Introduction To Oke Ite Ritual – Side Effects and Meaning.

Oke Ite is a concoction of many animals, plants, and human parts assembled in a mud pot bound with white fabric and boiled to perform booming duties.

Oke ite has been the quickest method for our youths to get fortune without considering the implications.

Oke ite bụ Ajoo Ọgwụ

It has the potential to shorten your life, render you blind, render you impotent, and even take the lives of your loved ones.

All you have to do is settle all the spirits that need to be settled.
(Onye Uwa gị, Agwụ, Ndị mmiri, Ndị Iche) The Spirits I described are in opposition to Oke ite.

NOTE: If you are Nwa Mmiri, you should never consider doing Oke Ite since your pot of money is in the sea. It will not work or last on you.

Nwa Mmiri adịghị agwọ ọgwụ… Mmiri na aso ọgwụ.

The native doctor who produces oke ite will never urge you to be friendly with your Spirit guides because he understands that mentioning those Spirits to support the Oke ite would prevent it from functioning since he knows they don’t.

Money ritual cults are resurfacing at an alarming rate in modern Igbo society. The findings demonstrate that the search for rapid prosperity, sloth, a lack of work possibilities, a lack of fear of God, and the promotion of idolatry in the guise of cultural revival, among other things, are the causes of the rise of these socio-religious vices. Cult activities, human sacrifices, drug addiction, abduction, and the sale of human parts are among the repercussions.

The impacts on the beneficiary include family ruin, the death of valuable children, misfortune, lunacy, and disease, among other things. The study suggests teaching and re-orienting our kids, establishing vocational and skill acquisition centers, awarding scholarships and empowerment programs, and celebrating excellent values in society. This is a responsibility that everyone should take on, notably the church and traditional institutions, in order to save the society from collapse. In the course of the investigation, a field research analysis that included interviews was used.

Introduction To Oke Ite Ritual :

In today’s world, the desire for instant money has pushed many Igbo youngsters to engage in activities that are opposed to Igbo beliefs and practices. One such behavior is the growth of Oke Ite rites, which many young people engage in in attempt to amass quick fortune with little effort.

According to Aghanwenu (2020), murdering for money is a widespread occurrence in Nigerian daily life. He went on to say that hundreds of Nigerians had died as a result of ritual killers, or what Leo Igwe (2004) referred to as “Head Hunters.” This behavior is especially regrettable in this contemporary and scientific day, when one may expect that such unscientific deeds or misconceptions are no longer a challenge. It is particularly concerning that, despite the influence of the church in our time, such demonic and barbarous behaviors continue to have sway among Christian kids. How can we be certain that the criminals are “Christian”? This is due to the Christian names they have; nevertheless, does having Christian names mean that one is a Christian? This may be an argument, but the true issue is the proliferation of money-making rituals, which is now a symptom of the deterioration of the moral fiber that keeps our society together. Nonetheless, the findings of this paper suggest that collectively (the church, conventional institutions, and government) efforts may be made to ameliorate the aforementioned problem for the benefit of our society.

What exactly is the Oke Ite ritual?

Oke Ite ritual is a charm made using many animals, including dogs, elephants, monkeys, and sometimes human parts. The preparation includes the use of various herbs, roots, and other ceremonial items, as well as the combining of several types of liquids. It is known by several names among Igbo communities, depending on location. For example, it is known as “Oruru” (luck charm) among the people of Ayamelum, “awele” among others, and “Yahoo plus” among the youngsters (that is the combination of charm with 419 tricks). According to inquiries, Chukindi (2022) ‘Yahoo plus’ in Nigerian vernacular comes from Yahoo Yahoo, which is a famous term for online fraudsters, the majority of whom worked with computers. However, when people got more aware of online scams, young lads began hiring native physicians to create charms for them to mesmerize and cheat their victims. As a result, it was discovered that the engagement of the native doctor is what distinguishes their activities as ‘Yahoo Plus.’

There is “Oke ite” and “nne-ite,” according to Azubike Okudo (Personal Communication, May 20th, 2022). Both are types of native charms or mixtures created by native healers for people, but in modern times are mostly employed to earn fortune by young people on the fast track. It was discovered that the charms are made from many animals, including dog, other animal parts, and human blood. It is said that those who indulge in it attract endless wealth. Okudo went on to say that Oke Ite comes in several kinds, including Oke Ite prepared and activated with the blood of a white ram, Oke Ite prepared and activated with the blood of a dog, and Oke Ite prepared and activated with the blood of a white local rooster. It should be noted that all of these have varying powers and levels of operation.

