Connect with us

Latest News

AfAW Applauds Launch Of Guidelines On Elimination Of Witch-hunting

Published

on

Witch Burning, Impunity And Abuses Linked to Witchcraft Beliefs In Benue State
Dr Leo Igwe

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) has commended the proposed launch of some guidelines on the elimination of harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks. This launch will be organized by the Pan African Parliament in collaboration with the UN Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights by Persons with Albinism, Ms. Muluka-Anne Miti-Drummond, and the Centre for Human Rights, the University of Pretoria on March 15, 2023.

In a statement by the Director of AfAW, Dr Leo Igwe, he recalled that in 2021, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution urging member states to take all necessary measures to ensure the elimination of harmful practices amounting to human rights violations related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks. The UN asked countries to ensure accountability and effective protection of all persons particularly persons in vulnerable conditions.

“While this resolution was addressed to all UN member states, it is evident that the states in question are mainly member states in Africa because it is in Africa that most of these violations take place. Africa is a region that still grapples with the problem of witch hunting. The AfAW is delighted by this initiative to step down this resolution and make it relevant to the African situation and circumstances. The AfAW welcomes this effort to transform and translate the resolution into a mechanism to address the problem in the region. African countries face peculiar situations that colonialism, the advent of Christianity, and Islam have further complicated. Witch hunting has social, economic, political, cultural and religious aspects and the guidelines must address these specifics or they would be of no relevance”,Igwe said.

He added: “Practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks have strong religious, traditional, Christian, and Islamic connections. As a matter of faith, many African traditional religionists, Christians, and Muslims believe that alleged witches do the harm they are accused of doing. They believe that attacks, killings, abuses, and maltreatment of alleged witches are justified. In addition, there are traditional, Christian, and Islamic religious experts who claim to have the power to identify and exorcise witchcraft. These religious professionals engage in witch-hunting as a form of religious service to the communities. Witch hunters operate with impunity across the region. The guidelines should contain steps to weaken the grip of witch and ritual beliefs on the minds of Africans. The guidelines should outline mechanisms to hold witch hunters accountable and responsible for their crimes. The legal situation has contributed to the persistence of harmful practices linked to witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks. Although witchcraft accusations and witch-hunting are against the law in many African countries, these legal provisions are seldom enforced. Many Africans regard these legal provisions, introduced during the colonial era and adopted as a part of the national laws at independence as western and inconsistent with African norms and values. There have been calls and recommendations to repeal these laws and introduce provisions that criminalize witchcraft. In some African countries such as Cameroon and the Central African Republic, the law criminalizes witchcraft. The guidelines should suggest ways to address this complicated legal situation.

” Furthermore, the witchcraft accusation is a public health issue and shows the decadent health infrastructure and appalling state of health care programs in the region. Africans use witchcraft narratives to make sense of public health challenges such as diseases and death. Often witches are held responsible for various ailments, including malaria, heart attack, and HIV/AIDS. They have been accused of causing accidents and other misfortunes in families and communities. The guidelines should contain some health-related angles that address those gaps that Africans use accusations of witchcraft or ritual attacks to fill.

“Lastly, the guidelines must address the human rights of those who identify as witches and ensure that steps are taken to protect their rights as human rights. The launch of these guidelines signals hope for the realization of a witch hunting-free Africa. The AfAW envisions an end to abuses linked to witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks in Africa by 2030. This launch will help realize this important vision and objective.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Latest News

BREAKING: Alex Otti Of Labour Party Emerges Abia Governor-elect

Published

on

Alex Otti

Alex Otti of the Labour Party has emerged the winner of Abia State governorship election.

This followed the eventual declaration, on Wednesday, of the results of the controversial Obingwa Local Government Area results.

With the conclusion of the collation of the outstanding results of the election, the Peoples Democratic Party scored 9,962 votes while the Labour Party, 3,776 votes in the LGA.

Consequently, the LP has won in 10 LGAs, the PDP in six LGAs, and the Young Peoples Party in one LGA.

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Abia State, Chief Alex Otti, was, consequently declared the winner of the 2023 governorship election in Abia State.

Otti polled a total of 175,466 to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the PDP who scored 88,526.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Nnenna Oti, declared the LP candidate the winner at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Umuahia, the state capital, Wednesday afternoon after completing the suspended collation of results.

Continue Reading

Latest News

CAN, Churches Defeat Govt Over CAMA Act

Published

on

Emefiele Sick, Can't Meet With Reps - CBN
President Buhari

It was victory for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and churches under it as a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, stopped the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) from suspending or appointing their trustees.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that the provisions of Sections 17 (1), 839 (1) and (7) (a), 842 (1) and (2), 851 and 854 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020 and Regulations 28, 29 and 30 of the Companies Regulations (CR), 2021 were not applicable to CAN and the churches, including mosques, as a religious body.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Registered Trustees of CAN, in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2022 field by Joe Gadzama, SAN, had sued the CAC and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment as 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.

The plaintiff, in the suit, had posed five questions for determination.

CAN had asked the court to determine that whether Section 839, Subsections (1), (7) (a) and (10) of the CAMA, 2020 and regulations 28 – 30 of the CR, 2021 are inconsistent with Sections 4 (8), 6 (6) (b) and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which guarantees the its right to freedom of association and the right to seek redress in court, among others.

