What is unfolding in Ozoro, Delta State, is not merely a local incident—it is a national warning.
The swift response of the Nigeria Police Force under the Inspector-General, Tunji Disu, in arresting those linked to the reported abuse tied to a traditional festival, is commendable. It sends a signal—at least on the surface—that the State can act decisively when confronted with barbarity masked as culture.
But let us be clear: this is bigger than Ozoro.
The intervention of His Royal Majesty, Anthony Uvietobore Ogbogbo (Ibuka I), who summoned an emergency council and demanded accountability from the chief priest and festival leadership, is equally significant. It reminds us that even within traditional institutions, there remains a moral compass—one that recognises that culture must not become a cover for criminality.
Yet, this moment must not pass as just another isolated crackdown.
Because we have seen this script before.
In Lagos, on the eve of the 2023 governorship election, the so-called Oro Festival was weaponised. Women—married or unmarried—were warned to stay indoors. Non-indigenes were explicitly targeted. Movement was restricted. Fear was institutionalised.
And the State looked away.
No arrests. No urgency. No justice.
What we are witnessing in Ozoro today is, therefore, not new—it is a rehearsal of a recurring national failure: the selective enforcement of law based on geography, politics, and convenience.
Let us return to first principles.
Nigeria is not a theocracy. It is not a shrine-state. It is not governed by priests, imams, or pastors.
Nigeria is a constitutional republic.
Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. Section 41 guarantees freedom of movement. Section 42 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, ethnicity, or origin.
No festival—whether in Ozoro or Lagos—has the authority to suspend these rights.
None.
Not under the guise of tradition.
Not in the name of religion.
Not for political manipulation.
Any declaration that confines women indoors, targets non-indigenes, or threatens violence—including sexual violence—as a form of spiritual appeasement is not culture.
It is criminality.
And it must be treated as such.
This is where the Nigerian State must draw a firm line:
No traditional injunction should override constitutional rights.
No religious decree should restrict lawful movement.
No cultural practice should threaten the dignity, safety, or bodily autonomy of any citizen.
The law must be blind—not selectively awake.
Because when the law sleeps in Lagos and wakes in Ozoro, it ceases to be justice. It becomes politics.
And when citizens begin to experience the State as selective, they lose faith—not just in institutions, but in the very idea of Nigeria.
The arrests in Ozoro must not end as a symbolic gesture. They must lead to transparent prosecution. Justice must not only be done—it must be seen to be done.
At this critical juncture, the Nigerian Bar Association must rise to its constitutional responsibility.
The NBA should immediately approach a court of competent jurisdiction—preferably the Federal High Court or the Supreme Court—seeking a definitive judicial interpretation of Sections 38, 41, and 42 of the Constitution.
Such an action must aim to establish, with finality, that:
No traditional rite—whether in Ozoro, Lagos, or Sokoto—can lawfully restrict the movement or rights of citizens.
No Christian or Islamic directive can override constitutionally guaranteed freedoms.
No cultural practice can impose conditions that violate the dignity and equality of Nigerians.
Nigeria urgently needs a binding judicial precedent that will settle this matter once and for all—beyond politics, beyond sentiment, and beyond selective enforcement.
Because if the law is not clarified now, abuse will be repeated later.
More importantly, this moment must trigger a national policy response:
A clear legal framework that defines the limits of traditional practices within a constitutional democracy.
Because if we fail to act now, we are only postponing a greater crisis.
Ozoro today.
Lagos tomorrow.
Nigeria at risk.
The time to act is not during the next outrage.
The time to act is now.
Citizen (Dr) Bolaji O. Akinyemi
Founding President, PVC Naija, now,
Chairman Board of Trustee. An
Apostle & Nation Builder. He’s also the President Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table. He is a strategic Communicator and the C.E.O, Masterbuilder Communications.
Email:bolajiakinyemi66@gmail.com
Facebook:Bolaji Akinyemi.
X:Bolaji O Akinyemi
Instagram:bolajioakinyemi
Phone:+2348033041236
