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Tag: PRIEST

  • Anxiety in Imo community where priest shot church member dead

    Anxiety in Imo community where priest shot church member dead

    • Deceased boy not from our village – Residents
    • Embattled priest has been with us for 25 years – Catechist

    Residents of Obodo, Amaimo community in Ikeduru Local Government Area, Imo State are in the grips of anxiety over the killing of a 20-year-old boy by a Catholic priest, Rev. Father Joseph Enyinnaya.

    The bloody incident, which occurred at St Columbus Catholic Church Amaimo on Tuesday, reportedly occurred when the priest in charge of the parish released a gunshot into the air in response to knockout explosives reportedly fired by some young boys who attended the new year crossover mass.

    A stray bullet from the priest’s revolver was said to have claimed the life of one of the boys and left another seriously injured.

    Reacting to the incident, the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, in statement made available to The Nation, described the incident as unfortunate.

    He said: The Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri highly regrets the shooting incident that took place on the eve of the New Year at the premises of St Columbus Catholic Church Amaimo, leading to the death of the young man and wounding of another.

    The Archdiocese of Owerri condoles with the breached family and prays for the happy repose of the dead and the steady recovery of the injured.

    “Meanwhile, the police are investigating the incident and the circumstances surrounding it.

    “We, therefore, call for calm at St Columbus Prish, Amaimo.”

    Approached for comments, some of the villagers were reluctant to speak for fear of possible arrest and interrogation by security agents.

    A youth leader, who craved anonymity, cautiously revealed that the deceased was not from their village.

    “He’s not our son,” the youth leader said, his voice barely above a whisper.

    “We don’t know much about what happened.”

    The reluctance of the youth leader to throw more light on the blood-chilling incident and the villagers’ eerie silence suggest that they may be covering up or avoiding discussions on the incident.

    The atmosphere in the village remains tense with many residents seemingly afraid to speak.

    However, some eyewitnesses revealed that the victim and his peers were throwing bangers while the mass was on.

    A resident close to the church told The Nation yesterday that the priest drew out his revolver and shot twice in the air, but one of the bullets accidentally killed the boy.

    The resident said: “The boys were shooting the bangers while the mass was on, and the people were scared by the sound of the banger.

    “The parish priest came out and shot in the air to probably scare the boys, but one of the bullets hit the deceased.

    “We believe it was a mistake.”

    But the incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with some residents expressing surprise that a priest could be in possession of a gun.

    “We do not know that men of God carry arms,” one resident said.

    Some, however, berated the boys for disrupting the mass.

    Read Also: Catholic Priest arrested for shooting dead teenager in church

    “The boys were throwing banger, and the sound of the banger was disrupting the mass and disturbing the people,” an okada rider who gave his name as Nonoye said.

    However, the Catechist of the parish, Policarp Opara, said although he was not present when the incident occurred, there was no way the Catholic Priest would have deliberately shot the victim, even as he attested to the integrity and credibility of the Reverend Father whom he said he had known for two and a half decades as an ideal man of God.

    Opara said: “I have known him since he has been in the parish 25 years ago. He has never been involved in anything that is questionable.

    “I was not in the church for the night programme because I was having a thanksgiving programme on the 1st of January.

    “So, I did not attend the mass on the eve of the incident, because I couldn’t have stayed the night and still wake up in the morning for the thanksgiving event which took place at 6.30am.

    “So, I do not speak on what I don’t know. I speak on what I know and can defend at any time.

    “I also have no reasonable source who has narrated to me what transpired.

    “As I told you, I was not there when it happened, but I know it was a mistake as the reverend father couldn’t have shot the victim deliberately.”

    The catechist added: “There will be a meeting of the Parish Council where what actually happened will be discussed.

    “I will be there at the meeting which the Council Chairman will call very soon to discuss the issue.

    “I know that the Parish Priest cannot deliberately kill someone. He is a good priest who the whole of Amaimo recently celebrated his Silver Jubilee priestly ordination.”

    Contacted, the traditional ruler of the community, HRH Eze VC Achionye (the Udo 1 of Obodo Amaimo Autonomous Community), said he was at a meeting and promised to get back to our reporter later.

