture.

“In conclusion, we should not be apologetic to do away with cultural enslavement. Let us, therefore, continue to host olufuko as a cultural rite as sanctioned within chapter three of the Namibian Constitution,” he said.

Last year, retired Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (Elcin) general secretary Alpo Enkono labelled olufuko as a pagan practice and a shameful act, which Christians do not want to associate with.

Enkono’s comments came after Elcin’s western dioceses met with the leadership of the Outapi Town Council to suggest that the name of the Olufuko Cultural Centre at Outapi, where the olufuko festival is held annually, be changed.

The festival prepares girls as young as 12 for womanhood, marriage and pregnancy.

Last week, NamRights executive director Phil ya Nangoloh said olufuko was a blatant violation of women’s rights, because it sought to instantly convert girl children into adult women for the purposes of marriage, sexual intercourse and child birth.

“As such olufuko, which means wedding ceremony, has been outlawed and banned by the Namibian Constitution,” Ya Nangoloh said.

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