By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A Catholic priest, Angelo Chidi Unegbu, has expressed his views following the recent demolition and burning of the shrine belonging to convicted Anambra native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as Akwa Ọkụkọ Tiwara Akị.
Recall that the Oba-born celebrity native doctor, Akwa Ọkụkọ was convicted on Friday, with destruction of his shrine listed as one of the decision of the court in the viral judgment delivered by Justice Jude Obiorah in suits numbered A/40C/2025, A/41C/2025 and A/42C/2025.
In a thought-provoking Facebook post published on his Facebook page shortly after the Anambra State Government carried out the destruction of the shrine on Friday, Fr. Unegbu questioned both the method and rationale behind the action, arguing that the objects found at the site could have provided valuable insight if properly examined rather than being destroyed.
“Why are you destroying and burning the objects in the shrine? How can you set fire to something you don’t understand?” the priest asked, expressing concern that potential evidence and cultural artifacts may have been lost permanently through the demolition exercise.
He further argued that experts should have been deployed to scientifically and professionally investigate the items recovered from the shrine, suggesting that such an approach could have helped authorities gain deeper understanding into the operations, networks, and practices associated with the activities under investigation.
According to him, beyond criminal considerations, some of the materials could have been preserved for historical, educational, or research purposes. He proposed that certain objects might have been suitable for preservation in museums as documentary evidence of evolving religious and socio-cultural practices.
Fr. Unegbu also questioned the propriety of entering and destroying a person’s property in his absence, raising broader concerns about procedural fairness and the optics of the enforcement process.
He expressed particular concern over what he described as growing public celebration of the shrine’s destruction, noting that dissenting voices are often met with suspicion or hostility.
“Every time I write posts like this, I get asked: Are you sure you’re a Catholic priest? My counter-question to such people is: Are you sure you’re human?” he wrote.
In an earlier post on the page, Fr. Unegbu reflected on the government crackdown on native doctors in Anambra State, tracing it to policy pronouncements made in late 2024 regarding documentation and regulation of traditional spiritual practitioners.
While acknowledging that certain individuals involved in ritual or deceptive practices could negatively influence society, the priest cautioned against approaches he believes may raise legal and governance concerns, including questions about due process and the retrospective application of laws.
He emphasized that while criminal activities must be addressed decisively, enforcement actions should be guided strictly by established legal standards, procedural transparency, and respect for the rule of law.
Fr. Unegbu also raised governance and security concerns, arguing that efforts to combat crime must remain consistent, comprehensive, and rooted in institutional accountability.
Watch the video of the destruction below:
