Lira, Uganda | Leaders of the Otengoro Olang Okwer-yic clan in Lira City have expressed concern over what they described as increasing cultural erosion, moral decline and indiscipline among the youth, warning that the future of the Lango heritage is under threat.
The concerns were raised on Saturday, May 16, 2026, during a youth gathering held at Ojwina Primary School, where clan elders, cultural leaders and professionals met youths from across the clan residing within Lira City to discuss culture, education, morality and economic empowerment.
John Bosco Aporo, the headteacher of Ojwina Primary School and a senior clan leader in charge of Lira City affairs, criticized parents who take pride in their children abandoning the Lango language after relocating to other regions.
Aporo said inability to speak one’s mother tongue fluently reflected a growing disconnect from cultural identity and warned that the trend is accelerating the disappearance of Lango traditions and values.
He noted that unlike the current generation, earlier generations received strong informal education from homes where children were taught cultural practices, language, and discipline.
Aporo also faulted parents for teaching girls only modern cooking methods while neglecting traditional Lango foods, saying this is weakening cultural continuity within families.
The Clan Chief (Awitong) of Otengoro Olang Okwer-yic, Charles Awio Otim, challenged youths to embrace discipline, unity and hard work, describing them as the future custodians of the clan and the wider Lango community.
Awio Otim expressed disappointment that some clan members allegedly feared attending the gathering due to fear of arrest, saying such fears reflected involvement in criminal behaviour despite the meeting being intended to provide transformative guidance to the youth.
He called for restoration of traditional Lango marriage practices and criticized what he termed excessive imitation of Western cultural norms in customary ceremonies.
According to the clan chief, he would no longer attend traditional marriage ceremonies that abandon authentic Lango cultural values in favour of foreign practices.
He further urged youths to shun theft, witchcraft, drug abuse, and other harmful behaviours while encouraging peaceful families built on dialogue, forgiveness, and mutual respect.
Awio Otim advised married couples to resolve domestic disputes amicably, warning that homes without peace negatively affect children’s education, emotional well-being, and future stability.
The clan’s Minister for Agriculture and Commerce, James Otim, warned youths against reckless borrowing, saying many people lose property after taking loans without reliable repayment plans.
He also cautioned against marijuana use, saying prolonged consumption results in addiction and mental illness.
On economic transformation, Otim encouraged youths to embrace commercial agriculture, particularly coffee growing, which he described as a more profitable and sustainable enterprise compared to traditional subsistence farming.
He said coffee farming has the potential to generate millions of shillings annually while requiring fewer repeated cultivation practices compared to crops such as maize.
Awira Moses Eyen, a member of the clan’s Electoral Commission representing persons with disabilities, underscored the importance of education in transforming communities and promoting development.
He encouraged learners to remain focused on their studies, respect parental guidance, and set clear career goals.
Another clan member, Patrick Abuka, reminded youths that children’s rights do not include engaging in criminal activities, drug abuse, or disobedience.
Abuka also condemned the growing trend of parents abandoning their children, calling for stronger family responsibility and peaceful coexistence in homes.
The gathering, which is organised during school holidays, brought together youths aged between 12 and 35 years, including students, pupils, married couples and out-of-school youths.
Clan leaders noted that this was only the second time in three years that the Awitong had personally attended such a youth engagement, adding that among the seven rwots of the clan, the Lira City leadership remains the only one consistently organising holiday youth gatherings aimed at preserving culture and mentoring young people.
