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Anambra Traditionalist Attributes Nigeria’s Misfortunes To Neglect Of Traditional Religion
The Supreme Leader of the Traditional Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Native Dr Chukwuma Ezeruonye, has insisted that Nigeria’s fortunes have continued to dwindle due to the neglect of traditional religion and institutions.
Subsequently, Ezeruonye urged the citizens to embrace traditional practices, insisting that doing that is the only way for the country to come out of the predicament it is currently going through.
He averred that insecurity and crimes, such as kidnapping, corruption, killings, youth restiveness, as well as civil unrest, are on the increase because the people abandoned their culture.
The traditionalist, who is also the CEO of Debigrich Group Limited, an agricultural firm, stated this over the weekend during the 2024 ‘Igba Oruru Eke’ annual cultural festival in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Speaking to South-East PUNCH, Ezeruonye contended that apart from the fact that the people distanced themselves from crime-related issues, the traditional practice is also part of retaining the cultural values of the people’s ancestors.
He said, “During the time of our forefathers, they did not engage in crimes like armed robbery, kidnappings, cultism, rituals, murder, 419, among others and that was why they lived a happy long life, but since the white missionaries imposed their religion on us, we have never known peace again.
“In those good old days, our forefathers lived clean lives devoid of greed, envy and malice, using our traditional practice as their bedrock, but today, the reverse is the case, as we have now sunk into the borrowed foreign religion and we are all feeling the pains.
“Nigerians need to go back to their roots and embrace their traditional practice as the only way to change the narrative in terms of repositioning this country’s economy and at the same time rescue our youths from the clutches of destruction.
“Today, we are celebrating our festival called ‘Oruru Eke Ekwulobia,’ which is the idol uniting the whole of Ekwulobia. It is being celebrated today and as a traditionalist and supreme leader, I have to be present, because I am just like the Bishop of the customs today. So, I am supposed to be here.
“The impact of this festival is enormous because this is how our forefathers started it. The calamity and confusion facing Nigeria, especially the South-East region today is because the people have neglected traditional religion. We neglected tradition and tradition is now dealing with us. That is why there are calamities and confusion everywhere in the country.
“Nothing is working. The rich are crying, the poor are also crying, insecurity and so on. In the olden days, it was a matter of consulting the chief priest and asking him what is the cause of the calamity in the land. When discovered, it will be appeased and there will be peace.
“But, now, because we have embraced the white man’s religion, nobody consults the gods of the land anymore and that is why the gods are dealing with us. For us, as traditionalists, we are going back to the roots to restore what our forefathers used to be, who they were. So, it’s just like we are trying to revive and make tradition what it used to be and not evil.
“I was practising the other religion, which the white men brainwashed us with and nothing was working, until I had a call to return to traditional religion, I embraced it and I am now very comfortable.
“The white men brainwashed us with their religion since they stepped their feet into Africa and we embraced their religion and are practising it more than them, while they still maintain their traditional practices and religion. Countries like China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, and even Europe, adore their traditional practices and are doing well, while we abandoned our own, saying it is evil, no, our tradition is not evil. But some years back, Nigeria was far much better than these countries, why was it so, our forefathers were doing the right thing, but instead of us to continue and improve on it, we abandoned it and now it is dealing with us.
Everywhere you go in the country, our people are practising the other religion, which is the white man culture, yet the country is not moving forward, nothing is working. We always praise the last government, when Muhammadu Buhari was ruling, Nigerians were praising Goodluck Jonathan to come back, now President Bola Tinubu is ruling, and they are praising Buhari to come back.
“If we don’t go back to our African tradition, we will remain under the spell of the white man’s religion and the economic hardship, security problems and leadership crisis will continue to worsen, even from one Nigeria’s President to another, since we embrace the white man religion, no President has ever been better than the last.”
He averred that traditional religion is not about rituals, as erroneously held by the people, insisting that such an impression is been fuelled by other denominations to scare the people away.
dded, “It’s not true, tradition is not all about evil, rituals or bad juju. It is a way of life that made our forefathers what they were. They were all saints because they avoided evil. Traditional religion doesn’t tolerate anything evil, whether they believe it or not. It will deal with whoever is involved even if it is the chief priest.