According to the findings, Oke Ite is manufactured by witch doctors with the goal of increasing life successes. Oke Ite accelerates and accelerates one’s successes. It is a charm used to influence nature to one’s advantage, but it is not without serious consequences. Oke Ite increases wealth and successes but also hastening self-destruction, death, doom, sorrow, anguish, and suffering. According to Joseph Nweke (personal communication, May 23rd 2022), this bad aspect of Oke Ite is never mentioned to the adolescents who want it. He went on to say that Oke Ite can render a man impotent and, in the long run, can necessitate human blood.

Furthermore, Oke ite is something that will be appeased with animal blood as part of renewal rites, which are performed monthly, seasonally, or yearly, and the recipient is not expected to miss the atonement ceremonies. Missing the regeneration ceremonies has serious implications, such as losing one’s sanity, life, or that of loved ones. Inquiry also reveals that once the recipient decides to abandon or discard it, all of the liberated riches brought by Oke Ite disappears with it. If you discard Oke Ite after eating it, you will eat from your hands to your mouth and die penniless. In other terms, oke-ite or nne-ite is a one-way trip.

The causes of the growth in Oke Ite rituals

There are numerous reasons why today’s youths have become involved in the Oke- ite charm, but among the most prominent are the desire for quick wealth, laziness, a lack of employment opportunities, a lack of fear of God, and the promotion of idolatry in the name of cultural revival, among many others.

Scarcity of job opportunities

Okonkwo (2022) noted that in a society where over 100 million people live in poverty while a tiny few controls all the resources and lives a lavish lifestyle with reckless abandon, the disenfranchised will find a method to escape their plight. If one percent of 100 million individuals chose ritual murdering, there will be one million ritualists on the streets. Fortunately, we are not there yet. If we do, dead bodies would litter Nigeria’s streets, and the odor will devastate the country. From the foregoing, it is clear why many dissatisfied adolescents, mostly graduates, resort to such savage acts in order to make ends meet.

In the same vein, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), was reported by Utomi (2022) as adding that the high rate of joblessness among Nigerians is now on the rise. According to him, around 40% of young people are unemployed. The upshot of this truth is that many young people are disillusioned, angry, and restless as they face a future that does not provide them with hope. He, however, stated that all hope is not gone, as teenagers play an important part in ensuring that the country arrives at its intended objective.

Utomi (2022) went on to speculate on what could be behind Nigeria’s ever-increasing jobless rate. Is it leadership or the educational system of the country? What is the government (both state and federal) doing to revise the policies if it is defective education sector-driven, given that education is on the concurrent list of the nation’s 1999 constitution (as amended)? Are the leaders exemplified by leadership qualities that the global community may admire? Or moral and ethical values that people may enthusiastically support? The solution to the country’s deteriorating unemployment problem resides in four sectors: education, research and technology, agriculture, and infrastructure. Do our leaders have the political will to confront these issues in the face of multiple scandals among the ruling class? It is vital to remember that fixing the problem of escalating Oke Ite rituals will remain elusive unless the issue of unemployment is addressed.

Materialism and the desire for quick wealth:

According to Oluwatoyin (2022), the hunt for money did not begin, but the practice has become so odd and terrifying that it has made it impossible to trust intimate friends or relatives due to fear of not being for rituals. Desperation and pressure from friends and family members are frequently quiet aspects that entice many young people into the get rich quick mindset. Similarly, Nwanne and Anazia (2019) recalled a period in Nigeria when being a Medical Doctor, Engineer, Accountant, Lawyer, and the like was a huge issue among the youth. Previously, young people did not mind taking many JAMB tests in order to gain university entrance and attend a professional degree. Even parents were more interested in having a medical son or a lawyer daughter at the time; it was a source of pride.

All of that has changed now. Unlike in the past, when young people sought professional vocations that would provide them with well-paying jobs, the pursuit of fame and money has become the norm. Even individuals who have obtained professional qualifications from both Nigerian and international colleges have abandoned them in order to seek a career in showbiz. One can see why many young people crave money at any cost. After being locked up for a month and publicly demonstrating various immoral behaviors, the winner of BBNaija will be given 25 million naira in addition to other rewards. With all of this, it is clear that the loss of our moral fiber is one of the root reasons of all of these anomalies in our cultures today.

Looking at how our political officials squander our common good with impunity, with no one holding them accountable, doubles the percentage of young people who choose options that appear good in their own eyes.

Laziness

According to Okudo Azubike (personal communication), the majority of today’s youngsters are too indolent to work. Most young people want simple products that make money without requiring them to engage in lengthy tasks.

According to Ijediogor (2022), this is the brain that led most young people to abandon hard labor and embrace the get-rich-quick mindset by being involved in ritual slaughter. He went on to say that ritual killings and the desire to get rich quickly by whatever means were formerly exclusive to the elder generation, but not any more in modern times. Cases of youth involvement in ritual killings in the country have been on the rise since last year, owing to a growing craze among the younger generation to get fortune with minimal effort, notably through the Internet. Ijediogor (2022) concludes that although some adolescents embrace science and technology, others, maybe out of sloth, turn to ritual killings to get rich quick. All of this is due to an increase of pleasure-seeking teenagers.

