UNN, Nigerian Society and Witch Ways

The International Conference on Witchcraft on Tuesday kicked off at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka as scheduled, despite opposition to the conference from the Christian bodies.

Our Correspondent reports that the opening prayer for the conference was conducted by a Catholic priest, while the moderator was a cleric.

Music was also provided by the UNN Christ Chapel choir.

The conference, organised by Prof. B.I.C Ijomah Centre for Policy Studies and Research, UNN, met stiff opposition and criticisms, but organisers rebuffed the calls to cancel the conference, and instead changed the initial theme: “Witchcraft, meanings, factors and practices,” to ”Dimensions of human behaviours.”

UNN management had directed the organisers to drop the initial theme of the conference on account of outcries from various Christian bodies.

However, speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference holding at Nsukka main campus of UNN, the Director of the centre, Prof. Egodi Uchendu, regretted how ordinary academic conference was twisted to cause confusion by social media and other media platforms.

“The casualty of this confusion went beyond being asked by UNN management to change title but also the withdrawal of our keynote speaker, Prof. David Ker.

“I am delighted that social media hyper on the conference didn’t deter participants and organisers from attending the conference, which is completely academic,” she said.

Prof. Damian Opata, in his paper titled “The wealthy are no witches: Towards an Epistemology and Ideology of Witchcraft among the Igbo of Nigeria,” explained that the way witchcraft was propagated and believed by some Nigerians had continued to kill the development of knowledge on the issue.

“Some people have killed the initiative for creative indigenous thinking because of mere belief in witchcraft.

“Pastors, prophets, seers in the foreign religions and charismatic priests of variegated persuasions very frequently use perceived attacks by witches and wizards to put fear in the minds and hearts of their various congregations.”

Continuing, he said, “The truth is, for those who believe that witches and wizards exist, it exists for them; and those who believe it does not exist, it doesn’t exist.

“What we are doing today is completely an academic conference; it’s unfortunate that some people tried on social media to give it  different interpretations.”

Head of Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the UNN, Prof. Peter-Jazzy Eze, who spoke on what he titled, “Which witch? What Anthropology knows of the Adult Bugbear,” explained that witchcraft did not exist but only existed in the mind of the people who believed in it.

“Science and technology have overtaken the superstitious belief of witchcraft, which has no practical proof.”

Eze said it was time Africa dropped the belief in witchcraft and embraced robust knowledge in science and technology, “the application of which is very practical and verifiable.”

“If Africans can fully embrace science and technology, in the next 50 years, there will be nothing like superstitious belief in witchcraft, ” he said. Punch

A lawyer’s angle

Despite the concerted efforts and prayers of Religious groups and organizations in Nigeria, the University of Nigeria Nsuka on Tuesday the 26th of November 2019 held Nigeria’s first highly controversial and much talked about “Witchcraft Conference”.

Organized by Egodi Uchendu, director of B.I.C. Ijomah Centre for Policy Studies at the university, the conference seeks to feature academics reviewing journals and information gathered over the years on witchcraft. The theme of witchcraft is only a topic for academic engagement.

While the conference has shown that it is not actually a gathering of people dressed in Black with pointy hats and flying on broomsticks, i think it a bit amusing to inform Nigerians about the position of Nigerian law as regards “Witchcraft”.

Section 210 of Nigeria’s Criminal Code Act States:

 Any person who-

(a)            by his statements or actions represents himself to be a witch or to have the power of witchcraft; or

(b)            accuses or threatens to accuse any person with being a witch or with having the power of witchcraft; or

(c)            makes or sells or uses, or assists or takes part in making or selling or using, or has in his possession or represents himself to be in possession of any juju, drug or charm which is intended to be used or reported to possess the power to prevent or delay any person from doing an act which such person has a legal right to do, or to compel any person to do an act which such person has a legal right to refrain from doing, or which is alleged or reported to possess the power of causing any natural phenomenon or any disease or epidemic; or

(d)            directs or controls or presides at or is present at or takes part in the worship or invocation of any juju which is prohibited by an order of the State Commissioner; or

(e)            is in possession of or has control over any human remains which are used or are intended to be used in connection with the worship of invocation of any juju; or

(f)            makes or uses or assists in making or using, or has in his possession anything whatsoever the making, use or possession of which has been prohibited by an order as being or believed to be associated with human sacrifice or other unlawful practice;

               is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable to imprisonment for two years.

From all incantations……sorry i mean indications, the position of Nigeria’s law is unambiguous about this issue although i’d admit in my years as a lawyer with experience in Criminal litigation matters i am yet to come across a case that involves the trial of a witch. Besides if convicted, how does the Nigerian Government intend on imprisoning such a person? I doubt Nigeria’s prisons are equipped for such a magical task. In my honest and somewhat facetious view i think the law against Witchcraft was promulgated in a time where myth and superstitions held sway over most Nigerians and prosecuting it in today’s world would be a tough concoction.

I’m Fredrick Nwanji and I’m a Lawyer.

To get more news and updates, Follow me on Twitter @RickAnji and on the Opera News App @LawAngle