[dropcap]H[/dropcap]uman rights abuses and violations in the ofokobe communities in particular cut across the entire spectrum of rights. The abuses come in different forms and could be direct or indirect. The inhabitants of the Igbo region are subjected to regular rights abuses and violations by the village culture. The perpetrators of rights violations are hardly or never held accountable or brought to justice due to the myriad of problems besetting the judicial institutions. Besides, there is an apparent lack of trust and confidence in the courts and general apathy towards the judicial processes amongst Nigerians as the civil remedies in law are rarely enforced. Furthermore, the criminal justice system and the judiciary, generally perceived as dysfunctional, are ineffective in bringing this traditionalist involved in crimes and violation of rights to justice due to systemic and institutional corruption, lack of independence of the judiciary, political interference, and so on.

Some of the rights typically violated in the Igbo communities include the right to life, the right to health, the right to freedom from discrimination, the right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly, the right to equal protection of the law, right to the dignity of human person, right to work, means of livelihood or employment and the right to development and right to sex.

The Igbo is one of the three major tribes occupying the south-eastern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. They have cultural traditions and customs, which help in maintaining their society. Just like the belief systems of other cultural groups; man has designed various institutions and webs of customs that regulate and order his social life. Hunter and Whitten (1976:294) note that “belief systems deal with everything man can imagine.”

A traditional priest who could be a witch doctor who cures those who have been be-witched. A herbalist who knows the powers of many roots and herbs. A diviner who tells fortune, he is consulted before any sacrifice is offered.The chief  Priest (Eze mmuo)- He is an official servant of a deity or oracle, who offers sacrifice to the spirits and generally ministers at the shrine.

The coming of Islam and Christianity into Africa had much influence on the African traditional religion in its entirety. The coming of Christianity into Igbo land in 1846 altered the act of living sacrifice most especially the human sacrifice. The Christian Missionaries were able to stop the burying of chiefs with living beings and the act of using human beings as scapegoats. Although some people still offer sacrifices but it’s no longer being celebrated as in the past. Another form of human living sacrifice is humiliation of Lesbians and Gay in the Igboland where  human being is consecrated to a deity or shrine.  It was a taboo to have any social interaction with a lesbian or gay.

Although the names of these deities and spirits, their method and time of worship vary from society to society, their significance and relevance in traditional observances cut across all the cultural contexts of Africa. The names and worship patterns in any given African society are basically dictated by the culture of the given society. the worship of deities and spirits, hierarchy in the cultural context of  ofokobe in obiomangwa  in  Abia State, South-East Nigeria. Ofokobe ,like any other traditional African society has no classical work or records about her religious practices.

The worshiping of deities and spirits in Ofokobe community has gotten to the climax that even the government cannot protect its citizens against this evil ancient traditional practice.

The case of EBERE CHINYERE ORJIOGBU is a sympathetic one in ofokobe in obiomangwa  community because she is the most tortured and humiliated lesbian in the community. In ofokobe community lesbianism/Gay is a taboo and a lot of their citizens have lost their lives through sacrifice to the gods and traditional ritual of the land.

Traditionally in ofokobe community, lesbian people are subjected to ‘corrective rape’ by their families, strangers and vigilantes who believe that homosexuality is a mental illness that needs to be ‘cured’. Sometimes it is done under the cover of darkness or when the pounding of rain on tin roofs muffles the screams, Other times, it is arranged by family members who regularly take the law into their own hands, torturing, gang raping and, murdering lesbians as they are convinced are witches or have been cursed. Even though it is illegal to practice black magic, authorities do nothing or little to stop families consulting sorcerers who perform ritual sacrifices to ‘cure’ their relatives of homosexuality.

In the case of Miss Ebere Chinyere Orjiogbu who is a lesbian, and  was caught having sex with one of the wives  of the traditional king of  ofokobe in obiomangwa  , she was locked up in the palace pending when the king and the chief Priest will decide her faith because according to the culture and tradition of ofokobe community , anybody caught in such act will be used for spiritual cleansing of the their land, but Ebere was lucky  to escape through the help of her friend Obidiya and some villagers.

