LAGOS JANUARY 23RD (URHOBOTODAY)-Anxiety has mounted at the Ozobo community in Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, following the demolition and razing of the Osuopele Temple by the priest and members of the Great God Holy Tabernacle Ministry, a new generation church, in the riverine Ijaw town.

The razed temple is the worship center of the traditional worshippers of the Osuopele Deity in the town.

The general – overseer of the church,  Prophet Tamarauebi Owan led his congregation to pull down the temple.

Villagers said the latest incident was not the first time the fiery clergyman had demolished the Osuopele Temple.

They invaded and burned our temple— Ndoni, Osuopele high priest

The newly-installed High Priest of the Osuopele Deity, Timipre Ndoni, confirmed to NDV that the serving police officer and clergy started his attacks on his sect in 2019 or thereabout, noting that this incursion was not challenged because of the vacuum in the leadership of Osuopele adherents.

“Around 2019 or 2020, he brought a crusade tagged: Jesu Ode to the community,  seized the opportunity to invade the Osuopele House, and cut down a 150-year healing tree which is the symbol of the Osuopele deity in the Ozobo community.

“At that time, nobody was taking care of the deity, there was no chief priest. He also did the same thing in 2022.

“However, in 2024, I was ordained as the new high priest of the Osuopele deity and I answered the call on March 6 last year when they installed and unveiled me to the community. On that day, we declared that we would not tolerate any form of religious intolerance.

“After my ascension as the chief priest, I led some of my followers to meet with the leadership of the community ie the paramount ruler and the Community Development Committee, CDC, chairman and pleaded with them to call on Prophet Owan to refrain from invading the House of Osuopele, especially now that a new chief priest has emerged.

“I told them if such action persists, the worshippers will take necessary action. Unfortunately, a Superintendent of Police, SP,  Tamaraebi Owan, on December 19, last year, went on a crusade once again to the Ozobo community, invaded the temple, and burned it down.

“Initially, there were fears in the community of a possible reprisal attack but God gave me the wisdom to restrain my followers from taking laws into their own hands.

“We have come out to seek justice if there is freedom of religion and worship in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Ijaw Cultural Heritage Centre, ICHC, took up the matter and petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, and other relevant authorities. Soon, we will file a suit to enforce our fundamental rights and damages.

“People begged for the clergyman but I do not know if he sent them, for he is still boastful that nothing will happen.

“We are giving him some conditions, one, he should take the media to the temple, make a live video apology, and uproot the flags he raised. Two, he should mobilise for a thorough cleansing which involves the discontinuation of all legal matters.”

Why we demolished idols — Owan, clergy

Owan,  an indigene of Ozobo community who led his congregation to attack the traditional temple, said he had no case with anybody, adding that the Osuopele worshippers should allow their deity to fight for itself.

“I have no case with anybody, if a human being destroyed idols or properties of a deity, it is left for those things to fight, if they cannot fight for themselves, why should human beings fight for them?

“If you happen to spoil God’s property, I am not the one to fight, I will allow God to fight for Himself. If some people said I destroyed their idols or something, and the idols cannot fight for themselves, then, they should go to hell. I do not want to respond to anybody on social media.

“Those that claim to make a case with me, I am also an indigene of the community, the idols belong to the community and our forefathers and those things have been there for years. Now, the community found they benefit nobody.

“This is not the first time I have destroyed the place, it has been happening over the years. It belongs to the community and the leadership of the community has the final say.

“So if they say they are worshippers of the deity, who authorised them to worship it because it belongs to the community? If it is a family idol that would have been a different thing.

“I heard they said that they want to pull my uniform but forgot that if I can use my own life as a sacrifice for the gospel, and the assignment that He has given me, someone from nowhere cannot threaten me with a job that God has given me. My life and my job – which one is more important, is it not my life?

“If I can put my life on the line for the sake of what God has asked me to do for years now, then I will not worry because my life is in the hands of God and I am doing what He asked me to do.

“This issue is not what we will sit down to talk or resolve because it is a case of darkness and light. If they have any power to do whatever they want to do, then I do not mind. If I am to beg, it can never happen and nobody will even ask me to go and beg.”

Intervene before the crisis escalates— Kemepadei, ICHC

Chairman of ICHC, a human rights group, Apostle Bodmas Kemepadei, told NDV that the actions of Owan and his congregation constituted a violation of the fundamental rights of the worshippers of the Osuopele deity, as enshrined in Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended).

“In light of the foregoing, we call on the Nigeria Police Force to act before this matter degenerates into an inter-religious crisis as we are doing our best to calm the temper of our worshippers. The situation is nothing but a clear case of intimidation, harassment, and infringement on our rights to worship.”

Vanguard

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