“A promise made is a debt unpaid.” —Robert W. Service
By Cosmas Omegoh
Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mba of Enugu State last week submitted a bill to the state House of Assembly seeking to regulate the activities of native doctors in the state in a bid to tackle banditry and kidnapping in the Coal City.
The activities of some native doctors, herbalists, seers, spiritualists, among others, had attained such a vexing crescendo in recent times across the country, particularly in the Eastern region.
In Enugu State, the practitioners among them the female ‘Ezenwanyi’ are ruining people in the state, the governor has found out. Equally, kidnapping and banditry particularly by criminal Fulani herdsmen and their local accomplices are equally becoming atrocious. But Governor Mbah is rising to the challenge.
The Enugu helmsman was particularly jolted recently by the alleged discovery of the evil activities of a certain native doctor, Ezeani, operating in the Ezeagu axis of the state. The man was allegedly deeply involved in ritual murder, a shocking discovery that has left many natives and residents in stitches, triggering outrage as well.
But last week, Governor Mbah in response, moved to grind out legislation to confront the new wave.
The governor’s deft move came on the heels of a similar act by his neighbour and counterpart, Prof Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State. The professor governor had sought to curtail the activities of criminal native doctors in the state, resting his conviction on the premise that they were fast becoming a nuisance and, therefore, should be cut to size. So he initiated a bill to regulate their practices and ensure that sanity once again returned to the sacred practice of the people’s ancestors.
Many are in sync with Governors Soludo and Mbah that the activities of unscrupulous native doctors had become harmful. They reasoned that the optics of their actions were eroding the youths capability of engaging in genuine acts capable of preparing them to earn honest wealth. They were sad that many youths are now turning their gaze on easy money and means many can hardly decipher.
There is this general belief that the current rave among the youths and older people alike, if not checked, has the character of killing the spirit of hard work for which the people of the Southeast are well known for. It was observed particularly that thus far, many youths had begun shunning the now world-acclaimed wealth multiplication scheme “Igba Odibo or Igba Boi” associated with the people. And what is more: that the new evil focus is causing a spike in the spate of ritual murder thus causing an alien culture of people disappearing without traces and killed for money rituals.
The Mbah bill entitled “Maintenance of Internal Security, Vigilance and Order,” will among other things, outlaw money rituals otherwise known as ‘Okite’, criminal bulletproof charms, otherwise known as ‘Odeshi.’
When it comes into effect in Enugu State, illicit spiritualists will either comply with the spirit of the legislation or look elsewhere to ply their trade; their activities will be outlawed.
The bill also provides various fines and jail terms for offenders. However, native doctors who are genuine in their intent and purposes will have to submit to the regulation by the state government.
In particular, Section 15 of the bill says: “Any person who, under the guise of spiritual or traditional practice (including but not limited to the practices commonly referred to as ‘okite’, ‘ezenwanyi’, or any other mystical or ritual name/form) administers or causes to be administered any charm, substance, or object on or for another person, for the purpose of: (a) invincibility and other forms of protection to facilitate the commission of any criminal offence; or (b) acquiring wealth or benefits by supernatural means outside any lawful means of livelihood, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of six (6) years or to a fine of not less than five million naira (N5,000,000), or both.”
Section 3 (1), the provisions also says: “Every person, who engages in the practice or rendering of spiritual services within the state, whether as a native doctor, herbalist, spiritualist, chief priest, diviner, seer, or by any other traditional or spiritual title or designation, shall be registered with the ministry, department or agency (MDA) of the state as may be designated by the Governor for that purpose.
“Practising without registration will attract a fine of not less than N1 million and not more than N5 million or two-year imprisonment or both.”
The bill also outlaws illegal use or occupation of forests and property for criminal activities, warning that those involved would be held accountable.
Under Section 13, “Any person found in a camp, bush, or forest within Enugu State without any reasonable or lawful cause, and under circumstances giving rise to reasonable suspicion of involvement in any criminal activity, shall be promptly handed over to the Nigeria Police Force or any competent security agency for proper investigation in accordance with the law.”
It added: “Any person who owns, occupies, or has control over any land or building, whether located in a forest or elsewhere, and knowingly allows it to be used as a camp, hideout, or base for kidnapping, the unlawful detention of victims, the collection of ransom, or for any other activity connected to kidnapping or banditry, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of twenty (20) years without the option of a fine.”
The bill criminalises individuals who through their conduct lend themselves to contravening the law; they too will be punished. Private security operators in the state will be duly registered, just as communities would be demanded to give reports of their security activities as the case may be.
Money, property, and other proceeds of theft, robbery, kidnapping, among others would be forfeited to the Enugu State Government. Landlords and proprietors of hotels, guest houses, and estate associations are required to cooperate with the relevant authorities in securing their areas.
Thus far, flowers have been handed to Governor Mbah for rising to curb the tide of criminality now facing his state.
Some analysts are upbeat about the success of the Mbah drive and want him not only to increase, but also to sustain the momentum of his effort for effect. They want the governor to confront the audacity of the so-called criminal Fulani herders operating with gusto particularly in Eha Amufu, Uzo Uwani and other parts of the state with the full might of the government.
Amid applause, however, some persons have also drawn the attention of the governor and other elected persons to systemic rot that has become the lot of Nigeria. This, they claim, is relentlessly pushing many youths into crime. Those holding this view are resolute that the past and present governments have been ruinous with their conduct and rhetoric and by providing little tangibles that would have encouraged the youths to prepare a solid future for themselves.
A segment of the people contended that both the government and society have been bad examples to the youths through obscene displays of suspected ill-gotten wealth. Such displays, some people emphasis, transmit bad signals that hard work no longer has its rightful place in the society especially when the youths graduate from school and don’t have jobs to do.
Having identified a part of the existential threat facing the people of Enugu State, Governor Mbah must therefore rise and practically lead the war against the ills on all fronts by going beyond rhetoric. He will be taken a lot more seriously if he does so.