According to the chief priest  community ,she has defied the land by having sex with the wife of their  king and her blood must be used for cleansing of the land or strange things will be happening in the land of ofokobe community.

When our reporter met Ebere at the palace before her escape, Our reporter was highly prohibited by the palace guard from using camera or recorder but was allowed to have a chat with her. Ebere said she has told her story to hundreds of girls in sexual health awareness and LGBT+ workshops in Nigeria last year.

She said that her case has been a complicated one because anytime she reports what she is facing to her life nobody see her as a victim but rather as someone who deserved the torturing she is passing through because she is a lesbian. She believes that her decision to speak out saved her life.

“According to Ebere ,she had a friend who had also been raped, and she felt completely alone, isolated, depressed. She had almost killed herself, ”Ebere said, pausing to fight back her tears.

“I thought of doing the same … But I was also so angry. I didn’t want other girls to go through this, for them to be a victim like me. I wanted to denounce the perpetrators so that it will stop.”

It is not easy, she said. Lesbians in Nigeria live with secrecy and caution every day, communicating via code names and frequently changing the public places where they gather.

“We continue to fight on, even though we’re doubly discriminated – first as women, secondly as lesbians,” Ebere said.

“It’s a real war waged against us,” said Ebere, who regularly receives death threats.

“But we will keep fighting until they are tired … No one will give us freedom. We have to take it.”

When the Grassroots Publishers reporter confronted the Police Chief  in Abia State, he was speaking  not wanting to take side on this saga and he responded ; “we have an obligation to cultivate and maintain cordial relationship with the traditional rulers but also protect the human rights of citizens. It is obvious that the law takes precedence over traditional practices and we are therefore obliged to step in when any law is contravened”. The challenge is that so far no victim has managed to show evidence of any law being broken. We confronted him with the recent and specific cases of Miss Ebere Chinyere Orjiogbu who has been undergoing torture, humiliation and traits to her life by her community because she had sex with wife of a king . The Police chief declined to comment, saying “the Nigerian Police Force does not comment on individual cases but I can assure you that all matters in the nature that you have described are investigated in collaboration and consultation with the traditional rulers and if anyone is found to have contravened the law, actions will be taken”. When  asked how many cases his Command has prosecuted since inception or at least under his watch, the Police Boss declined to provide details.

However, nobody can ascertain  the where about of  Ebere Chinyere Orjiogbu , after her escape from the palace custody only time shall tell.

By: Ifeoma Maduike

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle on his re-election as President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

The President commended church leaders and Christendom in general for the successful election, even as he gave assurance to CAN that his government will continue to strengthen the cordial relationship that has existed, especially in tackling the challenges facing Nigeria.

He recalled his meetings with Rev. Ayokunle, who is also the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, and expressed his belief that the cleric’s maturity, humility and wise counsels to governments will go a long way in healing and putting the country on the right track for development.

President Buhari prayed to God to grant the leadership of CAN more wisdom and strength in running the affairs of the association.

Meanwhile, the World Bishops’ Council (WBC), Africa has advised the new CAN President to work with all stakeholders in securing all Christians in the country.

In a statement issued today, June 18, the WBC Directorate of Information further advised Johnson Ayokunle to ensure that there is peace, unity and harmony among the five blocks that formed CAN.

“By securing your reelection, it shows that your leadership fared well during your first term in spite of several controversies ranging from allegations of financial impropriety, bickering with Christian elders and politicization of CAN among others.

“We urge you to put all these negative issues behind you, focus your attention on how to expand and defend the Christian community in Nigeria, put up good programmes that will uplift the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and above all settle all matters with individuals and groups who differed from your views.

“It is certain that these are trying periods for Christians in Nigeria but be assured of the support of WBC, World Federation of Churches (WFC) and World Clergies Congress (WCC) at all time.”

