Faced with rising insecurity, drug abuse, and cultism, residents of Asaba, the Delta State capital, have turned to ‘traditional’ spiritual warfare in their attempts to tackle the menace.
In a ceremony known as ‘Isu Ofor’, elders, chiefs, and spiritual leaders of Asaba invoked the spirits of their ancestral deities to place curses on those responsible for crimes that have disrupted the hitherto peaceful environment of the state capital.
The exercise took place at boundary points and key locations within Asaba, where various deities were called upon to punish those dealing in drugs, those engaged in cultism, and other social vices.
Leading the traditional spiritual offensive was the Odogwu of Asaba, Nwanze Oduah, supported by Onoi Ahaba, Uche Nwajei, Head of the Asaba Anti-Cult Unit, Nnamdi Chukwuedo; and members of Otu Ihaza, the town’s powerful traditional body.
Notable native doctors from within and outside Delta State joined the ritual, lending spiritual weight to the pronouncements.
At Ogbo-Eke Square, the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, commended the community for rising in unison against crime.
He reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining the town’s long-standing reputation for peace and warned drug peddlers and cultists to change their ways or face the wrath of both the law and the gods.
“We will not fold our arms and watch evil destroy this town. Asaba must remain peaceful, and anyone standing in the way of that peace must be ready to face the consequences,” the Asagba declared.
He also expressed appreciation to the state government and hailed the Chairman of Oshimili South Local Government Council, Kelvin Ezenyili, for his support of the ‘Isu Ofor’ initiative and broader efforts to strengthen local security.
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Chairman of Oshimili South Local Government Council, Kelvin Ezenyili, praised the Asagba for his leadership, describing his reign as transformative.
He pledged continued support for the monarch’s initiatives and disclosed plans to provide an office for the NDLEA within the council premises to boost the war against drug peddling, especially in Asaba and its environs.
The Odogwu of Asaba, Nwanze Oduah, stressed that the ‘Isu Ofor’ ceremony was not just symbolic, but a spiritual declaration that crime would no longer be tolerated in the land.
He revealed that a major drug trafficking route between Pinnacle on Nnebisi Road and Camp 74 had been identified and would be shut down.
Oduahrevealed that plans are underway to begin rehabilitation for drug addicted youths to help them reintegrate into society.
He thanked all the traditional priests who participated in the ritual and urged the youths to steer clear of crime, warning that the gods have now taken up the fight.
