November 21, 2020
Incest: Villagers at war with Samuel Godwin, his wife, Mrs Gift Godwin
By Uche Iweka
A young couple, Mr and Mrs Samuel Godwin,are presently facing a serious battle in their Ohionwa Clan, in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria.
Some members of Ohionwa Clan who spoke in a recent interview with journalists said that Samuel Godwin and his wife, Gift Godwin are from the same family, hence, as a brother and sister they cannot marry each other.
They noted that any marriage between a brother and sister is a taboo and an abomination in their land, therefore, Samuel Godwin and Gift Godwin must face the penalty of engaging themselves in such abominable act.
They disclosed that the penalty of marrying one's brother or sister(Incest)is death by stoning at the village public square.
According to a member of the family who refused to mention his name due to security reason, Samuel Godwin was seriously warned not to marry Gift since they are from the same family in Orhionwa Clan but, he refused and went ahead with the marriage. He was aware of the penalty of committing incest, unfortunately, he damned the consequence by going ahead with the marriage.
He added, "Incest is evil and an abomination in our land. Anyone who commits it offends the gods of our land and such person whether male or female will be stoned to death at the village public square."
On the question if the law of the land on incest will be reviewed, the family member said that it will not be reviewed. However, he advised his brother, Samuel Godwin who he said has been missing with his new wife since they got married in 2020, not to return to the village or if possible leave Nigeria as they are not going to be spared by their people.
One of the leaders of Orhionwa Clan, Pa Johnson Imasua, in an interview with journalists on the issue, declared that his people will continue to uphold the laws of the land and their rich cultural heritage. He asserted that Samuel Godwin was notified severally on the native law against incest, yet, he paid a deaf ear to it. He told journalists that Samuel Godwin and his wife, Gift Godwin must face the penalty so as to serve as an example to other people in Orhionwa Clan who have such intention. We have set a up committee of able bodied young men with the mandate to fish out Samuel Godwin and his wife, Mrs Gift Godwin anywhere they are found in Nigeria.
However, our reporters made several efforts to reach Samuel Godwin or his wife, Gift Godwin for their comments, unfortunately, their phone numbers were switched off and their whereabouts was still unknown as at the time of filling this report.
