Supremacy battle between the the elderly priests of Okija shrine and some youth within the community have ensued. The elderly priests alleged that the youths have hijacked their shrines and are duping and killing unsuspecting patronizers of the notorious Ogwugwu—Akpu and Ogwugwu—Isi—Ula shrines by parading themselves as priests.
Remember Okija shrine is in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According to Vanguard, similar crisis erupted amongst the worshippers of the shrines few years ago leading to startling discovery of human parts at various stages of decomposition inside the shrines. The discoveries which shook the nation and beyond took place in August, 2004, following a petition to the police, by a former chief priest of the shrine. It attracted the visit of the then Inspector- General of Police, Tafa Balogun, who swiftly carried out the arrest of some worshippers. There were also recovery of some human skulls and bodies, which stunned the world.
This time around, a prominent elder from Ubahu Ezike, Umuhu village, Okija and President of Herbs and Leaves Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Dr. Omeifejideofor Azugbo, came out with more revelations about the deadly shrines warning that calamity may befall the entire Okija community and Anambra State in general if nothing was done to bring down the escalating crisis in the shrines and stop the wanton destruction of human lives inside the shrines.
Azugbo who claims to be the chief priest of Ogwugwu-Ubahu-Idengwo deity, specifically asked various security agencies to send their respective investigators into the town to monitor the nefarious activities of those he identified as ‘jobless youths’ who forcefully took over the priesthood of the shrines as an opportunity to swindle unsuspecting members of the public. He also warned politicians and prominent businessmen who are still going to the shrine for power acquisition or for acquisition of prosperity, to be mindful of the fact that the alleged swindlers have taken over the shrine, adding that although the shrines are still retaining their original efficacy, the priests are now piloting its affairs in a negative direction.
CHIEF PRIEST SPEAKS
He told Crime Guard exclusively at his Umuhu-Okija palace that “We have many shrines in various villages at Okija but the most popular ones among them are Ulasi, Ogwugwu Isi Ula and Ogwugwu Akpu. Ulasi is their husband. Others are Ogwugwu Mmiri, Ogwugwu Uburu, Ogwugwu Ubiaka, Ogwugwu Apunama, Ihemereumuhuike shrine, Aho Umuhu shrine, Ana Umuhu Okija shrine, Ogwugwu Isura shrine, among others. Ogwugwu Akpu came into existence about 1,400 years ago and series of chief priests had served and handed over to others in the order of seniority until 2002 when crisis erupted during the regime of one Jibuike as the chief priest.