THE deaths in a remote community of Irele in Irele local
government area of Ondo State were attributed to the action of six boys who broke into the shrine of
Molokun, the deity of the people and desecrated
it by stealing artifacts and sacred objects.
Sunday Vanguard learnt that the potency of the god of the community was tested when the thieves unveiled the “ Agogo Ide”, one of the sacred
objects in the shrine covered with white
apron.
A source said even
the worshipers and traditionalists in charge of the shrine do not look at the
sacred object with naked eyes.
“The Agogo Ide is
never seen by anybody . But those who broke into the shrine unveiled the sacred
object and this is an abomination hence the deaths in the community,” the source said.
“Until the god is appeased, the deaths will continue. But
the chief priest and traditionalists have consulted and asked women to appease
the Malokun by pouring buckets of water in front of the shrine.”
Sunday Vanguard learnt that the boys underrated the god of
the land and, like lightening, it struck, leaving many persons dead. The thieves
reportedly moved the sacred objects from the shrine and sold them to a
man who resold it to some foreigners.
Reports had it that those who shared from the proceeds of
the sales and who they gave the money to in exchange for goods and services
died in turns.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that the Malokun shrine was broken
into by the boys after they had protected
themselves through the help of
a herbalist outside the community.
At the last count, about 30 persons, between ages 25 and 40, died horrible deaths because of their alleged
connection to the abomination.
Those who died as a result of the alleged abomination were said to have been initially afflicted
with blindness, elongation of tongues and
unconsciousness.
The perpetrators, it was learnt, shared N100,000 each from
the proceeds after which they reportedly went on spending spree in the community.
The news of the desecration of the shrine was said to have
been relayed to the traditional ruler of the town who invited the chief priest
and other traditionalists to conduct a fact-finding visit to the shrine.
The breakage into the shrine was
said to have been the first of its kind in the history of the community.
But Ondo State government
linked the deaths to an outbreak of a strange disease.
 |
| High Priest Lemo |
Already, the state
government and the World Health Organization have sent representatives
to the community.
The Ondo government
deployed the Personnel Protective Equipment purchased during recent
Ebola scare in the country to the area with their handlers.
The state Health Commissioner, Dr Dayo Adeyanju, who led
government delegation to Irele,
said the reason given by the
natives that the deaths resulted from
the desecration of a shrine in the town could
not be scientifically proved. Adeyanju confirmed that 12 persons died on the day the
incident happened.
According to the Commissioner, the “presentation from the
investigations carried out on the victims did not reveal symptoms of the
dreaded Ebola disease.” He said the state government had moved into the area to
curtail the spread of the strange disease.
The preliminary report, Adeyanju said, showed that the
victims complained of headache and later lost their sight before they finally
gave up. The commissioner, who
assured that government would do everything possible to control the ailment, said the World Health Organisation
(WHO) and other partners were already involved in the matter.
“Samples taken from the victims had been sent to Lagos for
proper investigation while government had been engaging in advocacy to ensure
that new cases are reported,”he stated, adding that concealment could be
devastating. Adeyanju asked relations of the victims not to bury the
corpses of affected people at home.
He said that they should take those that are dead to the
cemetery and to take precautions during burials.Meanwhile, residents are said
to be moving out of the area for fear of the strange sickness to Okitipupa and Ore.
 |
| The Shrine |
Also, one of the traditionalists in the town, High Chief
Akingboye, confirmed that some persons had the effrontery to break into the
sacred shrine and carted away sacred objects. Akingboye said over 20 persons
had died as a result of the sacrilege. He pointed out that he is satisfied with
the intervention of the state government.
Another community leader, Ayodele Omole, said the deaths in
the community had created panic, forcing many to relocate to neighboring
communities.
He pointed out that the solution to the problem was beyond
the state Ministry of Health, adding that the appeasement of the god is the
lasting solution.
A doctor at the General Hospital, Irele, Dr Segun Ayodele,
said that what happened in the town was an outbreak of a disease which killed people mysteriously. Ayodele
said the state government had deployed over 20 medical personnel to the
community. According to him, Ayade and
Irele communities were worst hit by the deaths.
The NEMA South -West Information Officer, Ibrahim Farinloye,
said all relevant agencies had been mobilized to unravel the mystery behind the deaths in the community.
Meanwhile, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, in a broadcast, said
the state had witnessed a major health challenge.
“A yet to be named ailment whose causative agents, diagnosis
and cure are also yet to be determined struck in locations in Irele Local
Government Area of our state, killing 17 people and stoking panic and
fear,”Mimiko said.
“In all, 17 deaths have been confirmed in Ayadi community
and Ode Irele township and all the deaths were preceded by symptoms of sudden
blurred vision, headache and loss of consciousness.
“It must be said that the team was dispatched to the
communities affected and the General Hospital as well as other health
facilities, to gather needed information about the nature, scope and
circumstances of the outbreak. Key
informants interview, hospital record search and patient interview were used to
obtain information.
“I must state that the symptoms in this situation are not
peculiar to any known epidemic and so have remained largely confounding.
“Specifically, it must be stressed, the symptoms observed in
the two communities of Ayadi and Ode Irele bear no resemblance to those
associated with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).”
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