Wider crackdown on ‘Okeite Juju Priests’

Wider crackdown on ‘Okeite Juju Priests’

Wider crackdown on ‘Okeite Juju Priests’

By Kelechi Okoronkwo, Ph.D

There was a conversation recently on the activities of these infamously emboldened okeite native doctors. Someone genuinely suggested that we should face more important issues affecting the society rather than spending time talking about native doctors. He wanted us to talk about Akpabio and Natasha in the Senate or Wike and Fubara in Rivers state, or Obasa and Merenda in Lagos state. We should talk about the APC endorsement of Tinubu for 2027 or the insecurity in Benue. We should let the native doctors be. I chose the word ‘genuinely’ because the fellow could not see how terribly we all are being affected by the fatal deceptive activities of the masquerading juju men. It is a pleasant feeling, however, that Professor Charles Soludo, the Governor of Anambra state can see what many people cannot see.

This is the foundation of this article, and I hope that more people will see things through similar prism as Soludo.  His recent crackdown on so-called Okeite Juju priests who exploit traditional beliefs for criminal activities is a commendable and necessary step. It is coming at the rightest time because if an evil practice endures for a while, it becomes a tradition. The evil being perpetuated by fake traditionalists has endured for a while, and it is fast becoming a tradition. But it should be noted that this societal malaise is not peculiar to Anambra state. There are exchanges of the diffusions of this stinking culture among neighbouring states. It is reassuring to learn that the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, is set to implement similar measures in Imo state. However, this should not be where the battle ends. Other state governors need to recognize the urgent need to take similar actions to purge their states of these criminal elements masquerading as spiritual leaders. A wider crackdown on these evil doers is necessary because their devilish acts have endured for a while and are fast becoming a tradition. It took the steps being taken by Soludo to reverse ugly trends as this.

For avoidance of doubt, there is a sound logic in the reasoning that the activities of these fraudulent Juju priests, which escalated in recent years, are contributing to the rise in ritual killings, kidnappings, and other heinous crimes. Criminals patronize them for supposed supernatural protection and prosperity, leading to gruesome acts that claim innocent lives. This trend spreads beyond Anambra State, infesting other regions with fear and insecurity. Many of these so-called priests exploit the vulnerable—desperate individuals seeking wealth, power, or revenge. They prey on the ignorance of their followers, demanding human sacrifices or large sums of money in exchange for deceptive promises of wealth and success. The youth, in particular, are drawn into these dark practices, believing in the false hope of quick riches. Governor Soludo was right in distinguishing between genuine traditionalists and these criminal Juju priests. Traditional African spirituality has always been rooted in ancestral reverence, community welfare, and moral guidance. Long before the coming of Christianity, our forefathers worshipped the Almighty God with clean hands and pure hearts. Christianity did not come to dislodge such true worship, but to strengthen it.  However, the rise of Okeite Juju priests has distorted these values, giving traditional practices a bad reputation. Their activities tarnish the image of true custodians of culture and traditions.

The unchecked proliferation of these criminal networks poses a serious national security threat. Some Juju priests are known to be in collusion with criminal syndicates, providing them with so-called supernatural backing. Their influence extends into armed robbery, cultism, and human trafficking, making it imperative for law enforcement agencies to dismantle their networks before they further destabilize the country. State governors have their jobs cut out for them in stemming this unfortunate tide, the way Soludo has demonstrated. To effectively curb the spread of Okeite Juju practices, other state governors must take decisive steps, including strengthening laws against ritual killings and fraudulent spiritual practices, conducting intelligence-based raids on shrines used as fronts for criminal activities, raising public awareness about the dangers of patronizing such individuals, working closely with traditional institutions to identify and root out fraudulent practitioners, and collaborating with religious and civil society groups to promote ethical spiritual practices.

This is a warning to the youth: you must avoid the path of destruction. Every civilisation has its dark days behind them. Those days were characterised by such practices as ritual killings, human sacrifices, unprovoked and extra-judicial killings of people seen as political or business adversaries among related barbaric acts. But as they progressed in their journey of civilisation, those activities have now been replaced. It is unfortunate that in our societies, some people are going back to such dark era in the name of rediscovering their roots. The Okeite Juju criminals are taking advantage of the opportunity of the digital media, and have nested on platforms like Facebook and TikTok where they are conducting their evil crusade. A lot of youths have fallen for these antics. The youth must be particularly warned against the temptation of seeking shortcuts to wealth through these dark avenues. Many have lost their lives or ended up in prison because they believed in the falsehoods peddled by these criminals. No amount of Juju can substitute hard work, education, and legitimate enterprise. The false promises of ritual wealth only lead to sorrow and destruction. The crackdown initiated by Governor Soludo must not be an isolated effort. It should serve as a model for other states to follow. Just as this menace has diffused across the country, the campaign against it must spread with equal intensity. Nigeria must take a stand against these criminal Juju priests, ensuring that our spiritual and cultural heritage is not hijacked by those who seek to profit from fear and bloodshed. The time to act is now.

Dr. Kelechi Okoronkwo is a public affairs analyst