Former Anambra Governor Chris Ngige Recounts Shocking Ordeal at Okija Shrine Days Before 2003 Election Victory

 

Former Anambra State Governor Chris Ngige has shared a dramatic account of his alleged forced visit to the notorious Okija shrine just days before securing his 2003 election victory. The revelation came during an interview with Vanguard, where the medical doctor turned politician detailed the bizarre and tense events that occurred before his emergence as governor.

According to Ngige, he was taken against his will to the shrine under the cover of night, without knowledge of the destination or the purpose of the journey. He said the trip happened only a few days before the governorship election that eventually ushered him into office. The objective, he was told, was to make him swear an oath of loyalty, a condition apparently set by certain political powerbrokers at the time.

The former governor recounted that he never placed faith in such traditional shrines or their deities, asserting his strong belief in God. Despite being surrounded by an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, Ngige said he armed himself with a Bible and holy water, convinced that spiritual forces from the shrine could not overpower divine authority.

On arrival, he claimed the scene that greeted him confirmed his earlier suspicion that the shrine was steeped in questionable activities. Observing the rituals being prepared, Ngige explained that one of the participants eventually volunteered to take the oath on his behalf. He accepted this arrangement without resistance, satisfied that he had avoided personally engaging in any of the shrine's rites.

After winning the election and assuming office, Ngige said his administration received disturbing security reports about activities at the Okija shrine. These reports, he noted, revealed that the operators were exploiting the fears of unsuspecting individuals for financial and political gain. According to him, what many considered a sacred spiritual location had become a hub for deceit, extortion and manipulation.

The turning point came when the then-President Olusegun Obasanjo, acting on intelligence from security agencies, directed that the shrine be demolished. Ngige said the directive was relayed to him through the Inspector-General of Police and his state Commissioner of Police. He joined the police team in person to oversee the operation that leveled the shrine.

Ngige stressed that the particular shrine to which he had been taken no longer exists, though he acknowledged that smaller shrines still remain scattered across Okija. He observed that public reliance on such places has waned over the years, largely because people have begun to see through the manipulative schemes of those who once used them to instill fear and control.

This disclosure casts new light on the political atmosphere in Anambra State during the early 2000s, a period marred by fierce power struggles and unorthodox methods of securing political loyalty. The Okija shrine incident gained national attention years ago when police raids uncovered chilling evidence of human remains and occult practices, sparking outrage across the country. Ngige’s latest remarks revive public interest in that era and provide a firsthand account from one of its key political figures.

For Ngige, the episode remains a testament to his conviction that faith in God outweighs any fear of traditional spiritual coercion. By sharing his experience, he has reignited discussions about the intersection of politics, spirituality and fear tactics in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

The former governor’s narrative also adds a personal dimension to the historical crackdown on the shrine. While security agencies framed the 2004 demolition as a decisive action against crime and superstition, Ngige’s account suggests it was also a deeply personal closure to an ordeal that began before he even stepped into public office.

Though the Okija shrine is now a shadow of its former self, the legacy of its feared reputation lingers. For many, Ngige’s story will be a reminder of how political ambition in Nigeria has sometimes intersected with practices far outside the boundaries of democratic norms. It also highlights the transformation in public consciousness, as more Nigerians turn away from such forms of traditional coercion and toward modern legal and democratic systems.

With his revelation, Ngige not only revisits a chapter of Anambra’s political history but also challenges the next generation of leaders to ensure that political ascension is free from intimidation, superstition and forced allegiances. His words stand as a clear message that leadership should be based on service and competence rather than fear and manipulation.