Eddy Nawgu

Eddy Nawgu (born Edward Onyebuchi Okeke) was a Nigerian self-proclaimed prophet of God and occult practitioner.[1][2] He bore several sobriquets throughout his life time but was predominantly known in the mid-1990s as "Eddy Nawgu" alternatively spelt also as “Eddie Nawgu” amongst the igbo speaking people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.[3] His other sobriquet "Eddy na Nawgu" came about because he was from the Nawgu community, a town situated in the Dunukofia LGA of Anambra State, Nigeria.[4]

Eddy Nawgu
Born
Edward Onyebuchi Okeke

1957
Anambra state, Nigeria
Died9 November 2000 (aged 43)
Onitsha, Anambra
Other namesEddy na Nawgu, Edwin Okeke.
OccupationNigerian occultist
Spouse(s)Joyce Okeke

Early life

He was born in Anambra State which is located in the eastern region of Nigeria, a geographical location and settlement inhabited predominantly by the Igbo speaking people of Nigeria.[5][6]

Ministry

At the young age of 29, Eddy Nawgu claimed he had been touched by the Biblical God and was given the ability to "see" and "perceive" what the ordinary human eye or other four senses could not intercept,[7] shortly after he began his ministry, he built a church-like structure and named it 'Anioma Healing Centre'[8] he stated that the reasons for creating the 'Anioma Healing Centre' was to heal the sick people in the community and restore hope to people who had thought previously that their existence on earth was meaningless and was without bearing. The physical location of the 'Anioma Healing Center' was at his compound in his community at Nawgu, Anambra State.[9][10][11]

Recognition

During the mid-1990s in Onitsha, Anambra State, Eddy Nawgu had started to grow famous,[6][8] as he had some how managed to gather a good percentage of the community as followers, who thought of him as a charismatic religious leader and also it seemed the "Prophet" kept to his words as tales of how he had enriched and bettered the lives of various individuals began to spread.[8]

Personal life

He was married to a certain Joyce Okeke and had a sum total of 8 children.[12]

Controversy

In the year 1999/2000, Eddy, the self-proclaimed prophet of God had become a person of interest in numerous crimes committed not only in the community, but across Anambra state as a whole. As a result, he had begun to attract the attention of the Bakassi Boys; a vigilante security group which was set-up and spearheaded under the tenure of Chinwoke Mbadinuju, former governor of Anambra state, as anarchy had soaked deep into the land.[13][14]

The Bakassi Boys weren't like any other vigilante group because they supposedly harnessed very great "metaphysical powers"[15] to aid them in intercepting thieves and law breakers in general.

Eddy Nawgu had been accused of kidnapping, aiding & abetting infamous criminals, partaking in rituals involving use of human body parts, i.e. (the human skull) illegal possession of firearms and human sacrifice.[16][9][17] This took him to the top of their "most wanted list".

Sorcery

The Bakassi Boys who had been credited for being able to apprehend every defaulter of the law with minimal effort due to their supposed "metaphysical abilities" had come to meet their match when they failed 13 times[16] in attempt to capture Eddy Nawgu, and when at their wits end, they thought it wise to invite their supreme leader named, "Ngwuro" to help in the capture of this menace.

The capture of Eddy Nawgu was indeed difficult because the self-proclaimed prophet was, as reported by the Nigerian media, a sorcerer[16][6] who allegedly could defy the rules of Physics and had the ability to teleport that is he supposedly could instantaneously move from a point A to a point B regardless of distance. As a result of this, his apprehension was tagged the most difficult for the vigilante group.[16] Not until the intervention from their leader "Ngwuro" who managed to strip the sorcerer of his alleged mystic abilities were they able to finally capture the self-proclaimed prophet of God.

Eddy Nawgu’s alias was "Alusi N'eje Uka" this literary when translated to the English language means "The Deity Who Goes To Church".[7][18]

Confession and death

Eddy Nawgu, when apprehended on the 14th trial by the vigilante group, was taken to their base of operation for further questioning and interrogation.[6] His release to the Nigerian police was vehemently opposed as the Bakassi boys argued the police could easily be influenced.

