How My Family Killed My Brother, Threatened To Kill Me Over Refusal To Worship Egungun Deity

ABEOKUTA – A man, Olusegun Emmanuel Oladosu, has raised the alarm over an alleged attempt by his family to force him to step into the shoes of his father as the leader Egungun deity.

Oladosu on phone interrogation expressed concern that despite resistance, his family led by one of his uncles identified as Chief Apena has allegedly continued to harass, molest and threaten him.

He also insisted that the family was allegedly responsible for the death of his elder brother, who reportedly died mysteriously after his refusal to join the worship of the deity.

Egungun is a deity with a colorful dress. It is one of the greatest divinities in the land of Yoruba. Egungun in the broadest sense is any Yoruba masquerade or masked, costumed figure.

It is one of the deities with the largest followers in Yorubaland and Africa at large.

Oladosu, who claimed his father was one of the foremost leaders of deity in Africa before his death, added that his uncle, alongside some other family members, allegedly attacked him with charms and thugs.

He also said his house was ransacked, and his properties were destroyed.

He also lamented that event after running to hide at his mother inlaws residence, the Egungun adherents invaded the house and he had to jump through the fence which led to him having a fracture on his left leg ankle.

He further explained, “I am Mr. Olusegun Emmanuel Oladosu of 22, Jebe, Iloye Temidire sango ota Ogun state, I was born into a family where the religions belief is firmly established in the African Traditional religious worship, to be precise worship of the Egungun deity.

“During my father’s lifetime, he was an ardent worshiper, and he ensured all his children worshiped this Egungun deity.

“My father tied our rights such as Education, Clothing, Feeding and general necessities of life to our commitment to worship of this Egungun deity, the prominence of my father as a religious head i.e The Chief Oje Priest was well pronounced in Sango where we are domiciled and in Africa as a continent.

“This status made him relentless in getting a successor to step into his shoes on his demise.

I met a lady in my secondary school days (Oludotun Atinuke Ogunnowo) who was my girlfriend, and first love introduced me to Christianity.

“However, I did approach my father sometimes in the year 1990 that I can no longer worship the Egungun deity and that my religious conviction is towards the Christian faith, this statement made my father to get angry with me, he shouted at me and order me to leave his presence.

“In 2012, my wife had a ghastly accident three days after my uncle came to our house and confronted my wife on why she converted me to Christianity, saying some incantations he gave her three days to leave their son alone.

“August 4th 2017, a group of people recognized as OPC disrupted the planned outdoor evangelical revival and assaulted her, saying she would not have peace until she left their son alone. My uncle called me on the same day that he promised my father that he would ensure my return to worship egungun.

On how his brother was killed, Oladosu explained, “My elder brother stopped following us to worship egungun because he has given his life to Jesus Christ.

“When my father died, couples of months later, Chief Apena called us and told my elder brother to step into my father’s position at the egungun deity.

“Instantly, my brother told him he is a Christian. Bible never thought him to believe in another god except Almighty God. He also said there is a clear difference between light and darkness. He should count him out.

“Chief Apena was angry, and he said he gave him seven days to think about it. My brother never went back to him. My brother fell sick and his legs and two hands were swollen, we ended up taking him to the hospital where we realized he couldn’t walk and talk.

“He was diagnosed, and nothing was discovered as both legs and two hands kept swollen like elephantiasis. Eventually, he died as blood came out of his nose, ear, and mouth at the hospital, and he was buried.”

Speaking on several attacks on him over refusal to join the worshipping of Egungun, Oladosu said, “On the 2nd November, 2017 a group of four people came from Imasayi to our house in sagamu with Egungun poster which my name and picture was used as sponsors of the Egungun festival the poster was pasted round my community and church. On the 4th of November, 2017 a group of six people came to my farm in sagamu and destroyed all my farm product like cassava, maize, yam,watermelon and poisoned my fish pond. On the 13th November, 2017, I was confronted by some leadership of the Egungun deity who are tittled Chief Oluwo Ifa, The Apena, The Ilado and Asipa Awo on this encounter they all told me they had a message for me and the message was I should trace my steps back into my family religion, which is the worship of Egungun deity or else I will face serious repercussions.

“I told them that I have made up my mind and that I am now a Christian, and my religious conviction is towards the Christian religion. They were all disappointed by my response, but they vowed that they would teach me a lesson.

“On the 14th November, 2017, I was accosted by four hefty men with charms around their necks and wrist. They made incantations and asked me to follow them to Egungun Shrine, I refused and told them that I am now a Christian and I will not step into a shrine of any deity.

“At this point I was equally overwhelmed and devastated by this atrocity and I thought of relocating to other Africa countries, but it was obvious that Egungun deity is widely an Africa deity and that there is no way I can escape the repercussion of these priests.

“On the 15th day of November 2017, I had an attack in my residence at Sango Otta. My properties were destroyed, and a lot of my belongings were stolen while I did sustain numerous injuries. After this incident, I ran for my dear life to hide myself in my mother inlaw’s place at Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“On the 16th November I encountered another set of adherents of the Egungun religion who accosted me at my mother inlaws house in Ibara Housing Estate Abeokuta and again asked me if I had renounced my adherence to the Christian religion, I told them I still hold on to my belief firmly and I have no reason to renounce it.

“They struck me severally with hard objects and told me that the next time they come, they will take my life having failed to yield to their demands, as God will have it, I was able to escaped from their midst as I jump through my mother inlaw’s fence and ran into a ditch I had a fracture on my left leg. I was subsequently rushed to the General Hospital at Sokenu Abeokuta, where I received emergency treatment.”

In January 2018, we met voodoo with many fetish things tied with red cloth at our house entrance, still wondering who brought it, I got a call from Chief Apena saying if we cross the red cloth and voodoo we will both die like my brother.

“I realized Nigeria and some african countries are not safe for me and my family because Southwest, Southeast, and Southsouth practice egungun culture, and the northern part is persecuting Christians.”

On how he was able to escape Nigeria, Oladosu said, “I knew Nigeria is no more safe for me and in several Africa countries because of the fact that there is a network of those traditionalist in Africa, especially as it relates to Egungun Oracle and which my father held a prominent position in Africa. Consequently, I had no other place of immediate refuge other than the United States of America.

A copy of Police report signed by the Divisional Crime Officer of Ibara police station, DSP Dada Segun, and obtained by our correspondent confirmed an attack on Oladosu by the Egungun adherents.

The DSP noted in the letter dated 4th December, 2017, that efforts are ongoing to ensure the arrest of the Egungun adherents and subsequent charge to court.

It was, however, gathered that the adherents were yet to be arrested as at the time this report was filled.

Our correspondent also obtained an affidavit disposed by the Chairman of Aderukpo Drive Community Development Association, Bankole Kesi, where he confirmed an attack on Oladosu and his family.

Kesi, in the affidavit, said the hoodlums that invaded Oladosu mother inlaw home were armed with guns, cutlass, and other dangerous objects.

“I am the chairman of Aderupoko Drive Community Development Association.

“My duties is to oversee the activities and the progress of my community and to ensure that every land owners were given equal opportunities.

“On the 16th November, 2017 at about 10:25pm, some hoodlums came to ur community with guns, cutlass, and other suspects that dangerous objects. These people held straight to Mrs. Adegbenro Olufunke and attacked her and her son in-law.

“They (Oladosu and his mother-in-law) both sustained injuries and were rushed to General Hospital, Sokenu Abeokuta, for treatment.”