If I return to my country, I will be killed – Nigerian, Oghenewegba, raises alarm from Southern Cyprus

A Patani Local Government Area-born small-scale entrepreneur in laundry and Point-of-Sale, PoS businesses, Salvation Oghenewegba, has raised alarm from Southern Cyprus, saying if he returns to his Bumadi Country-home in Patani, Delta State, he will be killed.

Salvation Oghenewegba, who raised in a telephone chat with Fresh Angle International, Friday March 17, explained that he flew from Nigeria sometime in the year 2011, because his kinsmen threatened to kill him, for refusing to worship his community’s (Bumadi) idol and serve as the Chief Priest, after the death of his father, who was the Chief Priest.

He narrated: “I initially left my community, Bumadi in Patani Local Government of Delta State, where I had my own businesses; laundry and P.O.S.

“I came to seek refuge in Cyprus, because I am the only son of my parents and in my community, Bumadi, they are worshipping an idol. My father was the Chief Priest of the idol, before he died in 2005. He was is in charge of serving the Idol, because it's a generational obligation.

Salvation Oghenewegba

“My father died of stroke and my mother, a Christian, died of cancer of the lungs in the year 2006. Since my father died, it's been many years of pressure from my village Chief (name withheld) and the elderlies, they have been wanting me to serve the Idol and our culture demands I'm the next in line to worship and serve the idol, because my grandfather and father did.

“They said it's my turn, but I'm a Christian and I don't believe in the idol. Sometime in 2011, I was compelled to continue from where my father stopped or I must be sacrificed to the idol, which means they will kill me. I had to run away to the next community, Ebedebery, also in Patani Local Government Area, but my village Chief, sent police to arrest me from Ebedebery and took me to Bumadi Police Station in Patani Local Government Area, where one of the police personnel held my phone and snapped me photograph, to confirm my arrest.

“I spent seven days in the police custody, after which the police handed me back to my village chief and youths in my village, manhandled and dehumanized me, almost to the point of death. They gave me three days to think about my decision, with further warning that if I refuse to serve as Chief Priest of the Idol, they will kill me.  I was then advised by my uncle, a fellow Christian in Ebedebery, who entered the confinement where I was kept and asked me to run away. My uncle (name withheld) assisted me with the arrangements to travel out of the country through the help of a Christian friend. The friend of my uncle, who I will not want to disclose his name for safety reasons, helped me with a student visa to Northern Cyprus.

“I wasn't aware of Southern Cyprus, until I got to Northern Cyprus, I explained my predicament to someone in Northern Cyprus, who told me I can relocate to Southern Cyprus, to seek International Protection. That was how I found myself in Southern Cyprus, with the help of a good Samaritan, who carried me with his car to the asylum camp. If I return to my country, I will be killed.”

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