It, therefore, sought 13 reliefs which include a declaration that Section 839 (1), (7) (a) and (10) of the CAMA and Sections 28 – 30 of the CR are inconsistent with |Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, and thus unconstitutional, null and void.

“An order striking down Sections 839(1), (7) (a) and (10), 842(1) and (2), 843, 851 and 854 of the CAMA for being unconstitutional.

“A declaration that Section 17(2) (a) and (d) of the CAMA demand an impossible and impracticable action; thus, void and for being impracticable and unknown to Law.”

CAN also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining and barring the defendants from taking any step to give effect to the provisions of Sections 17(2) (a) and (d), 839(1), 842(1) and (2), 842(1) and (2), 842, 843, 851 and 854 of the CAMA against it as mentioned in Article 4 of its constitution, to prevent further contravention of the provisions of Sections 4(8), 6(6)(b), 251(1)(e) and 251(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

It argued if CAC was allowed to suspend its trustees and appoint interim managers to manage its affairs, it would be usurping its powers under the constitution and the powers of the standing committee and the plenary session which would not be in line with the constitution.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Ekwo said that the CAC did not controvert the averment of CAN that it was constituted by the churches.

“It is settled law that averments without contradicting evidence or averments are deemed admitted.

“There is a need at this point to define what a church is in order to see how applicable the provisions of the CAMA 2020 can be applicable to it,” he said.

Citing a previous case, the judge said “a church in its true definition is the body of Christ. One person cannot constitute the body of Christ; it connotes a congregation, an assembly of people. An individual cannot own a church. A church property must be the collective responsibility of all the members.”

He said the summary of the above was that “the church is an ecclesiastical being.

“Each church is characterised by its distinct dogma or creed and same for each congregation and denomination that constitute the church.

“It is on this ground that it is impossible for one church to be administered by another church and the church being what it is for the soul of man, the doctrinal distinctness and difference must be respected by the authorities within and without.

“This being so, it is then impracticable for the church or a denomination thereof to be administered by secular arrangement such as interim manager or managers stated in

Section 839 of the CAMA 2020 or any other arrangement put in place by the CAMA which does not take into account the doctrinal composition of the church.

“It is also my opinion that to suspend the trustees and appoint an interim manager or managers to manage the affairs of the church will conflict with the sacerdotal order of its divine administration and desecrate same.”

Justice Ekwo, who observed that the Minister of Trade (2nd defendant) neither filed any application nor represented in court despite being served by the plaintiff, held that the effect of the failure of a defendant to file pleadings is that the assertions of the claimant stands unchallenged and are deemed admitted and established.

According to him, therefore, the case of the plaintiff succeeds on the merit.

The judge, consequently, made a seven declarations, which include a declaration that Section 839 (1), (7) (a) and (10) of the CAMA 2020 and Regulations 28, 29 and 30 of the CR , 2021 are not applicable to religious organisation as CAN and the churches as they violated the right to worship guaranteed by Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He also made an order of perpetual Injunction, “restraining the defendants from taking any step to give effect to or implementing and/or continuing with any act to implement the provisions of Sections 839 (1), 842 (1) and (2), 842, 843, 851 and 854 of the CAMA 2020.

Justice Ekwo, however, did not make the generic order striking down the sections of the CAMA 2020 as prayed by the plaintiff.

He said such an order would affect other bodies and organisations registered under Part F of the Act.

“These provisions are applicable in respect of the administration, supervision and regulation of other bodies like company, limited liability partnership, business name or incorporated trustee registered for other purposes stated in Section 823 (1) of the CAMA 2020.

“The court is also unable to strike down the provision of Section 17 (2) (a) and (d) of the CAMA 2020 which provides for mandatory pre-action notice to the 1st defendant, as prayed, as the practicability of compliance with such provision depends on the circumstance of each case thereby affected,” he said.

Continue Reading

Latest News

BREAKING:Confusion As INEC Rejects Irregular Votes In Abia, Enugu Governorship Election Results

Published

on

INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu

There is confusion over the governorship election results of Enugu and Abia States as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected some votes it considered irregular.

The Labour Party agents and governorship candidate in Enugu State opposed results collation of Nkanu East council, claiming that the votes were padded.

This was as political thugs reportedly disrupted collation of results in Obingwa council area of Abia State.

These have led to the suspension of the exercise by the electoral umpire on Sunday in the two states.

An INEC official said that the commission had rejected the allegedly padded results after a careful review of the exercise on Tuesday, and wanted the right things to be done.

“For Abia State, INEC ordered that the results should be announced based on the accredited voters,” the source said.

On Enugu’s case, the commission according to the source has similarly ordered the review of the results of the Enugu State Governorship Election of last Saturday.

The collation was suspended following controversy over the alleged padding of results from Nkanu East Council, which returned over 30,000 votes in favour of Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mr Peter Mbah, while only about 7,000 voters were accredited in the area by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

The suspension of the announcement of results of Abia and Enugu gubernatorial elections had heightened tension in the two states.

The supporters of PDP’s Mbah have been calling on INEC to announce the results that had been collated and declare their candidate the winner, saying those who opposed the result should go to court.

In Abia, Dr Alex Otti of the Labour Party had won a total of 10 out of the 16 Local Government Area results so far declared by INEC, while his counterpart in Enugu, Hon Chijioke Edeoga, has won nine local governments and is currently in the lead in the state.

Continue Reading

Top Stories

%d bloggers like this: