Charles Nwankwo, Abakaliki
A female Native Doctor and mother of seven children at 35 years old, Mrs. Evelyn Nweke, has filed court action against a Presbyterian Church Pastor, Rev. Godwin Nwankwo Ogah and three others who masterminded her banishment from the community, for allegedly brainwashed the people of the area with fake prophecy concerning the native doctor’s work in Ikwuator Idembia Community Ezza South LGA of Ebonyi State.
Narrating her ordeal in the family law Centre Abakaliki, the petitioner Mrs. Nweke said that before the incident, she didn’t have problem with anybody or apprehensive of any misfortune until early hour of 26th July 2021, when Rev. Nwankwo, Sunday Nweke, her brother in-law, Sunday Usulor her husband cousin and the secretary of Ochufu Agba Village Mr. Chinedu Odah besieged me with group of people from the area who beat her mercilessly and ostracized her including her family.
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Mrs. Nweke added that the people were instigated into the action by the false vision and prophecy of pastor Nwankwo Ogah who accused her of being responsible for some misfortunes befalling the village.
“Before that fateful day they surrounded me and my family, Pastor Godwin Nwankwo in charge of Presbyterian Church in Aba, Abia state had made many people in our village to believe that a native doctor ought not to be found in their midst.
“The people he corrupted their mind set over my business, didn’t care to ask questions but believed in the fake vision of the pastor and then stormed my compound, destroyed my shrine and send me out of the village.
“They came early hour of 6:00am when I was still sleeping with my children as my husband was away for a greener pastures, those people suddenly accused me of bewitching the entire village. In my attempt to ascertain the authenticity of their claim, they bounced on me after which send me out of the village without considering the fact that I have never hurt anyone either physically or spiritually over past fourteen years of my herbal practice in the village” she explained.
The victim’s husband Mr. Monday Nweke, when he returned from his journey, told our reporter that the only reason Pastor Nwankwo Ogah and his group gave was that they didn’t want to see any herbal medicine practice involving fetish activities in the area.
Mr. Nweke: according to him asked the people when he approached them to know the offence his wife in the time past or present committed with her herbal work, they replied NO, insisted not to allow his wife to return home.
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He said that his wife started herbal treatment of some ailment such as epilepsy, infertility, madness etc. Perhaps, because of success his wife has recorded so far in the business, that pastor Nwankwo, Sunday Nweke and others became envious and decided to halt her progress.
He added that the people further barricaded his compound and the entrances of his houses with fresh palm fronds without considering the traditional implications of such act, stating that the entire community under the leadership of the Town Union President Mr. Emeka into the matter and blamed the perpetrators of the act, explaining that the people do not have the right to dictate or recommend materials for herbalist.
According to the husband of the victim, the accused persons were instructed by the elders as a matter of urgency carry out a cleansing sacrifice necessary for the removal of such barricade in the compound to enable the victims return to their home, but Pastor Nwankwo and his cohort refused to comply with the directive.
He said that the elders of the community equally suggested that an oath should be given to the victim if the people are insisting that she is bewitching them but the pastor objected the idea and stood his ground that a herbalist would not be allowed in the village.
Mr. Nweke affirmed that it was on that ground that he brought the matter to the family law centre where their plight would be looked into in accordance of the Constitution.
Mr. Nweke claimed that the accused persons stole many things in his compound including numerous gifts which his wife received from her treated patients as a result of that he called relevant agencies to help him get justice and let the perpetrators face the consequences of their evil act.
One of the accused persons and cousin brother of the victim’s husband Mr. Sunday Usulor when contacted on mobile phone admitted being part of the banishment and claimed that the native doctor had told the people of the area that she is a mere herbalist who uses only roots and herbs for treatment of some diseases, surprisingly on June 2021 the woman was found doing sacrifice with lizard and padlocks dropped the sacrificed lizard with three padlocks hanging on it’s body at the back of his house.
Mr. Usulor said that the native doctor when confronted admitted being responsible for the sacrifice but it was “Back to Sender” meant for one of his customers. He continued that, shortly after the sacrificed items was discovered, his son had an accident that nearly resulted to his death, stating that his son and his passenger are still lying critically ill over degrees of injury they sustained in the raod accident. He said they chased the native doctor out of the village pending when the matter will be resolved, but notwithstanding the accused persons didn’t have any problem with the husband of the victim.
Mr. Usulor denied stealing the woman’s belongings , pointing out that Mrs. Nweke had arrested him to Onueke police station where he spent five days in cell before the matter was taken to the family law Centre in Abakaliki.
Also involved in the matter, the Village Secretary, Mr. Chinedu Odah said “The action of banishment was collectively done by the villagers after it was noticed that the manner with which the woman was operating her business was not in tune with the contemporary society.
“At the kindred level, we have made it known that Mr. Monday Nweke was not ostracized from our home rather his wife who was advised to relocate to Onueke Town or other commercial areas where she can operate her business as she wants.
“She was peacefully taken to her parent’s home and handed over to her father without molestation. Apart from what I have said as a stakeholder, I don’t know another thing”
Our reporter gathered that the case was adjourned to 7th September, 2022 by Mrs. Nwali for further hearing.
