Okija Shrine and

Okija Shrine and “Pepper Soup” Story

Kunle I Sowunmi

The recent news that INSPECTOR General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, “ received a presidential directive few days ago to personally take charge of the on-going investigation into the Okija Shrines, where the police last week recovered 20 human skulls and a fresh corpse. The IG is also to ensure that the brains behind the rituals, whatever their status, are brought to book” is very much welcome to the relief of peace and loving people of lower Niger and Nigeria at large.

This writer is of the opinion that the pretension of Ohanaeze a socio-cultural group of Ndigbo of non awareness of the Shrine which it’s Secretary General openly identify with is not only funny but a face saving method for the group and many others like that all over Nigeria which will in future will be exposed as Nigeria continue to match at snail speed towards the gains of 21^st century.

I will personally like the Inspector General of Police to look into the myth of Abakaleke a prominent town in the Eastern part of Nigeria that human beings are used as “pepper Soup”. Not only in the Eastern part of Nigeria also in the heart of Yoruba shrines where human being disappeared with all their private part removed such include Ijaiye area of Abeokuta Nigeria , Ile-Ife and some shrines in Benin City. These are some of the dirty and ugly scenes we all grew up hearing and reading including witnessing.

In the late sixties I had my first taste of leaving Ibadan out of my parent direct control for the first time to live in Abeokuta my home town. I was given a lot of threatening advice by my parents about what to expect from my new location. Never laugh when you see an adult with mucus in his nose he might be planning to test his new voodoo, never make fun of anybody or attend party at night because people do disappeared from Abeokuta .

I was scared and I still remembered asking my parent the reason for sending me to such a City to continue my education. My Dad told me.” I want you to see the other side of life”. The matter was even made worse by the story we were told in the Boarding school about seeing spirits or meeting people caring rituals at night in Abeokuta . All these were true because we lost two students in a mysterious ways. Trust me I never venture out of the hostel throughout my stay at Lisabi Grammar School in the seventies. Thanks to my Dad’s advise. I grew up wiser a little afraid of life but minding my business.

I remembered as a teacher in one the secondary schools in a village very close to Abeokuta one Mohamed from Sokoto State who came on National Youth Service Program at Abeokuta in 1986. His parents wept and considered him a dead person when he was told he was to serve at Kobape a village very close to Abeokuta . He came. He served the “ Copper” as NYSC were called then went away with a wife from Abeokuta . Time has indeed changed from Abeokuta of 1969-1974 to a much appealing in the 1986 or 2004

The facts can not be disputed that 20 human heads found at Okija shrine are Nigerians

which may be difficult to identify but those responsible are guilty of murder not manslaughter but the interventions of presidency if it will lead to justice is welcome but if it will end up being settled among the Obis and Obas it will be a shame not only to Igbos but Nigeria as a whole. President Obasanjo who at 70 says is ready to die for Nigeria must be a comedian he should direct his energy towards eliminating these forces of darkness in all forms.

The Okija shrine revelation explains the reason why non Igbos are very reluctant to live or invest in Igbo land for fear of being turned to “Pepper Soup”. But Igbos are alone in this shameful exercise. We have seen them in churches, we have seen them at bar beach , by the river side of Ogun River at Abeokuta , Ogunpa at Ibadan , and Oshun Oshogbo. Among the Yoruba it is called “ORO” which is used to eliminate women. The so called pressure groups like are all connected to what look like Okija in all parts of Nigeria .

They are all done in secrecy. Okija is a pointer to how dirty and unsecured Nigeria is, and to what extent Nigerians can pursue Money or power. If examined critically most of our political leaders probably got their power through something similar to Okija Shrine. Nigeria is very much in bondage, bondage of soul, spirit and mind. The devil must not be allowed to make Nigeria a permanent place of residence and we must make it a duty to remove these forces in all forms.

Nigerians can boast of voodoo power in the 21^st century which has been eliminated in the

in most first world countries. I remember I used to threaten people or quick to remind any body that made me mad that “ I am from Abeokuta o “ They are usually scared.

We must ask ourselves if all these shrines or the so called traditional worship has helped us as a nation to move forward or not. Obas, Obis, and Emirs and traditional rulers are nothing but handicapped towards industrial and technological breakthrough for Nigeria . They must all be eliminated for Nigeria to advance forward. Judges are threatened with voodoo or one must strong in voodoo to be a judge in Nigeria . Most of the motor accident on our roads are not natural some with evil forces, infact most of our local eating places are laces with voodoo at the entrance. One wonders if our health department can do something by removing or revoking the license of all these “Bukas”. for these dirty and ungodly behaviors.

Finally, the National Assembly must pass a law to open up all shrines of Nigeria for all to see, secrecy brings about unholy actions including rituals or murders in all forms. The only obstacle to this law will be if the members of the National Assembly are connected to shrines like that of Okija. It must be noted that Okija shrines are not alone in this action it is all over Nigeria . All the equipment of the Okija Shrine must be taken to National Museum for future generation to see the left over of blood sucking demons called gods in Africa .

Kunle I Sowunmi

Dallas Texas USA

08/12/04