    He, however, had not done at the time of filling our report.

    The embattled priest has since been arrested by the Imo State Police Command with investigation in top gear.

    The police spokesman in the state, Henry Okoye (ASP), who confirmed the arrest, said investigation was ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

  • Assistant Priest kills, burns boss’ corpse on altar in Osun

    Assistant Priest kills, burns boss’ corpse on altar in Osun

    Tragedy struck in Ile-Ife, Osun State when an Assistant Priest Lekan Ogundipe killed the Presiding Priest of Celestial Church of Christ at Omitoto area, Evangelist Moris Fadehan inside church and burnt his corpse on the altar.

    The Nation gathered that the incident occurred on Monday evening after the presiding priest resumed for prayer.

    Ogundipe was said to ambushed him with bell, knives and nails, stabbing him repeatedly.

    It was learnt that unresolved case of physical assault by the Assistant Priest on a prophetess simply identified as Mummy Ewa last Wednesday caused a rift between the duo.  

    The owner of the church, Pa Olafare in a video obtained on Tuesday explained: “The deceased had reported to me that he was to disengage Lekan (suspect) as his assistant over many unlawful acts.

    “Most recent of it include the assault on a prophetess in the church last week Wednesday and I agreed with him, but he added that he will take the decision after consulting with the elders.

    “But while I was about to eat on Monday evening, the said Lekan came to the house and told me fire was burning on the deceased body and that he was lifeless on the floor.

    ” I drove back with him and my wife to the church where we found the deceased body burnt inside the church.

    “We discovered blood stained on different parts of his body and cuts. While asking him how he got the stains, he attempted to run. We grabbed him and lock him in my car before calling in the police.

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    “We unwrapped the deceased body and discovered that there was nail in his ear and several cut on the head and neck before we took the body to the morgue of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife.

    “Meanwhile Lekan later confessed to the police that he perpetrated the crime because of dispute with the deceased.”

    The Prophetess explained: “the suspect attacked me last week Wednesday when I told him to stop telling members that we were in a relationship, Pastor Fadehan met the unfortunate inident and warned Lekan against assault on the Church.”

    Osun Police spokesman Yemisi Opalola confirmed Ogundipe, who is the suspect, had been arrested and the corpse of Pastor Fadehan deposited in the morgue for autopsy.

  • Catholic priest, others freed

    Catholic priest, others freed

    Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Samuel Aniebonem of St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Awka, Anambra State, allegedly detained by the police, has regained freedom.

    Aniebonem was detained by the police, alongside other persons over claims of being members of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) on September 27.

    Mazi Chris Mocha, MASSOB Director of Information,confirmed their release in a statement  in Awka yesterday.

    The statement said seven other persons allegedly detained by the police alongside Aniebonem, have also regained freedom.

    Mocha stated that those freed alongside the cleric included an octogenarian, Chief Sylvester Dinyelu, Chief Peter Udemefuna, Mr Udebunu Anachuna, driver to the cleric and Christian Ifeji, among others.

    The leader of MASSOB in Anambra Central, Chief James Ezeani, through the MASSOB Director of Information, confirmed the release of the detained persons.

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    Mocha, also a Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, the MASSOB leader, commended the police for their quick investigation that led to the released of the persons.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Catholic priest was detained when he stormed the Anti-kidnapping squad office at Awkuzu, to inquire on why his in-law Dinyelu was arrested.

    Instead of getting an answer, the police detained him alongside his driver and others.

    Dinyelu was said to have been arrested with two others at MASSOB office located within Oyeagu/Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra, when the Anti kidnapping squad stormed the office on September 25.

    The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ikenga Tochukwu, (DSP), confirmed the detention when contacted

  • Priest wants Christians in politics as Catholics mark Good Friday

    Catholics worldwide troop out in their numbers to commemorate the story of the Old Rugged Cross on Good Friday.

    For congregants of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Shasha-Akowonjo, Lagos, this yearly tradition is a highly anticipated event.

    This year was not any different as the church’s youth wing reenacted the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at Calvary.

    They performed before a teeming crowd which gathered at St Vincent Primary School, Shasha-Akowonjo, Lagos, and on major streets in the environs.

