Osudoku Chief Bans Blood Sacrifice
…Says It Is Cruel And Unfriendly To Animals
The Paramount Chief and President of Osudoku Traditional Area, Nene Ngmongmowuyaa Kwesi Animle VI, has indefinitely suspended the celebration of the annual ‘Wordomi’ festival of the chiefs and people of the area until a consensus is reached between the Traditional Council and Fetish priests over the mode of the performance of some of the rites therein.
Kicking against all forms of blood sacrifices, the ‘Modern-Day Traditional leader’ said a culture that is not friendly to domestic animals and the citizens is contrary to a sustainable environment.
Speaking at the seat of his paramountcy at Osuwem, where he addressed participants of this year’s Aadegbor festival, Nene Animle noted that a culture that is attributed to the killing of domestic animals in the name of ‘smaller gods’ is an act of cruelty to domestic animals.
He contended that the celebration of the “ablao and nadu” deities, which is locally called ‘Wordomi’, is having an adverse effect on the traditional area.
“Let me state that it is not the intention of the traditional council to abolish our custom but from foregoing it could be noted that the urgent need for the modification of these customary practices cannot be over-emphasised”.
According to Nene Animle, the indiscriminate slaughtering of domestic animals, quenching of domestic fires at peoples home (stoves) and the imposition of curfew on residents of the district Capital-Osuwem for several weeks to pacify the deities are infringements on the rights of residents.
He said the celebration, which happens between February and May of each year, does not only deprive the citizens of their freedom of association, but affects their economic rights as well.
Ngmongmowuyaa Animle told the gathering that, he was not comfortable with how the ablao and nadu celebration, and its associated norms, deprive the citizenry of fully Public Holidays and other activities on the National calendar.
He stressed that all outmoded cultural practices in his traditional area need to be modified.
By: Bennett Akuaku
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