Nigerian Escapes To Ireland For Asylum After Surviving Forced Circumcision, Obnoxious Initiation 

By Adadareporters

A promising Nigerian is currently in search of asylum in the Republic of Ireland over an alleged harmful traditional practices that go against his religious beliefs.

One Mr Chijioke Michael Nnanna, from Obunulo Ngodo, Isuochi, Abia State, in a distress WhatsApp call to our reporter, said his troubles started when he came back to his hometown, Isuochi, to pay the pride price of his wife to-be.

He said on the night of his coming, some youths in his village nearly circumcised him forcefully, and almost initiated him into some obnoxious practices that are against his religious beliefs and those of his family.

“But for the intervention of a well-known pastor in the locality, whom I got to know through an elderly widower, it would have been my worst experience,” Nnanna recounted.

Our correspondent reports that some places in the South-East zone of Nigeria are replete with some traditional practices that are harmful not only to individuals but to the development of the region.

Forceful circumcision is part of such bad traditional practices, which, if not fully initiated, one would not be allowed to get married or benefit from other cultural activities.

Mr Chijioke Nnanna said he was not circumcised by his parents when he was born because of the family’s strong Christian background.

In his words, “But for not being circumcised by my parents, many threats that include stoning and forceful circumcision were heaped on my mother, as she was solely blamed for not allowing me to go through the ritual of circumcision, as the customs and traditions of our villages demand.

“These threats to my mother by our kinsmen and other villagers made her not to visit our village again.”

Nnanna said things took a different turn in his life when he was aged enough to get married: “One fateful day, I came to my village to pay the bride price of my wife to-be (Chiamaka Jessica Chukwu). When my kinsmen learnt that I was around, they gathered in my father’s compound and threatened to kill me unless I performed the traditional circumcision ritual.

“The most horrifying aspect is that they even threatened to rape the lady I wanted to marry, and give her to another man to marry if I didn’t partake in the circumcision ritual. This made me put a stop to the marriage rites, to save the lady from falling into the hands of these people.

“As they (the villagers and youth) besieged my house with all sorts of weapons, including some concoctions, I knew then that if I didn’t leave the village by whatsoever means, I might not live again to tell the story.

“Around midnight of the same day, as they still besieged my house, I made an alternative route within the back wall of our compound, and sneaked out. I ran as my legs could carry me for over ten kilometres before I could reach a neighbouring community where I sought refuge.”

He said that later in the morning, after narrating his ordeal to the man he hid in his house, the man, said to be a widower and community leader, took him to one Reverend gentleman, who runs a non-governmental organization (NGO).

According to him, the man of God welcomed him after hearing his pathetic story and promised to help him relocate to another country, as staying in Nigeria would still put his life in danger.

Quoting him, “My coming in contact with the pastor was a saving grace. He used his contacts to secure some stop-gap papers for me to travel overseas. I travelled to Republic of Ireland on the 16th January, 2024. I slept on the street on my arrival because I had no place to stay.

“Thereafter, from the personal enquiries I made, I was told how to get a taxi to Dublin. From Dublin, I met someone who gave me the address of the International Protection Office (IPO), where I arrived on the 17th of January 2024.”

Nnanna pleaded with the federal and state governments in Nigeria to abolish all obnoxious practices that take the country backwards. He particularly called on the governments of some South-East states to take the initiative to stamp out retrogressive laws and practices that have contributed to the backwardness of the region.