    The catholic faithfuls trekked over 1.5km through the neighbourhoods as part of traditions to embark on a spiritual journey with the crucified Christ as He staggered on the cross’s awful weight to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull.

    Speaking about the essence of the re-enactment, Rev. Father Nathaniel Ogar MSP, Priest in Charge, said that it’s to bring to one’s consciousness the unfathomable love of God for man that has brought renewal not only just to mankind but to the entire cosmos.

    According to him, Easter inspires hope. “As Christians let the Easter reality fan the flame of faith for a better tomorrow. The current state of insecurity and hopelessness should rather strengthen our resolves to participate actively in the socio-economic and political life of our country. In other words, we should work our prayers for justice and protection of our common good,” he said.

  • Police arrest priest, father as woman dies in shrine

    The police in Ogun State have arrested an Ayelala priest over the death of a 25-year-old woman, Idowu Ogunkoya, at his shrine.

    Also arrested was the victim’s father, Temitayo Ogunkoya, said to have taken her to the shrine to be exorcised of alleged witchcraft.

    The incident occurred on Sunday at Ojuolota, Ijesha Road in Ago-Iwoye. It was gathered that the priest, Lekan Olukolu, was apprehended following a complaint at Ago-Iwoye Police Division by the deceased’s fiancée, Lucky Oghenetega.

    Idowu, it was gathered, was taken to the shrine by her parents to be “delivered of witchcraft”.

    It was learnt that Oghenetega told the police that the priest shaved the deceased’s hair and gave her a liquid substance to drink.

    “She slumped and died immediately after consuming the liquid substance,” Oghenetega said. Police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said detectives were led to the shrine where the priest and Temitayo were arrested.

    He said: “Police Commissioner Ahmed Iliyasu has ordered that the case be transferred to Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for proper investigation.

    “The police commissioner warned the public to desist from primitive and barbaric ways of dealing with matters, especially issues concerning human lives. The command will not tolerate such archaic practices, capable of terminating innocent people’s life unnecessarily.”

  • Breaking: Police rescue kidnapped Imo Priest, arrest three suspects

    Breaking: Police rescue kidnapped Imo Priest, arrest three suspects

    The Police in Imo State have arrested three suspects involved on the kidnap of a Catholic Priest, Father Charles Nwachukwu around 8pm on Friday.
    Ogadinma Ajonuwma, Chinedu Odoemenam, Uzoma Mejuru, all natives of Agbaja in Nwangele Local Government Area (LGA) were arrested Sunday night by the command’s anti-kidnapping squad.
    It was gathered that the police also rescued the Priest at Agbaja Forest in Nwangele unhurt and recovered his golden Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) marked WER334NJ.
    Father Nwachukwu was kidnapped at Amauzari in Isiala Mbano LGA, on his way from Owerri Airport, where he dropped off a guest. From there, he was moved to Nwangele forest.
    The policemen also busted a shrine where human head, 80 rounds of AK47 rifle ammunition and three magazines were recovered.
    Police Commissioner (CP) Chris Ezike confirmed the arrest, adding that victim has identified the suspects.
    He also confirmed the recoveries from the shrine, adding investigation was ongoing.

  • ‘How I snubbed law to become a priest’

    ‘How I snubbed law to become a priest’

    Rt Rev Olukayode Adeogun will be installed as Bishop of Methodist Church Diocese of Ereko today. He spoke with Adeola Ogunlade on his ministerial journey and agenda for the diocese. Excerpts:

    When did you decide to become a minister?

    My ambition in life was to be a lawyer. This was because my father wanted me to be a lawyer and my only brother a pastor.  My parents were dedicated and committed Methodists.

    After my secondary school, instead of buying Jamb form and filling law as the course of study as expected by my father, I went to buy a form at a theological seminary as interest in the things of God had consumed me as a child.

    To my surprise, my brother bought Jamb form and filled law as the course of study. Today, he is a respected lawyer.  Each time I’m faced with any challenge, I noticed that God almighty always showed up in a big way.

    After secondary school, I lived with my uncle in Ilorin and I became a member of Methodist Cathedral, Taiwo Road, Ilorin. I became one of the founding members of Methodist church, Olorunsogo, Ilorin.

