Okpanam Kingdom in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State has suspended the activities and operations of “Ndi-Ezenwanyi” and unregistered/illegal Tradomedical Practitioners in the Kingdom. And this is with immediate effect.
Making the suspension known at the Ugoani-In-Council meeting of Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the traditional ruler of the Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, (Dr) Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu said the suspension was necessitated by the increasing rate of nuisance and negative effects their activities/operations were constituting to Okpanam Kingdom and, in particular, to the cherished tradition and customs of the people.
To this end, a seven-man task force has been appointed to ensure the immediate enforcement of the suspension.
Members of the Task Force are: Chief Abua Ntoka, Ezedibia of Okpanam (Chairman); Chief (Mrs) Maria Mordi Oza-Omo of Okpanam; Comrade Lucky Okolo (President, Okpanam Youth Organization); Ogbueshi Dana Mokogwu; Comrade Felix Amamize Okeleke (Chairman, Okpanam Vigilante Group); Mr Stephen Ogbangwo (Chairman, Okpanam Anti-Cult) and Youth Chairmen of all the four Quarters of Okpanam.
The terms of reference for the taskforce, among others are: To establish the town and state of all the “Ndi – Ezenwanyi” and yradomedical pratitioners in Okpanam; authenticate their operation licenses and restrict those who are non-indigenes of Okpanam from Okpanam streams and sacred places.
“For quite sometime now, we are witnesses to the spring up of “Ndi-Ezenwanyi” and harvest of Trado-Medical Practitioners plying their trade in all nooks and crannies, including streams and bushes of Okpanam Kingdom”, the Ugoani said.
The Ugoani-In-Council, he disclosed, in the past, saddled the Customs/ Traditional Matters Committee with the responsibility to register and administer Oath on such practitioners, not to engage in any harmful practice on the soil of Okpanam Kingdom.
Unfortunately, the Monarch said, nepotism marred the realization of the goal, so much so that, a non – indigene was installed Chairman of Traditional Medicine Association and Ndi-Ezenwanyi from other kingdoms occupied Igwogwo, Iyi-Ukwu, and making unrestricted sorties to Nnemiyi Stream, and dumping all manner of fetish materials on Okpanam Sacred Streams, as the indigenes watch the scenario helplessly.
“Needless to inform you, as you must anticipate that, with the advent of our neighbours clamping down on “Ndi-Ezenwanyi” and unregistered Trado-Medical Practitioners, the certainty is that, they begin to make influx into Okpanam Kingdom,” he added.
“Therefore, we must be proactive to checkmate their exodus by establishing a Task Force to capture the person’s involved in such activities in the Kingdom.
