The witchcraft conference has commenced in Nsukka and the organisers have
given reasons why it would benefit Nigeria.
The controversial witchcraft would help investigate and critically evaluate
the belief in witchcraft to find out what impact it has on the Nigerian
society.
This was disclosed by Egodi Uchendu, a professor of history and
international studies and head of B.I.C Ijomah Centre for Policy Studies and
Research, University of Nigeria, Nsukka in her welcome remarks, said “Apart
from rumours about witchcraft, can we intelligently discuss the phenomenon of
witchcraft? Can we delineate its evolving dynamics, especially in regard to
human and societal development, along with what belief in witchcraft would symbolize
for civilians, the military, politicians, scholars and others.
The conference Prof Uchendu, said seeks to ‘determine amongst other things
the intelligibility of witchcraft’, the principles that underpin it and the
impact it has on human life, society and progress,”.
Going further, she pointed out that even some states are using charms and
charmers to fight Boko Haram while the chief of Army staff even said that Boko
Haram and the likes cannot be defeated by kinetic military warfare alone. She
added Nigerians have for too long talked about witchcraft as an issue, and yet
it has persisted, even as people pray against witches and wizards. “The fact
that this matter has persisted in our society up to the present day is evidence
that the strategy of prayer, alone, is not enough to combat the challenges of
belief in witchcraft,” she said.
The proposed two-day conference on witchcraft had commenced and the opening
prayer was said by Innocent Enweh a Catholic priest, the event started with
reading of Bible passages alongside the prayer, after which the choir of Christ
Church chapel, a church located in the university, rendered the opening hymn.