    Then, I received the call of God into ministry in early 1983. I was ordained at the Synod of Diocese of Ilesa in 1984. I began to work for God.  When I decided to go and study, the Diocese where I was ministering sponsored me through school. I was admitted to Immanuel College for Theology and Christian Education in September 1984 for ministerial training and formation. I graduated in June 1987 with Diploma in Religious Studies at the University of Ibadan and Diploma in Theology.

    I was commissioned a Deacon at Methodist Cathedral, Elekuro, in June 1987. After commissioning, the conference posted me to Trinity Methodist Church, Itesi, Abeokuta, where l served for three years.

    I was ordained a priest on 24th November, 1990 at Methodist Cathedral, Agbeni, Ibadan. My quest to acquire more knowledge took me to the University of Ilorin from 1990 to 1994 where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Comparative Religious Studies.

    What are your thoughts on pastoring and challenges of the 21st century?

    Pastors must be in tune with new technology to be able to preach the gospel effectively in today’s world. A pastor must be a model for the church. Christ died to present to God a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle. This ideal every pastor should represent in their places of worship.

    The truth is church is not a business venture or for business men. Pastoral work is a work to serve God and serve humanity. It is sad that some pastors have lost their calling and are busy chasing shadow and mundane things that will not matter in eternity.

    How did your balance theological training with priestly roles?

    Successful pastors in any part of the world are educated and knowledgeable people.  Pastors deal with theories and practical. Theory is academic. The need to read, study, internalise and find better way of interacting with the congregation is very germane.

    Do combining academic and priestly roles help to balance the knowledge in preaching and counselling?

    There is nothing in life that does not warrant training. The early Apostles of Jesus were trained by Jesus for three and half years. Elijah had a school of prophets and Paul leveraged his knowledge as a lawyer, historian and theological education in his pastoral duties.

    Paul’s training made him to write 13 epistles of the scriptures. He wrote the highest number of books in the bible because he married law with theological education. After Paul’s conversion, he learnt Arabic language for three years and was thoroughly trained by Peter, the head of the church. Peter took him through the various experiences and encounter they had with Jesus.

    34 years after in ministry, what have you learnt?

    I have leant the acts of submission to God. I have leant obedience and how to be a disciple. Things may not come the way you want but I have learnt to walk with God and place everything in his hands. God will make everything beautiful in His own time.

     

    What is your take on the Southern Kaduna crisis and possible ways out?

    The craze for money from Saudi Arabia by some state governors in Nigeria has led to some unwholesome development in parts of the north. In their bid to get money from some of the Islamic banks, they place some conditions on the governors.

    The law restricting people from worshipping God privately or publicly in a peaceful atmosphere as enshrined in our constitutions has been eroded in Kaduna State with the bye laws enacted by the El-Rufai government last year.

    During the debate and outcries over the bye laws, the federal government should have called EI-Rufai to order.  It is important to note the Constitution shows that the federation or the state shall not adopt a religion.

    On the other hand, there is provision to the effect that every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and to propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

    Sections 10 and 38 state that anyone has the right to preach his or her religion without any molestation. The constitution existed before the Kaduna bye law and supersedes the bye-laws. The constitution binds all of us together irrespective of our differences in religion, tribe, language, culture or tradition.

    I appreciate the fact that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has cried against it.  They have said no Christian should approach any state agency to get license to preach within its own four walls.

    There is no state in Nigeria that is independent so long as every state in Nigeria still takes allocation from the federal government.

    However, Christians will be of great influence to their neighbours in northern parts of the country by their lives, attitudes and relationship with them.

    Christianity is not a religion but living like Jesus. Christians have influenced many societies not just with preaching but with their lives truly representing Jesus within their communities.

    What is your agenda for the Diocese?

    God has placed us in a very strategic and peculiar way. We are placed in the market and that certainly is not by accident; it is divine. God is expecting us to instil godliness in men and women that are in the lower cadre of our economy in Nigeria.

    Righteousness and faithfulness remain very strong on my mind as I take up the mantle of leadership in this Diocese. Market evangelism is one of my visions in this Diocese. The Cathedral is in the market.

