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NIGERIAN YOUTH FLEES HOME OVER THREATS FROM TRADITIONAL PRIESTS IN ENUGU
NIGERIAN YOUTH FLEES HOME OVER THREATS FROM TRADITIONAL PRIESTS IN ENUGU
NEWS
The Nigerian Record
3/25/20212 min read
By John Ede, our Correspondent, Enugu
A young Nigerian, Collins Obinwanne Alum, has fled his home following threats to his life from traditional priests in Enugu State after he converted from the Odinani traditional religion to Christianity.
Alum, a native of Ibagwa Nike in Enugu East Local Government Area, said he had no option but to leave his community after his father—a high priest of the Odo Eze Shrine—publicly disowned him and declared him cursed before village elders.
Alum, who is currently in hiding in a neighboring community, said his life took a tragic turn in February 2020 when his conversion was discovered by his family.
"My father, Chief Obinwanne Alum, is the High Priest of the Odo Eze Shrine in Ibagwa Nike. From birth, I was expected to inherit his position. When I gave my life to Christ in September 2019 and was baptized in November 2019, my father was furious," Alum said.
He alleged that on February 15, 2020, his father, together with his uncles, beat him mercilessly, resulting in a fractured rib, a deep cut to his eyebrow, and multiple bruises. He was admitted to JaneJosh Hospital in Abakpa, Enugu, where he was treated for his injuries.
Alum stated that after the assault, the shrine's priesthood, led by High Priest Ezema Okonkwo, declared him an "enemy of the community gods" and demanded he return for a cleansing ritual.
"They told me I would die or be sacrificed to appease the ancestors if I refused," he said.
He reported the matter to the Abakpa Nike Police Division on March 22, 2020, but said the police dismissed his complaint as a "family and community matter."
"I am in hiding now. I cannot go back to my father's house. My own father has placed a price on my head. I fear for my life," he said.
When contacted, a police source at the Abakpa Nike Police Division confirmed that a report was filed by Alum but declined to comment further, saying the matter was a "family dispute." Efforts to reach Chief Obinwanne Alum were unsuccessful.
The case mirrors a growing trend in Nigeria, where individuals who leave traditional religions face discrimination, ostracism, and threats of death. According to the U.S. State Department's 2020 International Religious Freedom Report, security forces in Nigeria often refuse to intervene in such cases, viewing them as "family or communal matters."