“Every community and every state, even the country has its own ‘god’ that should be appeased and once they are appeased, calamity will never befall the land. The whole of Nigeria is in distress today because the people have neglected the gods of their lands.
“Even those from other denominations believe in our gods, they are our largest population of worshippers. Many pastors disguised themselves and came to worship with us because they knew the importance of doing so. But they will go and condemn traditional practices before their congregation, giving them the impression that tradition is evil. But now, we are coming out boldly to tell them that we are not ‘evil’, we are highly comfortable, even if a litre of fuel is sold for N10,000 today, all my vehicles will still be on the road. We are not suffering.”
Earlier, the Chief Host of the occasion, Dr Chinedu Ezeameta, said tradition plays protective roles and influences human dignity right from the ages, insisting that no sensible person abandons his tradition.
“Igba Oruru Eke’ festival of Ekwulobia, which I am the chief priest is a very significant festival and is done once a year and whenever it’s been done, everyone is informed, custodians of customs and traditions must be present during the festival. What it signifies is that inhabitants of Ekwulobia offer sacrifice to the spirit of ‘Oruru Eke’ because ‘Oruru Eke’ is the highest spirit Ekwulobia has.
“It signifies good deeds. It helps people. Anyone looking for the fruit of the womb, if such asks, the spirit grants it unto such. Anyone looking for money and asking the spirit will receive money in return. So, the good deeds it does to the community are numerous. All these cattles and rams are proceeds from the beneficiaries. That is the impact it has.
“We have a kindred that worships it. If the worshipper dies, the kindred will ask a soothsay to produce the next and the worshipper must come from the kindred. That’s how it is in the whole of Ekwulobia. We urged Igbo youths to go back to the cultural practices bequeathed to them by their ancestors so that our land will be healed once again.”
Various dignitaries from across the state, who were in attendance at the festival which took place at the Osoenigwe Square, Ezinano Umuowelle village, Ekwulobia, paid tribute and urged the people to go back to tradition.
The Enugu State Council of Presidents-General of Town Unions has endorsed the member representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, Hon. Chimaobi Atu, for a second term.
The endorsement was announced on Tuesday when leaders of the council paid a courtesy visit to Atu at his residence in Ugwuaji in Enugu.
The Chairman of the Council, Chief Arinze Ogbodo, who led the delegation, said that the endorsement followed the Federal lawmaker impressive performance and people-oriented representation.
Ogbodo said the unanimous decision was a fall out of an assessment of Atu’s stewardship over the past three years, adding that he had delivered tangible benefits to communities across the constituency.
According to him, the lawmaker has distinguished himself through impactful constituency projects, infrastructure development, youth empowerment initiatives and educational interventions.
“In just one term, your representation has been visible, impactful and people-centred.
“From infrastructure development and youth empowerment to educational interventions and other constituency projects, the people have witnessed purposeful leadership.
“This endorsement reflects our confidence in your ability to deliver even more in another term,” Ogbodo said.
Responding, Hon. Atu thanked the council for what he described as a strong vote of confidence, saying the endorsement would inspire him to redouble his efforts in serving the people of the constituency.
He reaffirmed his commitment to effective representation and sustained development, stressing that he had more to accomplish for his constituents.
“I am deeply humbled by this endorsement. It is a call to greater service, and I assure you that the job is not yet finished.
“I remain committed to working harder to justify the trust and confidence our people have placed in me,” Atu said.
The Ebonyi State Government has intensified its enforcement against unsafe and dilapidated buildings across Abakaliki, the state capital, as part of efforts to prevent building collapses and protect lives and property.
The enforcement exercise was led by the Commissioner for Capital City Development and Urban Planning, Richard Ugo Idike, alongside the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Martina Obya; Head of Town Planning, Mrs Esther Nwite; and members of the state task force.
The inspection followed an earlier exercise conducted on July 7, during which owners and occupants of distressed buildings were served notices to vacate or demolish structures considered unsafe.
During the latest operation, officials inspected a one-storey building in Abakaliki identified as posing a significant safety risk.
