Expediency Of Shunning All Manners Of Evil And Superstitious Practices In Our Society -By Sandra Ijeoma Okoye

Mr. Sunday Goodnews, (Not real name) graduated from the university as a mass communicator, but 10 years down the line, he is yet to secure any meaningful job that can put foods on his family’s table, not to talk of being the proverbial “Bread Winner” of his immediate family. All the while, the wife has been responsible for the provision of virtually everything needed in the house, even up to match box, being the cheapest household item in Nigeria today. He is “Carless” and can by each passing day be seen chasing after “Danfos” for their services at any bus stop he finds himself at any point in time, and often arguing and fighting with his landlord over unpaid rent and utility bills. In a similar vein, Mrs. Helen Dominic (also not real name) got married more than fifteen years ago, but as you read this piece, no baby has cried in her apartment except her own cry due to miscarriages. Still in a similar vein, Mr. Uchenna Omololu has been bedridden for the past 10 years with no sign of recovery as medics that have been attending to his case are yet to detect the actual root of his ailment. As if his predicament is not enough, the ailment has cost him his rewarding business and his once decent accommodation so much that his wife and children have relocated to stay with relatives, while he, on his own part, squats with friends as if he is still a bachelor. His case is unbelievably pathetic and worse that he now feeds from hands to mouth.

The abovementioned narratives are just few cases that exemplify how far fetish people can go in finishing the lives and bastardizing the destinies of fellow human beings. The narratives realistically demonstrates some of the miseries, among many, which fetish people wickedly perpetrate against their friends and foes. When controlled by evil spirits, wickedly fetish people are usually heartless to those that are their friends, their children, blood relations or enemies in the physical realm. They are wont to give no one any benefit of sympathy when possessed by evil spirits.

If I may guesstimate, not a few readers of this piece may have pondered on why I was inspired to express an opinion that dwells on esoteric issue such as this. Some may have sneeringly asked, “Must this writer always express her views on any given issue?” The reply to the foregoing contemptible questions cannot be far-fetched as the journalistic instinct in me is literarily as strong and compelling as the urge for a cock to crow at every wee hours of each passing day.

I must confess that I was inspired to write this esoteric piece on account of a video posted to my Facebook page by a friend. The trending video depicts a stark naked man, who was described as a lecturer and a Ph.D. holder in Theatre Arts clutching alleged fetish materials being shamefully displayed by him after being apprehended by his tenants who alleged he was using the charms to impoverish them.

Against the foregoing backdrop, there is no denying the fact that not few readers of this piece will ignorantly wave the foregoing view aside by concluding that it is replete with superstitious facts. Well, in as much as I may not enter into any form of argument in this context with anyone, it is expedient to remind them that the story about the Witch of Endor is used as a biblical example in the Bible. As stated in the Bible, The Witch of Endor, also known as the Medium of Endor, was a medium who apparently summoned the Prophet Samuel’s spirit, at the demand of King Saul of the Kingdom of Israel in the First Book of Samuel, chapter 28:3–25. Also in the Bible, allusions that readily point to the reality of witches and fetish people were made to in different books that made up the Bible. Prominent among the scriptures is the one expressed in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12 which says “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

To take this piece from another perspective for the sake of clarity, it is expedient to say that a best kept secret of human traffickers is how they control and silence their victims. An effective counter-trafficking response is often obstructed by traffickers implementing various control methods or a blend thereof depending on what is most effective in the specific circumstances. One of these arcane control methods is “juju” rituals, predominantly used by Nigerian traffickers, to subjugate victims for sexual exploitation in various parts of the world. Exposing control methods, to traffickers, are more unfamiliar cultural, spiritual, and psychological control mechanisms, which they deem to be essential to establish an informed counter-trafficking global response.

In a similar vein, a new sensation in cybercrime is mixing spiritual elements with internet surfing to boost cybercrime success rates. Today, it is no more news that so called “Yahoo Boys” use spiritual methods that cut across ase or mayehun (incontrovertible order), charmed or magical rings (oruka-ere) and incisions made around the wrist, which are used to surf the net, while ijapa (tortoise) is used to navigate profitable sites. Unsuspecting victims fall under the spell of the ase through phone conversation where spiritual orders are made to the victims without their objection.

Also, as a result of the upsurge in the number of churches, there is no denying the fact that it has given rise to the founding of a variety of denominations whilst moral decadence thrives. So also has it resulted to some verified and unverified story.

For instance, someone that shared her view on this topic says, “Most of the Christian mothers in the church belong to a cult, some must-see their son’s nakedness before their “juju” of control will work, some kill their children for power, while some sit on their children’s success”.

True or false in this context, is not the concern of this writer, rather everyone should endeavor to shun all forms of evil deeds and embrace God in their daily living for a progressive society. The reason why evil should be shunned cannot be farfetched as the time people should begin to live a life that would conform to God’s way for the Holy Spirit to deliver them from unpalatable situations, hardships has come.

There are lots of evil happenings everywhere. Even globally, there are several forms of robberies here and there, injustice, wickedness and cheating, against what God expects from us as his children. Be that as it may, it is expedient we try, and resist the temptations that lead to these forms of evils as they do not pay.