By Arthur Madumere
A certain professor, Egodi Uchendu, came into national consciousness and reckoning precisely on 19th April, 2019. On that day, she announced to the world of the hosting of a world conference of witchcraft at the grounds of the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Professor Uchendu, a professor of History, is also the director of the Centre for Policy Studies and Research as well as the leader of African Humanities Research and Development Circle (AHRDC), a UNN-based research group.
In an interview with this reporter, she went down memory lane on the controversy that greeted the witchcraft conference. According to the erudite don, the conference was necessary for us to “academically interrogate the concept of witchcraft and our assumptions about it”.
It can be recalled that all hell broke loose in November, 2019, due to harsh and uninformed opposition to the conference. But the conference eventually held as scheduled.
She maintained that if the need arises, she will still organise similar conferences and was of the opinion that our educational system is backward and needs revamping.
When asked if she has any regrets over the controversial conference, she emphatically said know as she is perfectly alright and is no witch.
