We Cannot Cancel Our Traditions Because of Fake Practitioners” — Actor Ugezu J. Ugezu Sends Message to Governor Soludo
We Cannot Cancel Our Traditions Because of Fake Practitioners” — Actor Ugezu J. Ugezu Sends Message to Governor Soludo
Veteran Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Ugezu J. Ugezu, has reacted to the recent discussions surrounding restrictions on traditional sacrifices in natural bodies of water in Anambra State, urging Governor Charles Soludo to reconsider a blanket ban on such practices.
In a detailed statement, Ugezu acknowledged the state government’s effort to sanitize the environment and address what many believe are excesses by individuals claiming to practice traditional spirituality. According to him, even many adherents of Igbo spirituality had long been concerned about the emergence of strange practices that appear to corrupt the original traditions of the people.
However, the actor stressed that the actions of fraudulent practitioners should not lead to the complete cancellation of long-standing cultural and spiritual traditions.
Ugezu argued that marine sacrifices and rituals associated with natural bodies of water are deeply rooted in Igbo cosmology and spirituality. He maintained that certain spiritual practices, according to traditional belief systems, require natural environments such as rivers and streams because they are believed to house specific spiritual energies.
He further explained that, within the Igbo worldview, some personal challenges, including difficulties in marriage or business are sometimes interpreted as signs that an individual has not aligned with their Chi (personal spiritual destiny) or the spiritual obligations connected to it.
According to him, many traditional believers hold that reconnecting with these spiritual paths can be important in resolving such issues.
While acknowledging that some individuals abuse traditional practices, Ugezu argued that the appropriate solution should be regulation and proper oversight, rather than a total ban.
He proposed the creation of a screening and regulatory committee to oversee traditional practitioners. According to him, such a body should include respected traditional authorities connected to ancestral institutions rather than political appointees.
Ugezu also emphasized the role of Aja Ani, a traditional authority believed to regulate the activities of Dibias (traditional spiritual practitioners), noting that in authentic practice, such institutions help maintain discipline and prevent abuse.
Concluding his message, the actor urged authorities to protect and purify genuine cultural traditions instead of abolishing them entirely.
“We cannot cancel our traditions simply because fake practitioners have emerged,” he said, adding that every field of human endeavor has both genuine and fraudulent participants.