    We are placed strategically to reach the people with the gospel. The focus of the church is to expand God’s kingdom here on earth.

    My agenda is to increase the number of local churches we have and increase numerical strength of the church. We believe in scriptural holiness and the full gospel.

    With our social ministry to the people within that area, before long, we will have a secondary school because government has stopped moral education and devotions. Moral teaching has a place in our children. Faithful leaders in government are results of their back grounds.

  • Stop promoting religious violence, priest warns pastors

    A Catholic priest has condemned the call for violence by some religious leaders in the country. Very Reverend Father Philip Hoteyin said Christian leaders whose utterances promote violence have derailed from the teachings of Christ and would be “eternally condemned” for the bloodshed which their inciting preaching may generate.

    The Catholic priest spoke to The Nation after a special mass to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Association of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, which was held at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base in Ikeja, Lagos.

    The priest urged Christians not to heed the call by the religious leaders to retaliate killings in the Southern part of Kaduna State, where suspected armed herdsmen recently slayed hundreds of Christian residents.

    Hoteyin described retaliation as “a way of the devil”, urging Christian leaders to desist from preaching violence. He called on Nigerians to work for peace.

    He said: “Christian leaders calling for violent retaliation for the killings in the Southern Kaduna have had their minds moved away from the teachings of God. By doing so, they are preparing their minds and souls to be eternally condemned by God. They are two kinds of condemnations. There is human condemnation, which is temporary. There is also God’s condemnation, which is eternal.

    “It was observed that these proponents of violence are being deceived by the praises which people shower on them. The one who deceives himself is the worst of deceivers. Everybody may deceive you by showering praises on you, but you are deceiving yourself. Nobody can predict the consequence of these violent utterances. Anything can happen. We must emulate Christ as advocate of peace. It is left for those preachers to speak to their hearts on whether they are toing the path created by Jesus by calling for retaliation.”

    Hoteyin, who is the immediate past National Spiritual Director of the association, urged people across religious divides to purify their hearts and work for peace. Describing Nigeria as the most religious country, the priest said people needed to be tolerant and sincere to achieve peace.

    “If we have larger hearts to accommodate and tolerate one another, we will achieve peace in this country. God, who created all of us, is a loving father. He wants us to flourish and live happily among ourselves. Whether we obey him or not, God wants every human he created to have peace. This is for our wellbeing. The peace must come with fear of God,” he said.

    In his homily taken from John 14:27-28, Hoteyin admonished members of the association to purify their hearts and souls, saying the event was a reminder of the core values of association, which include achieving peace through spirituality.

    He cautioned members of the congregation against using negative words on one another, saying God does not like people who use abusive words on their companions.

    He said: “In Catholic church, we believe everyone has the spirit of Jesus inside his body and that is the way to achieve purity of heart and soul. We lose this spirit the moment we start voicing out abusive words against our fellow brethren. Such a soul is left to be occupied by the devil. Christians must learn to speak good at all times.”

    During the solemn admission of candidates into the association, its national president, Group Captain E.J. Ebiye (rtd), said the objective of the association was to enthrone sacred heart of Jesus in every Catholic Church member’s home to sanctify and protect their families.

    He told the devotees to promote faith, humility, obedience, perseverance and holiness through their actions. He said trials would always come during a service for God, but urged the devotees to always remember God’s protective arms over their affairs.

    Ebiye said: “Sometimes, anxieties, distress, suffering, grave trials, hardship, period of forced isolation and disappointment may come during the service to God; we must always remember that God’s protective arms are underneath to support us. All these things sometimes happen to us to prepare us for greater joy. God can change the thorns of life into a crown of glory.

    “The sacred heart of Jesus through the intercession of the immaculate heart of Mary is ever ready to come to our aid in any situation. The devotees should be reminded that Jesus is the only faithful solution to all our problems when the world is against us. There is no disappointment in Jesus Christ. I urge the devotees to live a life of holiness, because there is possibility to become saints by our devotion and prayers to the sacred heart of Jesus.”

    In his keynote address, National Chaplain of the association, Reverend Father Anthony Umoh, said the golden jubilee celebration was remarkable, because it propagated the core values which Jesus championed.

