Christians and animists are engaged in a bloody fight over religious practices reports Mike Ubani TEMPO learnt that the deity is represented by a masquerade known as Odo. The masquerade, which appears in public twice in two years, has several shrines including the Ugwu Ota Egbudu, Amanyi, Okurempkume, and Ezugwu, the most dreaded of them.
It was further learnt that almost everybody born in Neke is initiated into the Odo Masquerade Cult.
It had been the tradition of Neke people that each time the Odo Masquerade made a public outing, non members of the cult stay indoors as long as the masquerade is in the public glare - usually four days. On such days, other social and religious activities are outlawed in the community.
The horrible aspect of this outing is that human beings - several of them - are usually sacrificed at several shrine of Odo before the masquerade, according to the natives, agree to take its exits.
The victims of this barbaric act are not only people from Neke but also strangers who come either on a visit or to trade in the community. In fact, it was gathered that during the colonial days, the adherent of Odo beheaded scores of white men and women who ventured into the community. The heads of male victims were reportedly deposited at Ezuguwu shrine while that of the female victims were taken to Ani shrine.
The beheading of a whiteman qualifies adherent of the cult to partake in a strange dance before any of the shrines. This probably explain the reason why in the olden days, there was a keen competition among adherents of Odo cult to behead a whiteman.
That notwithstanding, the killing of their kit and kin, and continuation of this dastardly act in modern day Nigeria seem to have incensed the sensibilities of the Christians in the area and some of the indigenes who have long acquired Western education and sophistication.
Many people were reportedly declared missing in Neke in February 2001 when the Odo masquerade embarked on its routine outing.
It was believed that most of the missing persons were sacrificed to propitiate the masquerade.
But the Christians in the community including those of the Catholic and Anglican denominations had since cried foul. They await the psychological moment to pull down the 'wall of Jericho'. That opportunity came between 14 and 16 February, 2001.
As usual, the Odo cult members announced that there would be no religious and economic activities in the community during those periods when the Odo masquerade was expected to make an appearance, this announcement obviously incensed the Christians. According to Rev. Anselem Chibundu Omeje of St. Patric Catholic Parish, Neke, "This announcement agitated the minds of the Christians in the area, and aroused in them the spirit of revolt." The revolt by the Christians took the form of the destruction of Odo shrine and the unmasking of the Masquerade.
At the Ezukwu shrine, the Christian soldiers made a startling discovery. They found 32 human skull in one of the layers of the alter of the shrine. The alter has seven layers, and the possibility exists that more human skulls are locked inside all the layers of the alter.
This shocking discovery was reported to the police in Ikem, the headquarters of Isi Uzo Local Government Council. It was gathered that the police later removed the human skulls to the station, made some arrest, but for inexplicable reasons released the suspects, all of them members of the Odo Masquerade Cult.
In a dramatic turn of event, members of the Odo cult reported to the police that the Christians in Neke community attacked the Odo shrines, destroyed and stole in the process some fetish objects, idols, and more especially the Odo mask. The police swooped on the Christian community and made some arrest.
On Monday, 25 February, 2002, 21 members of the Christian community, including Rev. Omeje and his counterpart of the Anglican Church Neke were arraigned at the Ikem Magistrate Court presided over by Mr. Donatus Alumona, a senior magistrate. The Rev. Fathers and the other Christians face a five-count charge.
Those arrested and charged alongside Rev. Father Omeje are: Okwor; John Aguma; Chinwuba Okoro; Ebenezer Ugwu; Anselam Nnamani; Lebechi Ojiakor; Celestine Ugwuwba; Nnamchi Romanus; Agboo Valentine; Emelia Agbo; Chinwe Njeze; Odo Gabriel; Nkechi Eze; Rachael Ogere; Calista Ogene; Melitus Nnaji; Raphael Odo; Slyvanus Agbani and Nnamani Innocent.
When the case was mentioned, the lead counsel for the accused, Chief Melitus Eze, appealed to the presiding magistrate not to take any plea, since the 15th accused person, Nkechi Eze Agbo (Miss), was absent from the court on health grounds. He told the court that the accused was admitted into a nearby hospital and was subjected to *** injection. The presiding magistrate agreed. He adjourned the case till 11 March, 2002.
Outside the court premises, over 500 Christian men and women sang and danced Christian songs. They extolled the mighty powers of the Supreme Being and said that Neke has been dedicated to God. The spokesperson for the women, Mrs. Nnenna Nnamchi, told this magazine that the Odo cult members had deprived the women folk of their freedom of movement, worship and speech. She said that the women were ready to die rather than worship the Odo cult.
She alleged that Odo cult members bribed the police to arraign Christians before the magistrate court. There was no independent confirmation of this allegation however.
Rev. Father Eva Chuma Nnamene, director of social communications, Nsukka Diocese of the Catholic Church, said that the church, having fought a successful war against slave trade, was now poised to fight against ritual murder in Neke. "We want the Oputa Panel to know what is happening in Neke. We want the international community to know that Neke people are living in bondage. We want to be liberated." He said the Christian community in Neke are ready to die in their quest for freedom of worship, speech and movement. But the Odo adherents are angry that their Christian foes were former Odo cultists who got converted to Christianity. They say they want them back in the Odo fold.