BENIN CITY — A young girl,Enaziegbeneguan Elizabeth has fled for her life over her refusal to take up the Chief Priestess position in Iyekeorhionmwon Village in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Edo State, after the demise of her father,Pa Enaziegbeneguan,who was the former Chief Priest of the community.
It was gathered that Elizabeth, was approached by the elders of the community,after her father’s death to start initiation rites as the Chief Priestess.Elizabeth,who is twenty years now, was a teenager,when her father died in 2007.She refused the offer because of her young age and religious inclinations as a christian.
It was also gathered that elders of the community waited for her to attained maturity and they have been disturbing her since 2007.Matters took a drastic turn in late 2016,when the elders informed her to prepare for initiation ceremony as the next chief priestess. The position which is hereditary,falls on the eldest son/daughter of the family.
The Enaziegbeneguan family migrated from Ovia South West Local Government Area to Iyekeorhionmwon Village and became the custodian of the village deity.
A close source told The NIGERIAN OBSERVER that Elizabeth vehemently refused to be initiated into the deity because of her christian belief.Her refusal angered the elders,who resorted threatened and warned her of the consequences of rejecting the position.
The source further said that when Elizabeth and her mother(who is also supporting her daughter against taking the position)reported the case to the police,they were advised by the police to go and settle with the community elders
One of the community elders,Pa Egbe Osatohanmwen told our reporter that the Enaziegbeneguan family are the custodian of the community deity and nobody in the family has ever refused the position as it is the family’s heritage.He stated that good fortunes always come to the community because of the worship of the community deity.Elizabeth refusal protends danger and bad omen for the entire community.
He said that the community will resist and vowed to do anything possible to make her assume the Chief Priestess position
Enaziegbeneguan Elizabeth has fled for her life because her safety is no longer guaranteed
