From Chuks Moses, Awka
A prophet, who operated out of the sleepy village of Umuazu in Uke, Idemili North Council of Anambra state has been accused of alleged indecent sexual acts against an eleven (11) years old primary school pupil, Miss Ogechukwu.
There are those who believe the prophet is being persecuted by those at the receiving of his powerful spiritual activities.
One Uche Muonwem, a lady in her late forties lamented that if the prophet had relocated when her family gave him quit notice to find elsewhere for his activities, things would have been different.
In tears, she said she heard rumours that the propher’s present travails were orchestrated by some members of the occult living within the Obodo-Akpaka area.
She said she learnt that his sustained fire-brand prayers were disturbing them, bemoaning how such a man, who has been a comfort to her and many others could be so vilified. She was confident that the ordeal would soon pass.
As the story goes, Prophet Ikechukwu Nwadike was said to have moved into the premises of Ichie Otutu Muonwem of Umuazu Uke about four months ago in the heat of the Covid-19 pandemic, and was warmly received.
Gradually he allegedly converted part of the premises of the late Otutu of Uke to a worship centre.
According to Mrs. Peace Ejikeme, a 42-year old widow and native of nearby Akama village, the recent victim of the prophet is her 11-year old daughter, Ogechukwu.
Her story: “Our prophet gave a prophecy about my daughter, Oge, on Sept 4, 2020 that two spirits – a demonic and a heavenly on3 were fighting to gain control of her life. That there was an urgent need to separate her from the evil demonic spirit to enable her super bright spirit to manifest. That she has a good destiny.
“He went ahead to request for a spoon of overnight ashes, and N700 for olive oil. These were presented on Sept 7, 2020 and that I should send her for a midnight deliverance prayers on that Sept 7. He specifically instructed that I shouldn’t come along, but chose a particular elderly woman member of the Fellowship Centre we had come to adopt as “Mama”, (Mrs Victoria Nwike), he directed I should send my daughter to come with Mama.
“It was therefore shocking to hear from my daughter on her return on Tuesday, Sept 8, 2020 morning that she will not go to that prophet and his fellowship centre anymore. She went ahead to tell me that he was an evil man because while he lighted a candlestick at the dot of 12-midnight, took her inside his office that Monday night. And while she firmly held onto the candle with her eyes closed as he instructed, he started fondling her breasts and (touching) her reproductive (organ). Momentarily he went and brought Mama in and asked her to join in holding the candle. But after some time, he asked Mama to leave the office back into the main auditorium leaving just my daughter and himself behind.
“Instantly as Mama left, he bolted the doors, blindfolded her, stuffed and tied up her mouth, tied up her hands and legs. He then commenced another round of more intense fondling of her breasts and (touching) of her genital. Despite all her struggles, kicking and screaming, no one could notice or hear her because she was tied up all over. At a time he concentrated on (touching) her (genital), which was indeed very painful. She admitted she had never had such ugly painful experience all her life.
“But after what seemed like eternity, he removed the blindfold and the materials he stuffed and tied her mouth with and opened the olive oil and one other solution that he poured into her mouth. Thereafter he took her into an inner room with a bed. At that point, the (removed) her panties and undressed himself too. He then placed her on the bed, spread her legs and raped her. ‘It was painful’, she admitted.
“As she was narrating her ordeal, I broke down in tears. I managed to take her to Mama, and in the presence of Mama’s son, my daughter repeated her story. All of us became angry and then rushed to the prophet that early morning of Sept 8, 2020. When confronted, the pastor denied tying her up or blindfolding her. That he only rubbed her all over. That he didn’t actually enter her. I asked him why did he want to destroy my child when he has his own. When our voices started rising against him he fell on his knees begging us for forgiveness. That it was mere temptation and would never repeat again. That he will never let my daughter into his office any other day.
“I told him that it was not over as I will take her to a hospital for checks on infection and pregnancy. So on getting home, I narrated the story to a member of the family who then took us to a pastor who prayed for us and consequently to a hospital where no fewer than four different tests were conducted. At this stage, my daughter kept vomiting ceaselessly including blood. She became too weak, refusing to eat.
“But as her condition worsened, I went back to the prophet charging him to neutralize whatever he did to my daughter. Ironically he became combative and violent, threatening us. So at that stage I really raised my voice and people started gathering. At that moment he became jittery as the Uke Vigilante Group and Umuazu youths were invited and the number was rising. As we were still discussing, he jumped over the fence there and ran away.
“It was alleged that what Prophet Nwadike administered on her which made her drowsy for some days was a concoction of fetish materials laced heavily with Indian hemp. To douse my concern, I was told to increase her intake of blood-building foods and supplements.
“The next day the man invaded my house with about six armed police officers from Ogidi Division. But because the area had been incensed, the vigilante blocked them and put a call through to the Zone 13 Police Zonal office and he was summarily arrested and kept there.
“Efforts to get a copy of my daughter’s medical examination report from the Enugwu-ukwu General Hospital has ever since been thwarted by the antics of the desk officer at Zone 13. The officer not only refused to issue the necessary papers to enable us collect the medical report, he insisted that the report would show or prove nothing. That we should rather start reconciliation process so that the prophet be granted bail and released from detention”.
At the Police Zone 13 Headquarters Ukpo in Dunukofia Council of Anambra state, the Public Relations Officers, Nkiru Nwode, said the matter is still being investigated.
Two other members of the prophet’s fellowship centre, who declined having their names in the media, questioned his integrity, adding that in the midst of the present crisis, he found a new abode at Abagana, Njikoka Council area.