I, Anthony Ogelenya Odili grew up the way I was trained by my parent, Moses and Victoria Odili, I attended the Ugbaja primary school in Rivers State of Nigeria.
As a child, one day, I called my father, Moses and asked him the source of which I re-incarnated, to come to this planet, earth. The doctrine and belief of re-incarnation is majorly believed and accepted in my community. They agreed that when one comes to this life and eventually die, there is every tendency that the person will come back to life either in the form of a relation or others. The person can die as a child, youth or old man. It is believed that he will surely come back to life. This takes place as many times as death occurs. On the answer to this question, my father Moses told me that my elder brother, George re-incarnated from Ebinum who was our grand father, while Patrick who is next to the senior son re-incarnated from our father’s brother, Onwuborum, who was dead some past years ago. He now take me that I personally came from the juju called Udigiri. Those who serve this juju is being required that they shall rub their hand with chalk everytime. At this time, I was very happy because of the answer of my father who told me that it was because that I came from juju, that was the reason why I behave, pattern myself always and dream like the juju. As a child, I was very happy after all I was quite different from other children both in speech, behavior and conduct. My total faith was circle around the saying of my father. This juju, ‘Udigiri’ has its house built in the family compound by our father and it was being believed that certain waters are kept in the pot beside the shrine by which this juju comes up to drink in the midnight I believed all this story then, I was so ignorant to understand what the Lord said in his word concerning the idol and its worshippers. Bible said;
‘Their idols are silver and gold, the work of
Men’s hands, They have mouths, but they speak
Not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have
Ears, but they hear not: Noses have they, but they
Smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: Feet
Have they but they walk not: neither speak they through
Their throat. THEY THAT MAKE THEM ARE LIKE UNTO THEM,
SO IS EVERY ONE THAT TRUSTETH IN THEM: Psalm 115: 4 – 8.
However, because of ignorance, I did not know that God is against the idol worshippers. In other words, He recognizes me then as the idol itself ‘They that make them are like unto them; so is everyone that trusted in them.
During the time, I was much interested and catering for the affairs of this juju spirit in our land as a young boy, the religion of cherubim and seraphine ( a set of Christian denomination that believed most in the operation of angels and prophecy, visions and dreams) came to our land in the year 1955. I was then 3yrs old with high mentality and certain characters that can attributed to someone who serve devil as a result of societal and family belief. It was one prophet Isaiah from Umuoru in Delta State that introduced that religion in the land. Then it was being called Midwest. I equally joined the group as a small boy immediately it was established. At the same time, I was growing in knowledge and understanding concerning what my father told me that I came to do on earth.
“There is a generation that are pure
In their own eyes, and yet is not
Washed from their filthiness”.
Proverb 30: 12
When cherubim and seraphim came in our land, my brothers and sisters used to take me down to the church for worship and services, though my father at this time had succeeded in initiating me to that juju “Udigiri” spirit. My parents explained what happened during my initiation rite to serve the god. This time, I was almost 5 – 7 yrs. They explained all that happened to me, though I could not understand fully what they said on how the occasion was organized and what took place. This they said that is the reason why I am dressing and behaving as a juju errand boy.
My childhood experience in consonance with our family beliefs for me came in full when one native doctor by name, “Egbuakirikpakpa” came to dwell in our place – Ugbaja in Rivers state. He specialized in curing people of their ailments and diseases through native herbs, shrubs, root etc, I was handed over to him by my people for help, assistance, training and associations. I was his right hand man who for the first time in the land witnessed his curing of one man ‘Mark’ of a stroke disease (sickness) that was troubling him for years. Though Mike Later died and this made the native doctor, Egbuakirikpakpa’ to leave Ugbaja and travelled to Okpokirikata in Delta State. By this time, I desisted in following Egbuakirikpakpa to his new destination. When I was with him, he initiated me to other gods that has connections with the native doctors. He put certain marks on my body part, the man was indeed a professional native doctor who always succeeds in every of his actions in preparing charms and medicine for people.
When he left our place – Ugbaja, I travelled to stay with my father sister (aunt) by name Iyabo to stay with her at her place in Oniuku of Rivers State of Nigeria. Iyabo was a headmistress in one of the primary school in the Land or community called Utaegbegbe after her transfer from Oniuku in Rivers State. During this period, I was enrolled as a pupil in a primary school there and at the same time began to practice medicines which I learnt well from my master, Egbuakirikpakpa. I helped other native doctors who came to stay in the Land to help people in their situations. I was with aunt Iyabo when she had her first son by name ‘Chukwudi’ and after this, I decided to return back to my birth place – Ugbaja in Rivers State:
Bible said,
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal
And to kill and to destroy; but I am
Come that they might have life and that
They might have it more abundantly. John 10 : 10
The ministry of the devil is to kill, steal and destroy, he does more harm and no good at all. He is a bad paymaster. When I went back to my birth place, I did not have the intention for a change. At the place – Ugbaja. I was again initiated by “Mmanwu” juju spirit. This took place around 1960.