The President of the group People Living With Albinism, the Ghanaian body of albinos, Jonathan York, says the group would really prefer if people would not refer to them as ‘Ofiri’.
‘Ofiri Djato’ is how those suffering from albinism, a skin defect where the body fails to produce enough melanin, are known as locally.
Speaking on Starr Fm, York said the name was demeaning and a mark of stigma, and that they would rather not be referred in that manner.
“The name ‘Ofiri’ we don’t like it because we don’t know which tribe uses that name in Ghana. We don’t want people to be addressing us by that name. We feel very bad when people call us by that.” he said.

“When you see a blind man, you don’t call him blind man so why do you call us ‘Ofiri’?” he wondered.
He also said some of the stories circulating about them, such as those claiming they don’t die, are totally false.

“Again perceptions that we don’t die and that we are used for rituals is not true and people must stop believing all those fabrications about us,”
It’s common to hear talk in local circles that albinos do not die, based on not being able to locate an obituary of one. York said such myths are disturbing and contribute to the fear people have of them.
 

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