THE LONG JU JU.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13647, 12 February 1913, Page 8

THE LONG JU JU.

A CULT FOR HUMAN SACRIFICES*

Excitement has been caused in .Southern Nigeria, West Africa, by a crovival of tho cult of the "Long Ju Ju" of Arochuku, tho shrine of which has iboon the' scene' of human sacrificee and

•other »avage rites. Ten years ago a British punitive -expedition partly stamped out the cult, •but a chief named Eanu Okau of late (states "Reuter") .raised the organisation almost to ite former strength. He organised a staff of 1,500 messengers:, who travelled over hundreds of miles of territory. Any native nourishing -enmity against another bribed, the JuJu mosonger, who ordered the man to go before tho chief oracle Chuku, and t.ho victim wont to death or life-long

•.':. la very

In -spito of the vigilance of tho Government, until a few weeks ago the Aros (a native- tribe) made most of ■their wealth through the slave, trader. Tho country was honeycombed by elavo routes, along which continually

patsscd' the victims, of the "Long Jti Ju." If tho Ju-Ju omissa-riee pointed, a linger at a man, woman, or child, tho' wretched creature followed them without hesitation of resistance. Sacrificial victims were supplied to those wealthy enough to pay for euch meatus of ensuring rich crops or answers to prayer. Reports of these practices reached tho Government, and the District Commissioner, at great personal risks, made* .rnqtiiries. Many ringleaders were arrested, and several chief priests of th© cult were -sentenced to death. To avenge their kin, relatives of the condemned men poisoned the Gom- ' missioner'e food, but the Commissioner escaped with a severe illness. It was found impossible to convict the chief Kanu Okoru of murder. Tho chief, who has amassed a fortune of at least ttalf a million, escaped with three years' imprisonment. . A slave town with two or three thousand inhabitants has been discovered at the/-back of Kami Okoru's compound. This was screened from the road by only a few''yards of bush, but the dense undergrowth hid everything from sight. ~