Of Jukun Culture and Traditions: The Aku Uka's Funeral and Matters Arising

(By Moses E Ochonu) – The Aku Uka’s Funeral and Matters Arising 

    The recent funeral of the late Aku Uka of Wukari, the traditional ruler of the ancient Jukun empire, one of the oldest in the Nigerian territorial areas in Nigeria. Thanks to social media and the democratization of audiovisual and photographic technology, many of us got to watch it unfold in real-time or real-time videos of it. 

    Already, instead of celebrating this beautifully passionate display of an ancient, traditional African funerary practice and its self-affirming and proud survival in the face of colonial and postcolonial pressures, I see derisive and dismissive contempt for the rites from the usual suspects. 

    The sight of thousands of men, women, boys, and children dressed in the traditional, hand-woven Jukun tie-dyed loincloth and adoringly marching, singing, and ululating to send their beloved king to the other side is remarkable. 

    But not everyone is impressed. The Pentecostal crowd is out in full force, condemning what it sees as demonic, cultic funeral rituals of the late king’s transition to the land of the ancestors. The problem I have with my Pentecostal brethren is that they sometimes have a hard time accepting a world where people of other religions can find their path to God or spiritual happiness. And they insist on applying the logic and exegetical rules of their faith to other religions and belief systems. 

Nigeria, Nollywood, Magical Religiosity, and Ritual Murders

(By Dr. Luke Emehiele Ijezie) – The Rise in Ritual Murders and Poisoning: Influence of Nollywood and Magical Religiosity 

    The Nigerian society is currently awash with increasing cases of ritual killings and maimings of people through one form of occultic violence or the other. It is still a mystery how these things work, but one needs not underrate the reality and power of demonic forces. The troubling thing is that the phenomenon appears to be fuelled by our movie industry, Nollywood, and our Pentecostal type religiosity together with the ever increasing healing and adoration centres. 

    The movie industry dramatizes and celebrates ritually acquired wealth. People are given the false impression that they can achieve breakthrough in life instantly by simply passing through a ritual process, which most of the time involves the killing or maiming of somebody. The situation is that someone is some where celebrating the arrival of new wealth and fame while some other is heartbroken somewhere because of the killing of a loved one perpetrated by the celebrant of the new wealth. 

Of Nollywood Films and Ritual Killings: The Gods Are Not To Blame

(By Peace Anyiam-Osigwe MFR) – THE gods ARE TO BLAME

     The high level of ignorance exhibited by the members of our house of representatives, in deciding that the fact that our films mirror our societies ills is the reason money making rituals are on the rise, is inexcusable.  

    Unfortunately, this shows how little our so called political leaders actually understand the structures with which the Nigerian film industry operates. 

    For one, we are one of the few countries in the world that has a censorship board rather than a classification board and our films are made within the ability to get the censorship certificates. 

    Do we depict rituals in our films? Yes. 

    However, most of our stories are derived from actual events witnessed or reported by the media – and in some cases, told by victims or individuals related to the story or cases. 

    Our eroded value system has a lot to do with the total collapse of our cultural values which consumption of material wealth is the evidence of suceess. Our political structure portrays immediate wealth after or through successfully winning an election by stealing or manipulating votes. 

    Stories abound as how political aspirants have to swear oaths of allegiance to their godfathers, as prostitutes, who are being trafficked abroad also do. 

Nigerian Youth, Popular Culture, and Ritual Killing

Taaooma Comedy: RITUALIST // JONATHAN JOBURG

 

"I Am Not Strong in the Face of Grief" - Adichie

I Am Not Strong In The Face Of Grief - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

 

Of the Church and Compassionate Priests: "The Priest Matters" - Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Addresses The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria. August 25th, 2021