Regardless, most adolescents cannot be blamed openly since the value structure of today’s Nigerian society has been undermined by parents, government, the New Religious Movement in the guise of Church, and parents alike. Materialism has risen above the values of diligence, honesty, integrity, and patience.

Idolatry promotion in the guise of cultural revival:

It’s disappointing to see what our forefathers abandoned to embrace Christianity being restored in the guise of cultural renaissance. Masquerade cults, idolatry, and the usage of amulets and charms are being revived in numerous societies. With such a strong reawakening, most young people believe that visiting local healers, shrines, and other cultic organizations, including witches, is something to embrace and enjoy. According to Nwaka (2021), increased young interest in ritual and the occult realm is undoubtedly linked to the continuing growth in youth unemployment and poverty.

In other words, as Anugwom (2011) demonstrates in the case of the Niger Delta, the perception of injustice and marginalization at the hands of both transnational corporations and the government provided fertile ground for occult practices, as well as facilitated the rediscovery of deities previously associated with justice and fairness.

Poor parenting, education, and bad government are all causes.

Our society’s celebration of wealthy individuals without examining the source of their fortune encourages young people to pursue the “fast wealth” mentality. The Church is not left out for Jannamike (2022), because in most churches, the best-dressed worshippers and members with huge automobiles are well known, regardless of the source of whatever they parade around. In such a setting, how can poorly educated youngsters not believe that money is everything and pursue it in any way simply to be acknowledged and celebrated? Parents are not immune since parents frequently put pressure on their children to get money at any cost. The solution is that our society and our children will reject the temptation to kill for money if their parents raise them in the fear of God and love for their fellow humans. As a result, everyone should take parenting seriously by assisting in the raising of godly and responsible children.

Oke Ite ritual consequences on our society:

The consequences are both personal and social. Personal boundaries are those that influence the individual and his immediate family, whereas social borders are those that effect the greater society. On a personal level, many young people regard Oke Ite as the simplest method to obtain rapid cash without considering the implications. Oke ite is a dreadful charm (Ajo Ogwu). But how exactly does it work? According to the findings, all you need to do is settle all the spirits that need to be settled, and those spirits will influence nature and obey your biddings. However, many individuals are unaware of the magnitude of the repercussions. This is due to the fact that it has the potential to shorten your life, render you blind, render you impotent, and even take the life of your loved ones. In Igbo cosmology, such manipulation of spirits to one’s advantage is thought to be against the will of some good spirits (Onye Uwa gị , Agwụ , Ndị mmiri, Ndị Iche – ancestors -these Spirits mentioned are against Oke ite). According to inquiries, Oke Ite does not work for everyone. For example, if you are ‘nwa mmiri,’ Oke Ite will not help you since your pot of riches is in the water. In Igbo slang, (Nwa Mmiri adị ghị agwọ ọ gwụ … Mmiri na aso ọ gwụ ). In the same line, Oke Ite syndrome is linked to an increase in the number of teenagers who are vagabonds, insane, and die at a young age in the midst of their fortune. No surprise that many young ladies are widowed at an early age, with numerous children as orphans rooming around the strength seeking assistance.

Furthermore, many young females marry young men without realizing they are impotent as a result of the Oke Ite enchantment. Such ladies would be travelling from one hospital to another, from one prayer home to another, unaware that the true cause is that their spouse has exploited his future children for Oke Ite charm. What a calamity! Unfortunately, the local doctor who prepares Oke Ite will never encourage you to be in good terms with your Spirit guides because he understands that mentioning those Spirits to support the Oke Ite will prevent it from working because he knows they do not.

Without bias, the rise in cult activities, human sacrifices, drug addiction, abduction, and the sale of human parts in Nigeria today is profoundly unrelated to the pursuit of materialism. Looking at the style and manner in which insecurity has increased throughout the country, one can see the impact of a lack of job and the made wealthy syndrome among the youths. The wealthy and political elite can no longer sleep since the government has failed to fulfill its responsibilities.

Ayandiji (2022) noted that the escalating incidents of ritual involving the use of human beings among Nigerian youths had gotten intolerable. The country has been shocked, horrified, and many people are fearful of what may happen next as a result of these deaths. The national growth in kidnappings and ritual killings has been swift in recent years, and most Nigerians regard this as a simple affair, and are unsurprised by the lack of action that has resulted. So, who is to blame? Is it the state, society, the church, or even the parents?

