The organisers of the planned academic conference on witchcraft planned for Nsukka next week are looking for another venue after the University of Nigeria withdrew the approval for the use of its Energy Centre. The director of the centre wrote conference organisers withdrawing the approval, amidst the opposition by Christian students and the Christian Association of Nigeria against the conference.
The conference, initially scheduled for 28-31 October is the brainchild of the B.I.C Ijomah Centre for Policy and Research and is expected to hold between November 26 and November 27. It is a pure academic exercise, not a real meeting of witches and wizards, the centre said, shocked by the uninformed reaction of Christian students and CAN.
Posters pasted by Christian students on the campus decried the conference. The posters bear the messages: “Say No to the meeting of witches and wizards!!! We are (a) Christian community. Don’t pollute our environment please!” “University of Nigeria belongs to Jesus.
So witches and wizards, No way!! No Vacancy!!!” “We plead the blood of Jesus over the University of Nigeria. Hence we reject all forms of witchcraft overtly or covertly in Jesus’ Name, Amen”.Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, also urged members to pray to avert the conference ever holding.
Chairman of CAN in the South-East zone, Bishop Dr Goddy Okafor is concerned about the conference and has demanded that the programme be called off immediately.
Okafor said, “I call on all Heads of Blocks, State Chairmen and other Stakeholders of Christian Association of Nigeria South-East Zone to take up aggressive prayers against the planned convention of Witches and Wizards slated to hold on November 26 at UNN.
“This convention is not of God and must not hold in Jesus name. Exodus 22:18 says, ‘Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live’.
“I hereby direct, all Christian Churches in South East of Nigeria to take up lamentation and pray against this evil movement in all our churches this coming Sunday.
