Advocacy for Alleged Witches Holds World Day Against Witch Hunts Seminar

By Chibuzo Munonye

The Director, Advocacy for Alleged Witches, AfAW, Dr Leo Igwe has advised Nigerians to stop mis-characterizing their problems but always go to professionals for solution.

Dr Igwe stated this in an interview with newsmen on the occasion of the World Day Against Witch Hunts Seminar with the theme “Challenging the role of religious leaders in witch hunts in Imo State”, organized by AfAW held last Saturday at Villa Maria Guest House, Wetheral Road, Owerri.

He identified the act of victimization of people over alleged witchcrafts as stupidity and urged people to stop victimizing others.

The AFAW Director expressed dismay that people of all ages, both male and female fall victims of the accusations, frowning at situations where innocent people were brutalized, burnt and seriously wounded over alleged witchcrafts and called for an end to the ugly practice.

According to him “If you are sick, go to your doctor, go for medical check-up, stop accusing others of being responsible for your ill health, people making false accusations without substantial evidence should stop it. In our organization, we don’t believe in witches. We are trying to educate people before we make them advocates”

Dr Igwe identified witchcraft as superstition, and advised people to stop ritual attacks and sacrifice, stressing that blood money is a myth while diabetes can cause chronic sore and high blood pressure can cause stroke.

Also speaking, a scholar in Religion and an activist, Prof Ogechukwu Nwaocha described the issue of witchcraft as controversial, pointing out that two different things are involved including humanism and atheism and emphasized that the world cannot do without religion.

A cross section of participants to the event shared experiences of people who lost their lives through illnesses that would have been cured early including diabetes and stroke while attributing such cases to witchcraft and placing accusations against innocent people.

The event also featured psycho social support and counseling for victims and their families.