Okija Shrine

Last updated

Okija Shrine or Ogwuwu Akpu is a dreaded shrine [1] located in Okija, a town in Ihiala local government of Anambra State, Eastern Nigeria. [2] On 3 August 2004, the shrine was invaded by a team of policemen led by former Anambra State Commissioner of Police Felix Ogbaudu who arrested over 40 native doctors, keepers and attendants. [3] Over 70 dead human bodies and skulls were discovered in the premise of the shrine. [4]

Contents

History

Okija Shrine was a dispute settlement shrine where people with personal, land and business issues go to in order to seek adjudication by the gods. [5] But as Mrs Bridget Obi, an Okija native & former Commissioner for Women Affairs, Anambra State pointed out “what happened there [in recent times, that led the police to invade the place] was not the culture of our people. Traditional religion was not what we saw in that place. What we saw was just barbaric dehumanisation.” [6] [7]

Relationship with Nigerian politicians

Over the years, Okija Shrine is believed to have been patronized by influential Nigerian politicians. [8] In 2003, it was revealed that former Anambra State governor, Chris Ngige visited the shrine in the company of Chris Uba to swear an oath of allegiance to his "political godfathers" on winning the 2003 Anambra State gubernatorial election. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anambra State</span> State of Nigeria

Anambra State is a Nigerian state, located in the southeastern region of the country. The state was created on 27 August 1991. Anambra state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State to the south, Enugu State to the east and Kogi State to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nnewi</span> City in Anambra State, Nigeria

Nnewi is a commercial and industrial city in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. It is the second largest and second most populous city in the southern part of the country. Nnewi as a metropolis has one local government area, which is Nnewi North. Nnewi North comprises four quarters: Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and Nnewichi. The first indigenous car manufacturing plant in Nigeria is located in the city while the first wholly Made-in-Nigeria motorcycle, the 'NASENI M1' was manufactured in Nnewi.

Ihiala is a city in Nigeria, located in the southern part of Anambra State and within the region known as Igboland. It has long served as the local administrative capital of Ihiala Local Government Area. The Local Government Area has a population of about 87,796.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Ngige</span> Nigerian politician (born 1952)

Chris Nwabueze Ngige is a Nigerian politician and medical doctor. He is the current Minister of Labour and Employment of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari's administration. He was elected Senator for Anambra Central Constituency in April 2011. He was the governor of Anambra State in Nigeria from May 2003 to March 2006 under the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Chinwoke Mbadinuju was Governor of Anambra State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003, elected on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform.

Madonna University is the first Catholic university in Nigeria. It was accredited by National Universities Commission. Madonna University Nigeria has three campuses that are located in Elele - Rivers State, Okija - Anambra State and Akpugo - Enugu State. The campuses have different Faculties with Departments. The Okija campus in Anambra state has the following Faculties: Management and Social Sciences; Arts and Education, and Law. The Elele campus has Faculties of Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacology. The Akpugo campus has Faculty of Engineering. These campuses have their main libraries as well as libraries attached to Faculties and the Departments. The university graduates first class, second class and third class students. The university also has a postgraduate program and part-time program hat runs on Fridays and Saturdays.

Peter Gregory Obi is a Nigerian businessman and politician who served as governor of Anambra from March to November 2006, February to May 2007, and June 2007 to March 2014. In May 2022, he became the Labour Party nominee for President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election, after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Okija is the largest town in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State in Southeast Nigeria. The town is the oldest of all the towns in Ihiala local government area, and one of the biggest towns in Igboland. The people of Okija are predominantly Christians. Okija is the home to Madonna University and Legacy University. Bordered in the east by Ihembosi and Ukpor cities, within the west by olu or Ogbakubara, within the north by Ozubulu and within the south by Ihiala. In Okija, the Ulasi River on its flow to the Atlantic, joins Okposi river one of its tributaries.

Christ the King College, Onitsha (CKC), popularly known as CKC Onitsha, or Amaka Boys, is a Catholic all-boys secondary school in Onitsha, Nigeria. It is ranked the top-ranked high school in Nigeria and 36th in the top 100 best high schools in Africa as of February 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Obiano</span> Nigerian politician, banker and technocrat

Willie Obiano is a Nigerian politician, banker and technocrat. He served as the fourth democratically elected Governor of Anambra State from 17 March 2014 to 17 March 2022.

Chief Chukwuma Bamidele Azikiwe was a Nigerian diplomat and political figure. He was the second Owelle-Osowa-Anya of Onitsha and the eldest son of President Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first holder of the chieftaincy.

Dr. Nkem Okeke(pronunciation) is a Nigerian Politician who was the Deputy Governor of Anambra State from 17 March 2014 to 17 March 2022 He first served as Anambra State Commissioner for Economic Planning, and again as Anambra State Commissioner for Works and Transport in the administration of Governor Peter Obi and later went back to immerse himself in academia as lecturer and head of department of economics at Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

Mark Okoye II is a Nigerian politician, public service official and state cabinet member in Anambra State, South East Nigeria. Okoye gained national acclaim, in 2016, when he was named as the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development Partners under the administration of Governor Willie Obiano, which made him the youngest Nigerian to be named a commissioner since onset of Nigeria's Fourth Republic in 1999. He had previously served as the Senior Special Assistant on Investments to former Governor Peter Obi, he was also the pioneer Executive Director and Secretary to the Anambra State Investment Protection and Promotion Agency (ANSIPPA).

The 2010 Anambra State gubernatorial election occurred in Nigeria on February 6, 2010. The APGA nominee Peter Obi won the election, defeating Chris Ngige of the Action Congress of Nigeria.

The 2003 Anambra State gubernatorial election occurred on April 19, 2003. PDP's Chris Ngige won election, defeating APGA's Peter Obi and other candidates.

The 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election took place on 6 November 2021, to elect the Governor of Anambra State. Incumbent APGA Governor Willie Obiano was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third consecutive term. APGA nominee, former Central Bank Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, retained the office for APGA with a 24% win over PDP nominee, former Transcorp CEO Valentine Ozigbo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ezego</span> Nigerian entrepreneur

Victor Nnamdi Okafor Ezego predominantly known by his chieftaincy title Ezego which means "King Of Money" in English, was a very opulent Nigerian businessman who reportedly engaged in diabolical means in order to amass wealth. Ezego died on 25 December 1999 at the age of 35 under bizarre circumstances.

The 2015 Nigerian Senate election in Anambra State was held on March 28, 2015, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Anambra State. Stella Oduah representing Anambra North, Emmanuel Uba representing Anambra South both won on the platform of the People's Democratic Party. While Victor Umeh representing Anambra Central won on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Anambra State</span> 2023 Senate elections in Anambra

The 2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Anambra State will be held on 25 February 2023, to elect the 3 federal Senators from Anambra State, one from each of the state's three senatorial districts. The elections will coincide with the 2023 presidential election, as well as other elections to the Senate and elections to the House of Representatives; with state elections being held two weeks later. Primaries were held between 4 April and 9 June 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "The return of Okija Dreaded shrine resurrects 15 years after causing national uproar". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  2. ↑ Aloysius Obiwulu (2008). The Paranormal, the Occult and the Society. Delta Publications.
  3. ↑ "CHRIS NGIGE, THE GOVERNOR WHO SWORE OATHS NAKED AT OKIJA VOODOO SHRINE, SIGNED RESIGNATIONS". NEWSRESCUE. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  4. ↑ Deon Maas (1 April 2011). Witboy in Africa. Tafelberg. pp. 122–. ISBN   978-1-920323-61-5.
  5. ↑ Ellis, Stephen (November 2008). "The Okija Shrine: Death and Life in Nigerian Politics". The Journal of African History. 49 (3): 445–466. doi: 10.1017/S0021853708003940 . ISSN   1469-5138.
  6. ↑ "Okija shrine saga became a blessing in disguise –Obi, Anambra ex-commissioner who inspected site with 70 corpses, skulls". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  7. ↑ Ujumadu, Vincent (2019-08-07). "Nigeria: How Bad Road Brought Okija Shrine to Its Knees". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  8. ↑ "Understanding The Okija Shrine Phenomenon And The Art Of Mental Poisoning: Just Before The Rush To Judgement. By Emmanuel U Obi". Gamji. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  9. ↑ The News. Independent Communications Network Limited. January 2010.
  10. ↑ Benjamin Obi Nwabueze (2007). How President Obasanjo Subverted Nigeria's Federal System. Gold Press. ISBN   978-978-070-237-3.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.