Idike said the initial 21-day eviction notice issued to the occupants had expired, adding that, following an agreement with the property owner, demolition of the building would commence within the week.
The task force also served a fresh 21-day eviction and removal notice on the owner of a deteriorating building on Liberty Street after determining that the structure was in critical condition.
Officials expressed concern that despite visible structural defects in some of the affected buildings, several families, including children, were still living in the premises.
Idike condemned the development and reiterated the state government’s commitment to preventing avoidable disasters arising from structural neglect.
He urged property owners to conduct regular structural integrity assessments on their buildings and strictly comply with the state’s town planning regulations.
A female TikTok content creator at the centre of controversy surrounding the annual Oloolu Masquerade Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State, has denied filming the sacred Oloolu masquerade and dismissed reports that she died following the incident.
The woman, identified as Wasilat, made the clarification during a telephone interview on Lagelu FM’s Ibi Aye N Lo programme, hosted by Adesoye Omotosho, on Monday.
Wasilat said she only recorded and uploaded a video of people passing through the Oremeji area, insisting that the Oloolu masquerade was not involved.
“I am not dead. I did not capture the Oloolu masquerade. May I not be implicated; I did not record Oloolu,” she said.
According to her, she went to her shop after seeing people passing by the area and noticed an Amotekun vehicle.
“Oloolu did not even pass through that route. So I filmed it and posted it on social media. Everyone in the TikTok comment section asked me to delete it,” she explained.
She said people later came to her shop over the video, adding that she did not understand why she had been accused of recording the sacred masquerade.
“I don’t know who came up with that agenda, but I know God will judge,” she said.
The controversy began after videos surfaced online showing Wasilat undergoing traditional cleansing rites at the Oloolu compound. Social media reports had claimed that she narrowly escaped death after allegedly filming the masquerade.
However, the spokesperson to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Adeola Oloko, said Wasilat did not actually record Oloolu but mistakenly captured Alawo Oloolu, a figure associated with the tradition.
“She did not capture Oloolu; she mistook it for Alawo. We contacted the Mogaji of the Oloolu compound, and he confirmed that a woman who mistook Alawo of Oloolu for the real Oloolu masquerade captured it on the street,” Oloko said.
Oloko further claimed that the woman later developed health problems after uploading the footage, prompting her family to seek the intervention of traditional custodians.
He also said he could not confirm reports that Wasilat disguised herself as a man to secretly film the procession.
“I cannot confirm she disguised herself as a man. Those are accounts on social media. But she took the footage or photo on the street,” he added.
Videos from the reported cleansing ceremony showed Wasilat with her head shaved, dressed in red attire and surrounded by traditional worshippers. Giant African snails and a ram were reportedly presented during the rites, while another video appeared to show a goat being slaughtered.
Ibadan-based content creator Ayo Adams, who visited the Oloolu compound, also reported that officials confirmed Wasilat was alive and recovering.
Adams said the woman had reportedly approached security operatives after experiencing health problems and was subsequently taken with her family to the Oloolu compound for traditional rites.
However, the Oyo State Police Command said it had no official record of the incident.
The command’s spokesperson, CSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said, “I have no information about the incident because it was not reported at any nearby police station.”
The annual Oloolu Festival is a major traditional event in Ibadan, attracting traditional rulers, worshippers, cultural enthusiasts and visitors from across Yorubaland.
The festival features prayers, rituals, sacrifices, drumming, dancing and processions as part of traditional practices associated with honouring ancestors and seeking peace, protection, prosperity and communal wellbeing.
News
‘From Crude to Cash’: Ex-Abia Speaker Orji Says Tinubu’s Fiscal Reforms Are Redefining Nigeria’s Revenue Base
Former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and APC House of Representatives candidate for Ikwuano/Umuahia, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s fiscal reforms are deliberately moving Nigeria away from oil dependence toward a tax-driven revenue economy.
In an opinion article titled “From Crude to Cash: How Tinubu’s Fiscal Reset Is Redefining Nigeria’s Revenue Economy”, Orji argued that the administration inherited a budget structure tied to crude oil prices and has begun rebuilding public finance through subsidy removal, digital tax collection and an expanded non-oil base.
