By Andrew Haruna | Nigeria News Today
Anambra State, Nigeria – Former Anambra State Governor and ex-Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige, has opened up about a chilling experience that took place just before his election in 2003. Speaking recently, Ngige revealed that he was forcibly taken to the infamous Okija shrine to swear an oath of loyalty — a demand he ultimately refused to carry out personally.
Ngige told The Bureau News that the ordeal happened at midnight, without prior warning about the destination. Upon arrival, he realised he was at the Okija shrine, long feared in Anambra State for its association with intimidation, occult activities, and political manipulation.
“They said I must swear an oath of loyalty,” Ngige recalled. “I know those shrines and small deities don’t work — God Almighty is above all. So I went with my Bible and holy water. One of them offered to swear for me, and I allowed him to do so.”
Refusal to Bow to the Shrine’s Demands
Ngige, a trained medical doctor, said he refused to personally participate in the rituals due to his Christian faith. Instead, he permitted one of the shrine’s members to perform the ritual on his behalf, convinced the act held no spiritual power over him.
Shortly after taking office as governor, Ngige received a security report detailing the shrine’s involvement in swindling, intimidation, and manipulation under the guise of tradition.
Demolition of the Infamous Shrine
Ngige said he alerted then-President Olusegun Obasanjo about the disturbing report. The president, according to Ngige, swiftly ordered his Commissioner of Police, via the Inspector-General of Police, to destroy the shrine.
“The President instructed my Commissioner of Police, through the IGP, to level the shrine. We went there, and it was destroyed,” he revealed.
Although the main structure was demolished, Ngige confirmed that smaller shrines still operate in the community, albeit with far less influence than before.
Changing Mindsets in Anambra
Ngige credited the decline of the Okija shrine’s power to modern thinking and a growing rejection of superstitious practices among locals.
“Many people have realised that the shrine was run by a swindling gang,” he said. “Those days are mostly over, and the people have moved on.”
The Okija shrine gained national infamy in the early 2000s when police uncovered decomposing bodies and ritual items at the site. Ngige’s revelation adds a political dimension to its history, underscoring how traditional practices can be weaponised for power — and how determined leadership can dismantle such strongholds.