    He said: “We have gathered to celebrate Jesus whose heart is a delight to all who seek him with sincere heart. The anniversary affords us opportunity to re-focus our devotion by offering prayers for the economic, social and political emancipation of our country reeling under deadly insurgency, poverty, religious intolerance and socio-economic tension.

    “The efficacy of our devotion to the sacred heart of Jesus and immaculate heart of Mary can bring good to the church and the country. I enjoin the devotees to remain committed to the objectives of the association. They must be in constant communion with the saints.”

    The event featured special mass for the immediate past National Spiritual Director, Huteyin, and his successor, awards presentations and giving of Holy Communion to all members. More than 3,000 devotees from across the country and abroad attended the event.

     

  • NANS honours priest

    NANS honours priest

    For Pastor Tina Bolanta, managing the education arm of the Restoration Bible Church and Ministries is just a call to duty and a way of assisting her cleric husband in his calling. For her, the Day Star Christian Academy, Lifespring Christian Academy and Mercy Home Orphanage Schools (primary and secondary) were just part of the ministery.

    She perhaps never thought anyone was watching until the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) came calling. Their mission, according to their President, Adeola Kassim, was to honour her with the “Epitome of Leadership” award for her selfless service to God and humanity.

    NANS president said the association has been following Pastor Tina’s leadership qualities for a long time.

    According to him, the award was initiated by the students to recognise those who have contributed to socio-economic development of the nation especially in the area of education. He said the honour bestowed on her was not political or religious, adding that the student body made up of over 41 million Nigerian students of different political, tribal and religious backgrounds decided to set these differences aside to honor her for her contribution to moral and spiritual growth of the Nigerian youth.

    For the leadership of the church, Kassim has a word of advice for them. He said the award was very important to Nigeria students. To them, he said the award was equal to the national honour given to political and economic giants by government.

    He said, “I am a Muslim. I have condemned the activities of Boko Haram. I believe that it is a result of the failure of our legal system where everybody sets up a mosque and church to mislead their congregation. It is not a political honour, but one based on principles. If she is doing what motivates us to come to give her this honour, we will not hesitate to come back. It is more important to us in the student community than the national honour”.

    In accepting the award, Pastor Bolanta paid tribute to the entire staff of Day Star Christian Academy to whom she dedicated the award. She told the students that she was proud to be associated with them. She said, “It is our joy to see that you are not allowing where you come from to tell on your differences or where you worship to stop what you are doing in the various institutions where you come from. I am very honoured and very happy to receive the award. When do what you are asked to do or what you are called to do, you don’t do it thinking that you are going to get rewarded. Students of Day Star are studying in universities all over the world and doing very well. We are not there yet, but we are on our way to where we want to be.”

    On his part, the General Overseer of Restoration a Bible Church and Ministries and husband of the recipient, Revv. Tunde Bolanta ask leaders in the country to always listed the youths. “It is good to listen to the youth talk. That is a challenge and I pray that our leaders will realise that if our forefathers had not behaved the way they did, we won’t be here today.”

  • Benin Crown Prince ‘wrestles’ Okhuaihe priest

    The Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, has “wrestled” with the Chief Priest of Okhuaihe Shrine, Osarodion Usuanlele, the Ohen N’Ukoni Neyedo.

    The symbolic wrestling took place at the weekend as part of the coronation rites of the frontline monarch.

    The Okhuaihe Shrine is located at Evbuekoi in Uhunwode Local Government Area.

    After the symbolic wrestling, both of them went opposite ways and are never to meet again, once the Crown Prince becomes the Oba.

    The Okhuaihe Chief Priest will not enter Benin again and whenever the Oba wants to pass through the vicinity, the Chief Priest would leave the area. It is an abomination for the Okhuaihe Chief Priest to visit Benin.

    As part of the rites and rituals, the Crown Prince visited the Chief Priest around 7:55 p.m and both proceeded to the sacred forest in the community where some rites were performed.

    The Crown Prince left Evuekoi for Azama N’Uhe ancestral shrine at Oloton’s palace on Isekhere Street, where some traditional rites were performed as part of the coronation rituals.