From Wilson Okereke, Afikpo
A native doctor, Dennis, accused of burying charms to harm his step-brother, name withheld, and other family members, has been exposed by the community.
He was on Saturday, January 8, 2022, shamed and paraded before the public by the people of Otaka village in Ndiebor Ishiagu Community, Izzi Local Government, Ebonyi State.
Our reporter who visited the place was told by the spokesman of the community’s General Council, Agu Ominyi, that trouble started between the accused person and some of his family members over a piece of land, but the suspected wizard resorted to using diabolically means to eliminate his perceived enemies to own the property. But luck ran against him as he was caught in the act.
But, Dennis denied being a wizard insisting he is just a native doctor who treats various ailments with herbs and roots. He also claimed that on the fateful day, he was only trying to frighten his stepbrother, Ejikeme and others by making false incantations with his charm called “Nome.”
He promised to renounce anything concerning fetish items and other traditional activities, saying that he was ready to turn a new leaf even if meant joining the Deeper Life Bible Church as a new convert.
Ominyi claimed Dennis was seen in the said disputed piece of land burying charm and making some incantations over the fetish item; Nome: “After, we had summoned him and interrogated him, the man boldly claimed that the substances were meant to eliminate spiritually his stepbrother and other family members whom he was in loggerheads with over a piece of land.”
He explained that the community paraded the suspect publicly as a deterrent because of his attempt to kill without making formal complaint to the village authorities or other persons.
He explained that the suspected wizard would have ordinarily been banished from the community but he was given soft-landing after the villagers saw the level of remorsefulness he displayed. He added that the suspect also promised to renounce all fetish activities:
“He was forgiven and readmitted into the village after all his devilish tools had been burnt to ashes. We warned him that he might not get a second chance if caught in the act again.”
Youth leader of the community, Daniel Ofoke, confirmed that the culprit when confronted admitted to the act and pleaded for mercy. He urged people to always explore Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) rather than endangering people’s lives through fetish means at the slightest provocation.
Otaka village chairman, Ogbonna Michael, warned others like Dennis to refrain from evil practice: “The man even said it plainly that he wanted to kill all the people who would want to enter into the land forcefully.”
The wizard was among other things equally accused of being responsible, though, spiritually, for the death of one of his kinsmen whose body was recently brought home from Onitsha, Anambra State, the mysterious health issue affecting another person and other unexplainable misfortunes, which had befallen his people.