In an effort to eliminate unethical practices in Anambra State, native doctors under the umbrella of Odinala Orumba South have taken an oath to expel any member found engaging in criminal or unethical activities.
The oath-taking ceremony was held on Wednesday at Izo Mmili Shrine in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area.
Speaking after the exercise, Christian Umeh, Chairman of Odinala Orumba South, stated that the initiative aims to uphold ethical standards among traditional practitioners and ensure that those involved in illegal activities are identified and removed.
“We decided to embark on this oath-taking to reaffirm our commitment to ethical practices and weed out any members involved in illicit activities. It is also to ensure that those assigned to identify rogue native doctors will not be compromised. Some members were absent today, and those who could not take the oath have until next Monday to do so,” Umeh said.
The Chairman of Orumba South Local Government, Shedrack Azubuike, represented by King Nwabueze, described the initiative as a step aligned with Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s vision of making Anambra a safe and prosperous state.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment, and Tourism, Don Onyenji, clarified that the government is not against traditional medicine practitioners but is committed to eradicating fraudulent native doctors aiding criminal activities.
“There has never been a time the governor said traditional practices and native doctors will end in Anambra. Rather, he wants to eradicate fake practitioners who aid and abet crime. The state government recently established Agụnaechemba, a security outfit, to track down native doctors involved in criminal activities such as preparing charms for kidnappers, armed robbers, and ritualists,” Onyenji said.
One of the native doctors, John Ahamkonye, also supported the oath-taking, emphasizing the need to address the rising concerns over fraudulent practitioners infiltrating the community.