By Uche Iweka
Ekpentu worshipers have threatened to kill one of the sons of their late Chief Priest, Johnson Monday for refusing to assume his role as their new Chief Priest. Ekpentu is a deity that has existed for decades and has been a strong guidance of the Igbanke people of Edo State in Nigeria. Johnson Monday is a native of Igbanke Community and his late father, Mr Johnson Ikolo was the custodian and Chief Priest of the shrine before his death.
One of the Ekpentu worshipers, Mr Emmanuel Ogbekile told journalists that their new leader, Johnson Monday was chosen by Ekpentu(Deity) and they are ready to serve him as their Chief Priest. He revealed that Johnson Monday insulted and offended the deity by refusing to play his role as a Chief Priest. He added that as faithful worshipers of Ekpentu they are going to ensure that Johnson Monday performed his duty as Chief Priest, either dead or alive. We are traditional people, we maintain our culture and traditions, so, no government can reverse the decision of Ekpentu on Johnson Monday priesthood. He used the medium to call on Johnson Monday to resume his duty as Ekpentu Chief Priest or he will face the consequence which he said is death.
According to the Johnson family, trouble started in November, 2023 after the death of their father,who was before his death the Chief Priest of the Ekpentu Shrine in Igbanke.
The spokesman of the Johnson family, Mr Ndidi Johnson told newsmen that his late father had six children when he was alive, but the mantle of the office of the Chief Priest of Ekpentu fell on Mr Johnson Monday, the fourth child.
He noted that succession plans of the Ekpentu Shrine is done on the directive of the deity and it chooses who it deems fit to choose irrespective of age, size and financial muscles.
“After the death and burial rites of our father, Mr Johnson Ikoko in late 2023, the worshipers of Ekpentu called all my father’s children together and announced to us that the successor of our father as Ekpentu Shrine Chief Priest is Johnson Monday. And that he must not go against the directive of the Shrine. The problem now is that Johnson Monday has completely refused to accept or assume the office of the Ekpentu Chief Priest. It was truly not his fault because he is a very committed Christian and a member of one of the largest churches in Nigeria known as, Living Faith Church. Johnson Monday told us repeatedly that he hates blood sacrifices and that he will never be part of any shrine that demands blood. Due to his decision he has seriously suffered trauma and death threats from the Ekpentu Shrine worshipers who have vowed to kill him if he refused to lead them as Chief Priest. Their threats have gone beyond us as the Nigerian government has no room for any engagement with traditional deities,” Mr Ndidi Johnson stated.
Speaking further, he said that his brother, Johnson Monday has ran away to Libya since his life was no longer safe in Nigeria.
However, efforts to reach Johnson Monday at the time of filing this report for his comment on the Ekpentu Shrine issue was not successful as his phone line was switched off