There may be no need for a blame game on this issue because everyone is suffering the effects. However, given the way our current government in Nigeria is handling issues affecting youngsters, one has to worry what the future holds. Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strikes have kept students at home for months, and the consequences will be that the idol mind is the devil’s workshop. These teenagers, who are meant to be at school but have stayed at home due to the strike, are the same folks who engage in political violence.

The spate of ritual killings has become so problematic for Dakuku (2021) that our political leaders should declare a national emergency on the crisis. I advocate for harsher prison sentences to deter potential perpetrators from carrying out ritual killings. Citizens’ trust and confidence in law enforcement must be built in order to motivate them to provide the credible intelligence required by security operators. Ayandiji (2022) asks a pertinent question in light of the foregoing. Where does the future of the younger generation lie if such heinous and cruel deeds are accepted as the norm? It is well known that Nigerians are unable to pinpoint the reasons why killing for rituals and other purposes has become increasingly prevalent, paradoxically, in the twenty-first century. Some attribute it to a desire for prosperity, security (spiritual defense), power, and cultural influence. The deaths of innocent people as a result of ritual killings have tarnished Nigeria’s reputation in the international world.

The current number of missing persons in the country is quite concerning. Some are discovered, while others are not. According to Dakuku (2021), there is conjecture that the bulk of persons who vanish without a trace are generally victims of ritual killings. Dakuku went on to say that there appears to be little or no effort being made by concerned government entities to halt the trend. Given our levels of exposure, awareness, and civilisation, it is believed that such cruel and barbaric crimes will no longer exist in our society. Ironically, although our communities appear to be becoming more religious, as seen by the expansion of churches and mosques in every nook and cranny of the country, it appears that these horrible actions are becoming more common, as the pursuit of filthy lucre penetrates our culture. One begins to ask if our security is overburdened or if there is a failure to perform. There is an urgent need to put a halt to this threat in order to save our kids’ and nation’s future and spirit.

Solution and suggestions for Oke Ite :

Though Oke Ite syndrome is a problem that affects everyone in Nigeria, the remedy is as follows:

Programs for Youth Empowerment

It is evident that many able-bodied youngsters in Nigeria, largely graduates, lack meaningful work as a result of government delay in revitalizing the crucial industry, particularly the power (electricity) sector. One key approach is to provide work opportunities and multiple empowerment schemes to empower youngsters and guarantee that able-bodied people, particularly graduates, are employed soon after graduation. Such programs will not be left to the government alone; the church and private organizations must be involved as well.

In summary, educating and re-training our children in skill acquisition programs, as well as assisting them in starting anything small, will go a long way toward engaging them on a daily basis. This menace, which has become the order of the day as a result of government and security agencies’ neglect, can be seriously addressed by engaging youths in skill acquisition programs to keep them from being enticed by money. Scholarships must also be provided for youngsters who cannot afford to pay for it.

Re-orientation/re-education

In this twenty-first century, there is an urgent need for re-education of adolescents and whole citizenry on the absurdity of their beliefs in occult rituals and superstitions. These orientations will help to educate our children in homes and schools about our values, the sanctity of human life, hard work, integrity, and satisfaction. With this instrument in place, religious organizations (both traditional and church) will guarantee that youth sensitization activities are carried out on a regular basis to assist them grasp the proper values to be respected.

Excellent Parenting

One startling discovery is that many parents are responsible for encouraging their children to seek quick money. In this example, the phrase “charity begins at home” suggests that school cannot teach our children everything they need to know. Parents should raise their children such that they do not bring dishonor to their family or society at large. In essence, parents must assure and urge that their children exhibit the finest conduct possible in each area in which they live or work.

Celebration of Positive Values in Society

It is past time for our culture to embrace the principles that have helped institutions endure rather than pursuing materialism. On that note, the church and traditional institutions must address the issue of knowing the source of one’s wealth before bestowing honors on anyone. Those who earn their living legally through legitimate business and hard work will be celebrated, while those who earn their wealth illegally will not be tolerated. This also applies to the political class, which embezzles public funds and community development projects while being applauded by the community because their sons and daughters are involved. In every society, evil is evil. Corruption and misappropriation of funds must be condemned, and those involved must be shunned in their communities if necessary. By doing so in the community and church, the fear of God will become paramount, resulting in children who value and cherish good morals over materialism.

Conclusion

According to the findings of this study, all institutions must be involved in addressing the issue of Oke Ite syndrome. The church has a role to play, as do traditional institutions, while the government and security agencies must rise to their responsibilities of providing job opportunities, punishing offenders, celebrating good virtues rather than immoral acts, and rebuilding and building critical economic infrastructure.

The study suggests teaching and re-orienting our kids, establishing vocational and skill acquisition centers, awarding scholarships and empowerment programs, and celebrating excellent values in society. This task should be undertaken by all in order to save the society from collapse.