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]KO Abiola’s running mate, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe has sensationally revealed that former president Olusegun Obasanjo, was a party to the annulment of June 12 election, Nigeria’s freest and fairest election. It was the first time that the former president would be frontally accused about the cancelled election by the Babangida administration on June 23, 1993.

Kingibe, who later became Secretary to the Government of the Federation said Obasanjo was one of the architects of the annulment during an interview on NTA Wednesday night. Although he did not give details of the roles Obasanjo played to annul the presidential poll, it was on record that Obasanjo once said in 1993, that Abiola was not the Messiah Nigeria needed.

Ambassador Babagana Kingibe: accuses Obasanjo on June 12

Kingibe recalled that Obasanjo attempted to convene a meeting of statesmen to address the aftermath of the June 12 crisis, President Muhammadu Buhari only attended the inaugural meeting and stopped because of the direction of the session.

Kingibe said Buhari’s position was very clear over the years that the annulment was unjustified. He, however, parried questions on whether or not he betrayed the late Abiola, who died in his bid to reclaim his mandate.

He said the celebration of June 12 as a Democracy Day should not be an occasion for recriminations or for talking on who betrayed who and who abandoned what.

He justified why Buhari opted to honour Abiola.

“In the aftermath of the annulment, one of the architects of the annulment, former President Olusegun Obasanjo tried to get some elder statesmen (former presidents and so on); I think at the African Leadership Forum to see how the aftermath of the annulment could be addressed or to see how the problems arising from the annulment could be addressed.

“And I think President Muhammadu Buhari did attend the meeting once, the inaugural meeting. I understood that when he (Buhari) saw the direction of the meeting, he decided not to attend again.

“Every time the issue of the annulment came up over the years, his position was very clear; it was very firm that the election was free, fair and there was a clear winner. And that the annulment was unjustified.

“So, having had the opportunity, perhaps, to right the wrong, I won’t be surprised he did so because it is in his character to try and do justice, however, belated and under whatever the circumstances.”

Asked if he was surprised by the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day, Kingibe said: “In a way, yes. I was surprised more by the timing of it than that it happened.

“I was actually on lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia when the announcement was made. I was not surprised that it was made because I knew President Buhari felt strongly about June 12.”

He paid glowing tributes to Abiola for being the arrowhead of the campaign for the actualisation of the June 12, 1993 mandate.

“You know, June 12 was the creation of all Nigerians. All Nigerians were the architects of June 12.

“The facts of June 12, the elections that took place on that day, were unique. We have held many elections but the elections of June 12 were unique.

“The annulment of the elections was unique in the life of all Nigerians and being unique and novel, I think everybody reacted accordingly to their understanding of what reaction was required.
*Originally reported by The Nation

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW)Delta State chapter, has described the election of the Senator representing Delta Central, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as a divine manifestation of the will of God in the affairs of men. The NURTW, in a statement issued in Asaba, the Delta State capital, said that God had ways of confounding the wisdom of men’s calculations and expectations, saying that the elevation of Omo-Agege in the face of suffocating opposition to a senator and now the Deputy Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was a demonstration of the will of God at work.

In the statement endorsed by the Delta Chairman,Chief ( Comrade ) Ifeanyi Obi , the union admonished Nigerians to take a cue from Omo-Agege’s elevation and remain steadfast in believing the Lord for a greater, prosperous and united Nigeria, adding that nothing was too difficult for God to turnaround.

While congratulating Senator Omo-Agege on his elevation, the union stated that the victory represented a solid voice for the people of Delta Central and Delta State in particular and the South-South geopolitical zone in general.

The union called on Senator Omo-Agege to use his new office to institutionalized legislations that would advance developmental efforts and deepen democratic experience in the country. The council wished Senator Omo-Agege a successful tenure as Deputy Senate President and expressed the belief that he would bring pride and progress to his district, state and zone at the end.

Powered by: Comrade Anthony Okocha a.k.a . Ezendigbo