High-profile government workers and officials allegedly interceded for the release of Eddy Nawgu as reported by the head of the vigilante group, Mr. Ngwuro. Although the names of these officials were never mentioned, it wasn't impossible that this sort of request was made by the elite individuals in the Nigerian society as the Nigerian media had severally reported long before he was captured that Eddie had become closely associated with a good number of influential persons.[16][17]

During his stay as prisoner in the operation base of the Bakassi Boys he allegedly made startling confessions and acknowledged he was guilty of human sacrifice.[6] The number of people Eddy Nawgu killed according to his confession was a total of 93 persons.[19] He was eventually beheaded and had other parts of his body cut in little pieces by the Bakassi Boys after which all the parts were gathered together & set ablaze at the Ochanja Market in Anambra state, Nigeria.[20][16][8]

Further reading
  • Harnischfeger, Johannes (2006). "State Decline and the Return of Occult Powers: The Case of Prophet Eddy in Nigeria".[21][17]
  • Ekenne, Geoffrey (2000-12-11). "Death of a Miracle Man".[22]

In media
  • The Nigerian movie titled Onye Amuma was a depiction of the rise and fall of Eddy Nawgu. which featured Nkem Owoh playing the role of Eddy Nawgu.
  • A Nigerian movie produced immediately after the death of Eddy Nawgu by Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen in the year 2000 titled Issakaba, had four parts in which the very first part of the movie showed the formation of the vigilante group & also the tremendous effort put into the capturing of Eddy Nawgu, in which the Nigerian actor; Zulu Adigwe played the role of Eddy Nawgu.
  • In a Nigerian movie titled The Last Prophet which featured the Nigerian actor Zulu Adigwe playing the role of a false prophet was a movie dedicated to Eddy Nawgu.

See also
  • Reverend King Ezeugo

References
  1. "Nigeriaworld Feature Article - Odeshi!". nigeriaworld.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  2. Anizoba, Emmanuel (1 March 2019). "LIFE HISTORY AND LAST DAY OF EDDY NAWGU HEALING MINISTRY". 5 (2): 2504–9038. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. "Traditional Ruler Accuses Police of Aiding Eddy Nawgu". article.wn.com. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  4. C, Anizoba Emmanuel (30 March 2019). "EDDY NAWGU HEALING MINISTRY: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PEOPLE OF NAWGU, DUNUKOFIA L.G.A". Journal of African Studies and Sustainable Development. 2 (1).
  5. "Nigeriaworld Feature Article - Odeshi!". nigeriaworld.com. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  6. admin. "EDDY NA NOGU… THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE OKARA MMADU OKARA MMUO THAT TERRORISED ANAMBRA AND EVEN THE BAKASSI BOYS". TRUTH NEWS. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  7. "Nigeria's Historical Throw Back Lane -8". www.stelladimokokorkus.com. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  8. Ekenna, Geoffrey (11 December 2000). "Nigeria: Death Of A "Miracle" Man". Newswatch (Lagos). Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  9. "The Legitimization of Murder and Torture". www.hrw.org. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  10. Anizoba, Emmanuel. "LIFE HISTORY AND LAST DAY OF EDDY NAWGU HEALING MINISTRY".
  11. "PREORC Open Journals". journals.ezenwaohaetorc.org. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  12. "The Legitimization of Murder and Torture". www.hrw.org. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  13. Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | Nigeria: The "Bakassi Boys" in Anambra state; their involvement an assassination attempt on Chief Offia Duru; whether they target only criminals; whether the state uses them to silence opponents; state protection and internal flight alternatives available to those targeted by the Bakassi Boys". Refworld. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  14. "Beware the Bakassi Boys". The Economist. 17 May 2001. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  15. Canada, Immigration and Refugee Board of (14 February 2006). "Bakassi Boys; leadership, membership, activities, and treatment by authorities (January 2005 - February 2006) [NGA101051.E]". www.ecoi.net (in German). Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  16. "The Untold Story of Eddy Nagwa was a disaster to human rights okara mmadu okara muo how "odeshi" began | Zangwap - wealth is brain". zangwap.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  17. Johannes, Harnischfeger. "State Decline and the Return of Occult Powers: The Case of Prophet Eddy in Nigeria". Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft. 1. ISSN 1940-5111.
  18. "The Truth About The Bakassi Boys". www.gamji.com. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  19. "Eddie na Nawgu:The Occultic Prophet Who Was Beheaded and burnt by Bakassi Boy[ issakaba] Full Story". news-af.feednews.com. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  20. "Ochanja market: Populaly Known As Onitsha Bakassi killing spot". www.ashiwaju.org. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  21. Harnischfeger, Johannes (2006). "State Decline and the Return of Occult Powers: The Case of Prophet Eddy in Nigeria". Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft. 1 (1): 56–78. doi:10.1353/mrw.0.0024. ISSN 1940-5111.
  22. Ekenna, Geoffrey (11 December 2000). "Nigeria: Death Of A Miracle Man". Newswatch (Lagos). Retrieved 20 February 2017.
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