The results of the strange illness tagged as #OndoX have arrived,
and it is not Ebola virus. The samples also tested negative to five
other deadly diseases, namely, Yellow Fever, Lassa Fever Virus, Rift Valley Fever Virus, Dengue Virus, West Nile Virus.
The disease comes with neurological clinical symptoms which includes blindness, and loss of
consciousness. Those affected die within 24 hours. However, three
survivors have so far been registered.
High
Chief Moses Enimade, the Oyewoga of Ode Irele in Ondo State, says the
recent death of 20 youths in the town was caused by sacrilege done to
Molokun, god of the land.
Enimade,
next in command to Oba Cornelius Olanrewaju-Lebi, stated this during
interview in Irele today, Saturday 18th April with News Agency of
Nigeria.
He debunked the rumour that the deaths were caused by strange disease or Ebola virus
It will be recalled that no fewer than 20 youths reportedly died of severe headaches and blindness in the town recently.
Enimade contended that some stubborn youths broke into the inner room of Molokun Shrine on April 15.
“Molokun is a deity of the land, only the Chief Priest and High Chief Gboguron are qualified to enter the shrine.’’
The
chief said the youths entered the shrine and made away with traditional
items in a bid to acquire extra-ordinary powers and engage in money
ritual.
“They were not qualified to enter the room (shrine). They had to face death penalty’’; he emphasised.
The Oyewoga said it he could not remember the last time Malokun or any other gods had to strike like this in the area.
According
to him, there is no community or town without its own culture and
tradition; what happened in Irele is the judgement of the gods on
stubborn youths.
“Even
the Kabiesi himself is not permitted to enter the Molokun Shrine’s inner
room except the Chief Priest and High Chief Gboguron. Sacrifice must be
performed before they can enter.
“Because
these youths want to be rich at all costs, they entered the sacred
place and made away with traditional items and 20 of them have died as a
result of their desperate acts,
“We
have to appease the gods or else many will still die and we have to bury
them according to tradition. Their corpses belong to the gods and will
be exhumed if buried by their families.’’
He restated that the deaths were not caused by diseases or ebola as widely speculated.
“The death caused by Molokun is characterised by severe headache and blindness.
“Proverbs
29:1 in the Bible say: `he that had been reproved and hardened his neck
shall suddenly be destroyed without remedy; so youths of nowadays must
be careful’’’, Enimade said.
Some
residents who spoke appealed to the chief priest to make necessary
atonement to avert calamity in the town as it has given the town a bad
name.
-(NAN)
The
Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko was also reportedly spotted praying
in his office yesterday after observing a fasting session to avert the
epidemic in the land.
Dr Dayo
Adeyanju, the Ondo State commissioner for health has also given an
update on Twitter in a Tweetchat question and answer forum on #OndoX.
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