Tension Mounts In Delta Community Over Attempts To Burn Down Shrine
By Fred Mudiaga
Unu-Amata, a serene agrarian community in Delta State was in turmoil a fortnight ago following a daring attempt by unknown person(s) to burn down the community’s age long shrine – Ovieshe Deity.
The community leaders are pointing accusing fingers at the deity’s priest -designate, Edafenome Blessing Emadia who turned down their request after the oracles pronounced him as the next high priest of Ovieshe Deity in 2012.
They believe strongly that the priest – designate whose refusal and continuous absence had stalled activities in the shrine for more than a decade, was responsible for the February 10, 2024 attempt to burn down the shrine, and have vowed to eliminate him as a sacrifice to the deity.
The incident triggered a violent protest by youths in the community. The family house of the priest designate and the Anglican Church in Unu – Amata were reportedly torched by the irate youths who staged a traditional procession through the community.
A number of persons perceived to be sympathetic to the family of the priest designate were also brutally attacked during the violent procession.
The anger and resentment against the Emalia family began in April, 2012 immediately after the previous High Priest of Ovishe Deity passed away.
Members of the Emadia family are entrusted with the privileges of the deity as its custodians. But the would-be priest designate must be named by the oracles after series of sacrifices and spiritual consultations.
It was therefore a different ball game when the lot fell on Edafenome, his mother, Dame, Patience. Emadia, a leading light among the Anglican women in Delta State did not want her son to be entangled with fetish and cult related worship. She advised her son who is also a Christian to refuse being initiated as the next high priest of Ovieshe.
There were subtle moves by some elders of the community to cajole Edafenome into accepting to present himself for the elaborate initiation ceremony; moves he consistently rejected.
From then on, Edafenome and his mother who had openly opposed an invitation to Edafenome by the elders became subjects of physical attacks.
On February 28, 2013, Edafenome was attacked by masked gunmen during a visit to a dredging site in Ovia River on the outskirts of Benin City.
Life was becoming increasingly miserable for him and his immediate family as they lived perpetually in fear.
But despite his absence, his mother sustained a fatal road accident on October 20, 2020 after some armed men in blue Toyota Camry, chased the mini bus she hired on her way back from church. The bus eventually rammed into a concrete pavement by the Ikpoba River. The impact was so severe that she broke her legs which were later amputated.
Unfortunately, nobody was arrested over the assault on Dame Emadia. This is so because the Ovieshe Deity is not only a place of traditional worship; it is also a dreaded cult whose membership span across all segments of the society.
Our correspondent gathered that the elders of Unu – Amata Community led by the Clan Head (Okpaku) Simon Erhoja had lodged a report with Uzoro Police Divisions headquarters.
The Unu – Amata Community in their complaint, alleged that members of Emadia family were responsible for the fire incident in Ovieshe shrine. They urged the police to fish out the perpetrator and prosecute them for criminal act.