> “Rather than wait for another oil boom to bail out the treasury, his administration chose to rebuild the plumbing of public finance: tax administration, digital collection, and a non-oil base wide enough to stand on even when barrels wobble,” Orji wrote.
He described the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023 as the first step of the reset, stating that it increased Federation revenue from ₦16.8 trillion in 2023 to ₦31.9 trillion in 2024, according to data cited in the article.
Orji said allocations to states and local governments also rose sharply, from ₦6.16 trillion in 2023 to ₦15.26 trillion in 2024, giving subnationals more capacity to fund roads, schools and hospitals.
The former Speaker said government complemented the subsidy savings with reforms to modernise tax administration through digital systems, data matching and compliance drives.
He noted that the reforms now target telecommunications, financial services, manufacturing, trade and the digital economy, including fintech companies, e-commerce platforms and content creators.
> “No economy grows sustainably when only oil companies and big banks pay taxes while millions of profitable businesses stay off the books,” he stated.
Orji cited improvements in fiscal indicators, including a narrowing deficit, stronger external reserves, and clearance of a $7 billion foreign exchange backlog, which he said reflected growing investor confidence.
He, however, acknowledged the immediate burden on households from higher transport, food and energy costs.
> “The social contract of these reforms is still being negotiated. Households felt the pain first — higher transport, higher food, higher power bills. The promise is that the gains will be recycled into infrastructure, education, and health,” Orji wrote.
He said the success of the fiscal reset will depend on implementation and public trust, stressing that citizens must see tangible improvements in services.
> “Nigeria is still an oil country. But for the first time in a long time, it is budgeting like it might not always be,” he concluded.
The Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Governor Francis Nwifuru to heed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent warning to state governors against embarking on unnecessary flyover projects.
The party also called on the Ebonyi State Government to disclose details of the governor’s recent nine-day investment trip to China, including the cost of the trip, members of the delegation and outcomes of the engagements.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abakaliki and signed by the PDP Publicity Secretary and spokesperson, Prince Darlington Peter Onwe, the party said the President’s comments had reinforced its concerns over what it described as misplaced priorities in the state.
Tinubu, while meeting traditional rulers from Oyo State, had advised governors to focus on infrastructure that directly addresses the needs of their people rather than constructing flyovers in areas where traffic does not warrant them.
Reacting to the remarks, the PDP alleged that the Nwifuru administration had committed significant public funds to projects including the VANCO Junction tunnel and flyover and the Nwezenyi tunnel and flyover, despite what it described as pressing infrastructure challenges across the state.
The party cited poor road networks, inadequate healthcare facilities, limited access to potable water and deteriorating educational infrastructure among the challenges it said residents were still facing.
The PDP also questioned the state government’s spending priorities in light of increased allocations to states following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
It asked why, despite the reported increase in federal allocations, the Ebonyi Government had allegedly not delivered broader development projects across key sectors.
The opposition party further questioned whether adequate consultations were conducted with residents before the flyover projects were initiated and whether the projects represented the most urgent needs of the people.
On the governor’s China trip, the PDP demanded that the state government publish the names of all officials who participated in the delegation, the total cost of the visit, the investment engagements held and details of any agreements reached with prospective foreign investors.
It also requested information on the implementation timelines of any agreements and any financial obligations arising from commitments made on behalf of the state.
According to the party, taxpayers have a right to know how public funds are being spent and should be provided with documentary evidence of the outcomes of government-sponsored foreign trips.
The PDP further called on the state government to disclose the financial details of the ongoing tunnel and flyover projects and publish a comprehensive development roadmap outlining how its policies and projects would address the needs of Ebonyi residents.
The party said that with the 2027 elections approaching, rural communities would ultimately judge the administration by completed projects and the quality of public services delivered, particularly in road infrastructure and other basic amenities.
The Ebonyi State Government had not publicly responded to the PDP’s latest allegations as of the time of filing this report.
The administration has previously maintained that its infrastructure projects are intended to stimulate economic growth, improve transportation and modernise Abakaliki, the state capital.
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