BY MONDAY OISE
BENIN CITY- Fresh facts have emerged as regards the refusal of Mr. Sunday Obasuyi in his early forties to get initiated into the ‘Ogboni’ secret cult and the eventual extension of the bloody crisis to the Pentecostal church, where he was a member.
The Pastor of Divine Evangelical Church Of God at No. 40 Amawu Street, Upper Sokponba Road, Benin City Prophet Matthew Osagiede, broke down in tears as he narrates his ordeal in an attack that, reduced his church/leaving house to rubbles, recently to The Nigerian OBSERVER.
He said no matter the degree of attack on him that has now thrown his church and the congregation into a total disarray, he will never deny the fact that Sunday Obasuyi was very close to him as a dedicated member and active youth leader in the church.
The Prophet added that the dreaded armed cultists pointed their search light of attack on the church, hoping their target Sunday Obasuyi was harboured or hiding there, because sometimes during the early period of the crisis, he was always sited around the church premises. He lamented the attack, now on the church at a time even when they the church is still very much worried and aggrieved about the whereabouts of their lovely brother in Christ.
Another staunch, female choir member of the church, who preferred to be anonymous, but claimed to be a close relation to the Obasuyis gave a vivid summary analysis of the whole true story. She said though when Sunday Obasuyi got to know about his father’s involvement after a brief sojourn in Borno State was then made to understand that the father earlier instructed he must become a member of the cult group, his refusal sparked serious fracas as he was ruthlessly beating to accept the offer under duress.
But when he still proved recalcitrant and stubbornly went ahead to free about fifteen captives that were caught and detained in a room in the house to be used as sacrificial lambs by the cult group, he Sunday Obasuyi was then captured. He was continuously and severely dealt with, still for him to succumb to their aspirations and order.
When the torture on him became very unbearable, the late sister, Deborah, a member of the militant arm of the Vigilante Group in the community, dared the attackers with a powdered tear gas substance. But she was however over- powered and killed in the process.
She added that the Ogboni Cult group is so bloody and dreaded that, before any initiation of new member the new member must be ready to produce not less than seven to twenty-one innocent non-member souls, depending on the sex and status or be ready to pay the price with death. Failure to meet the target.
“In the Ogboni Cult Group” they feed on human blood and flesh and the moment any missing person is traced to them, nobody dare ask them, because they feel above the law”
“They feel very sacred and secretive in the group that members don’t reveal their secrets to non members, not even their children except they are co-members”. They are also very fettish and supernatural to the extent that the moment you become a member you will also become a witch or wizard with very high destructive tendencies.
The close family source concluded by saying that the biggest problem is that senior sons of the family where the bread winner is a member, must always be forced to be initiated to take over his father’s position or be killed and used for sacrifice on the contrary. She said that now that Sunday Obasuyi’s father has passed on, he must be made to come and take the late father’s position, whether he likes it or not. There is no way he can escape it. Because if not found, his refusal and continuous absence, can be very calamitous to the cult group, hence they want him by all means, dead or alive.
Prophet Matthew Osagiede in tears, said some members of the congregation were in deliverance service that very fateful night, when the attackers came to the church armed with jerry cans of petrol and shooting sporadically into the air to scare possible intruders. Every body scampered for safety as they ran for their dear lives including himself. He said that he wondered how God saved his life that all the shots towards him as he was running didn’t meet him.
He also said they set the church ablaze and waited patiently there to ensure that nobody comes in to savage anything. He said even the vehicles in the premises were not spared.
Prophet Osagiede said they have vowed they must get him to provide Sunday Obasuyi, who they strongly believe he knows where he (Obasuyi) is hiding and that if they can lay hands on him the prophet, then they will get at their target.
The congregation no longer worship there or around there as the cultists are still very much on guard around there day and night.
However, Prophet Matthew Osagiede said he has already incidented the matter at the Ugbekun Police Divisional Head Quarter and pleaded with the police to come to his aid as his life is no more safe, let alone that of Sunday Obasuyi they are desperately looking for everywhere.
Ever since his escape, nothing has been heard of him, inspite of the continuous fasting and prayers the church have indulge in, wanting on the Lord to intervene. Even the search for him now has become more and more intensified.
A reliable source have further reveled that the cult group have extended their search for him to the area he resided in Benin State for about two years he lived and worked there. Hoping to track him down, if found there through their Boko Haram and ISWAP members too.
