The Edo State Police Command said another set of four hunters from Kano State were intercepted by operatives of the Edo Security Network with arms and ammunition when they arrived in the state.

In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Joel Yamu, the statement became necessary in order to dispel the misinformation circulating on social media that four herdsmen armed with guns were arrested at a hotel in the state and handed over to the police.

According to the statement, contrary to the report, those apprehended were hunters, not herdsmen.

The statement named the suspects as Yusuf Abdulkarim, Mujaheed Garba, Shittu Idris, and Jamilu Habibu.

It said items recovered from them included three Dane guns, six empty cartridges, three half-filled cartridges, four cutlasses, and two daggers.

“The Edo State Police Command is aware of misinformation circulating on social media that four herdsmen armed with guns were arrested at Americanus Hotel on Osemwenkhae Street, after Big Joe Motors, Ramat Park, Orogbeni Quarters, and handed over to the police.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that they are hunters, not herdsmen. They are from Doguwa in Kano State, heading to Uvbe community in Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo State. Meanwhile, an investigation is ongoing.”

The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, wishes to use this opportunity to discourage residents of the state from circulating wrong information capable of causing unnecessary tension.

A deadly thunderstorm has claimed three lives, injuring four others in Obidi community, Agwa, located in Oguta local government area of Imo State.

The tragic incident was preceded by rainfall in the evening.

According to a resident of the area, the thunderstorm caught everyone off guard, as the rain was relatively light.

“It was just a light rainfall, yet three people were struck by lightning and they died instantly.

“Four others were seriously injured. We have never witnessed anything like this before,” the source said.

Following the incident, it was gathered that there is a widespread panic in the community, with residents questioning why such a catastrophic event occurred under seemingly normal weather conditions.

Odinani is odibendi. What is in your father’s place. I repeat, Odinani is the traditional practices of your fatherland. By fatherland I mean your village.

So, as Ezenwayi who is from Osisiomangwa, but living in a rented flat in Asaba, and, operating a Dibia chamber. My dear, you are not doing Odinani, what you are doing is Traditional Religious Business or Outreach. You cannot be doing Odinani Ngwa in Asaba.

You must be able to spot the difference between Odinani and Traditional Religious Business.

Odinani starts with you being fixed in your own geographical lineage, being known there as one of the custodians and practitioners of the tradition of your linegage. This will be visibly clear to all via your everyday lifestyle.

Odinani cannot be practised in complete sequestration from where you are from. Unless you have adopted your new location as your home and they in turn accept you.

If adoption of a new place is not the case, rather, your moving is because you are looking for richer customers or you are afraid of facing the old people in your family, that means, you are not a candidate for changing or upholding your own Odibendi.

If you are afraid of insecurity in your village to the extent you cannot live or operate from there, then you are not qualified to answer a Dibia, Ezenwanyi, Nze, Obi, Ezeani, Igwe.

Even politicians know for you to be taken seriously as a seasoned politician you must always deliver your ward and constituency by being on ground.

Odinani is not theory. It is practical. And it’s practicality is delineated to a specific location.

You cannot be claiming Odogwu from another man’s land.
You cannot be advocating for change whereas you are far removed or unknown in your primary constituency.

A Dibia or Ezenwanyi that operates from outside his or her village is a tenant. And a tenant has no say when real and serious issues that pertains to the land(Odinani Na Omenani) they are perched on are discussed.

Once you are not resident in your ancestral land, cease making noise on social media. Go back home and start the real work. Who are you leaving it for? Me?

Our people will say, ana esite na ana welu ari enu. You climb up from down.

If you are not ready to come down to your place where it matters, where you have stake, yet you consider yourself a stakeholder in respect to the propagation of Odinani then you are either a hypocrite, a religious businessman or a charlatan.

Nze Tobe Osigwe (Ezeikolomuo)
Obi Eziokwu
Nkpoka Nnewichi-Nnewi
Orie