How a local Nigerian magazine and a ‘witchcraft’ church are spreading lies and perpetuating witchcraft scam.

Leo Igwe

My attention was drawn to a story, ‘One Big Scam’ with a rider ‘How a Briton and a Nigerian who run two non govermental organisations are telling barefaced lies to fleece donors over the Akwa Ibom child witchcraft affair’. The story, written by one Babajide Kolade-Otitoju was published in March 8 edition of The News magazine. Babajide, a senior reporter with The News started by explaining how Gary Foxcroft of the UK based charity, the Stepping Stones Nigeria and Sam Ituama of the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network connived to ‘demonise’ Helen Ukpabio and made her a big hate figure around the world.

He said the duo used a documentary which was broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK with some doctored portions of Helen’s film, The End of the Wicked, to draw global attention to the witchcraft problem, and raised money which they used to enrich themselves, without taking care of the kids in whose name the money was raised. The News published interviews granted by the governor of Akwa Ibom state, the Commissioner of Police(CP)and Gary Foxcroft.
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The Nigerian city of Jos once known for its peace and serenity has now become a scene of recurrent ethnoreligious bloodletting. Yesterday, at least 500 persons were reportedly killed in the latest out break of violence in the city. According to eye witnesses, a gang of men suspected to be islamic militants descended on the village of Dogo-Nahawa and attacked the people with matchetes. The militants shot in the air to bring people out of their houses and when they came out, they butchered and beheaded them. Most of the victims were mainly women and children. This latest killing is believed to be a reprisal attack by hausa-fulani muslims who suffered heavy casualties during the riots that broke out in January. In the past 10 years clashes between christian indigenes and muslim settlers have claimed thousands of lives. Attacks and counter attacks between christains and muslims in Jos have erupted several times in the past and are expected to continue in the near future due to the following reasons.
Islamic Imperialism
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I am writing in reaction to the article, “Ethnic Cleansing in Plateau” by Abba Gana Shettima, published in The Guardian (February 1,2010)http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/editorial_opinion/article04//indexn3_html?pdate=010210&ptitle=Ethnic%20cleansing%20in%20Plateau&cpdate=020210 I join Abba Shettima in condemning the recurrent cases of ethnoreligious bloodletting in Jos and in other parts of Plateau state. Until recently, Plateau was a state known for peace, tolerance and harmony amongst the population- both ‘indigenes’ and ‘settlers’. I hope a lasting solution would be found to the orgy of hatred, hostility and violence that has plagued the state in recent times.

But I regard Abba Shettima’s article as biased, inciting and inflammatory. His analysis of the problem in Plateau state was skewed, shallow and sentimental. His perspective lacked objectivity, dept, facts and insight. Abba misrepresented and misdiagnosed the conflict situation in Plateau. He showed lack of understanding of history and of the issues at stake.

Abba presented the crisis as an 'isolated' state backed cleansing of a muslim minority by a christian majority. He tried to play down on the criminality, violence and carnage of Maitatsine, Boko Haram and other jihadist groups in Northern Nigeria.
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Being a welcome address presented by Leo Igwe at the 3rd Darwin Day celebration at Oyo State Library Hall Dugbe Ibadan, on February 16 2010

Our Guest Lecturer, Dr. ‘Kunle Bakare,

Our science teachers and students,

All lovers and promoters of science,

Members of the press, Ladies and Gentlemen.

On behalf of the Center for Inquiry (CFI) Nigeria, I want to welcome you all to this year’s Darwin Day celebration. Darwin Day is celebrated on or near February 12. It is a day set aside to honour the British Scientist, Charles Darwin, who was born on this date. Darwin discovered the theory of evolution by natural selection. The theory of evolution has become the central organizing principle in biology and plays a central role in astronomy, cosmology and other sciences.So Darwin Day is convened to celebrate science and humanity. Science has played a key role in human development, civilization and enlightenment. So on a like this we not only celebrate the logic of scienctific discovery but also the positive and progressive role science in the world.
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Many prominent Nigerians have called for the removal of Nigeria from the list of countries with links to terrorist organisations. They have argued that Nigeria has no business being on that notorious list. Personally I beg to disagree with them. The US should not be in a hurry to de-list Nigeria due to the following reasons.
First of all Nigeria was placed on the terror watch list following a failed attempt by a Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to bomb a US airliner in December. Even though the case has been charged to court, investigations are still going on to determine how this young Nigerian suddenly transformed to a suicide bomber. Because of how terrorist groups operate, time is needed to dig out and piece together all the bits of information before establishing that Nigeria has absolutely no links with terrorist groups.
Some people have argued that Nigerians by their nature are not terrorists. That Farouk got radicalized, and embraced his suicide mission outside Nigeria. Well it depends on their understanding of the term ‘terrorism’. Many of the incidents that are taing place in the country like the attacks and killings in the Niger Delta, Jos, Kano and Kaduna can rightly be described as terrorist. People are not born terrorists. People become terrorists. Osama bin Laden was not born a terrorist. Farouk was not born a terrorist. So, terrorists are made.
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If you are in doubt as to how pastors could be instrumental to fueling or eradicatiing the persecution or execution of alleged witches and wizards then you need to read this report “War over Witches: As Pastors fight over Demons” by Joe Effiong in The Sun of April 21 2009. Effiong reported on the crusade “Coven on the Naked Wire, organised by Nigeria’s witch hunter general, Helen Ukpabio in Uyo Akwa Ibom state. The program was held at Ibom plaza. The poster of the crusade said it all in terms of what the event was all about- a propaganda on witchcraft and witch exorcism. “Are you in bondage, affliction, oppressed or tormented by witches? Come for free deliverance.” Helen must have emphasized the word “free’ to create the impression that she was not charging money for deliverance.
But Nigerians who patronize these penticostal churches and prayer houses know that there is no free deliverance anywhere.
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