A true life Story: If it is you What will you do? ; My in-laws after my life, woman alleges
A true life Story: If it is you What will you do? ; My in-laws after my life, woman alleges
A 40-year-old mother of two, Shakirat Omobolanle Habeeb, has alleged her life is under threat over religious differences with her in-laws.
The Canada-based Nigerian told our correspondent on phone that her in-laws were after her life for being allegedly responsible for the death of their family member.
Habeeb, amid tears, said: “I am the fifth children born in a family of eight children and my parents raised us in the Church. My late father’s name is Mr. Kareem Omolara and my mother’s name is Risikat Omolara, although they came from Muslim homes my mother became a Christian and showed us the way of God.
“My husband’s name is Adewale Akeem Habeeb and we were married on the 20th of May 2000. Our marriage was blessed with two children; Adepeju Zainab Habeeb and Rasaq Abiola Habeeb. My husband and I had a good life.
“He loved me and his children and he provided well for us. I was a trader and seamstress while my husband was a business man buying and selling various products.
“We both graduated from Polytechnic but the economy is so bad in Nigeria that being a businessman or woman provided us with the best opportunities.’’
She added: “My husband’s family members are Muslims and traditionalists while they go to Mosque and pray to Allah many of them believe in deities and traditional fetishes as well. In the Habeeb family they worship the idol “Orisa Odo Iewu” but from the very first time I had this, after we were married, I told my husband that I would never worship an idol or give offerings to such.
“I told him that idol worshipping was considered the devil and as a Christian I would not do anything with his family’s gods. Growing up in the Muslim, I still respected Islam and Muslim rites but this did not extend to idol worshipping.
“So whenever the family had their traditional celebrations or rituals I stayed away. Two years after marriage I gave birth to my daughter and when Adepeju was just one year one of my husband’s aunties, Fatimah Habeeb, made mention of circumcising my daughter.
“I told her that I would never do such a thing to my daughter. She said that it prevented promiscuity and I told her that I didn’t care but it was too barbaric of an act to perform on any woman or child.
“When I made mention of what Aunty Fatimah had said to me, my husband said that I should ignore her.
“In 2007 my husband and I were blessed with a son and we were living happily. In 2013 I traveled to South Africa without my family and my mother in law was not happy about this.
“She said that I was not a good wife and mother to leave my husband and children and go on vacation. My mother in law and I never really got along and she was always picking on me, saying what I did for her son was not good enough. My husband always supported me and she hated me even more for this.
“Despite my mother- in- law’s attitude my husband and I were happy. Around 2014 his mother brought up the issue of my husband taking a second wife but he refused her and she was angry about this.
“She had always wanted me to have more grandchildren but my husband and I had agreed that two children were enough.
“In April 2015 I applied for US visas for me and my son because we were planning on going on a vacation. His sister was in boarding school so I did not apply for her until November of the same year.
“Luckily they were all granted but due to some financial setbacks we had to delay the trip to the following year. But the next year I was forced to delay again because we were still not doing great financially to afford a trip to America.
“I renewed my visa with my son in July 2017 and I told him that we would travel for Christmas break.
“That same year, following my daughter’s 15th birthday my mother- in- law and I got into a very bad disagreement. My daughter had gone to her house for the weekend and she told my daughter many nasty things about me.
“She also told my daughter that she should abandon Christianity because Islam was her father’s religion. She even took her to the family shrine and taught her about their traditional religion and she told her that if she made offerings to the shrine she would have great wealth.
“I told my mother- in- law that she had no right to tell my daughter these things and it was me and my husband that would decide which religion they follow.
“After that I forbid my daughter from going to mother in law’s house unless her father or I was with her. My mother- in- law was not happy and she started turning everyone in the family against me.”
She went on: “On November 30, 2017 my husband’s uncle, Mr. Idowu Habeeb, fell ill and he died suddenly. He had visited my house a few days earlier so I was surprised to hear of his death.
“Uncle Idowu had always been kind to me, and I considered him a father, so I was very upset by his death. According to Muslim rites he was buried the next day.
“I know that he was elderly but the family was still suspicious of his death and my mother- in- law accused me of poisoning him, my husband said that she was being foolish and that she should stop saying such things.
“Two days later I was at home when the head of my husband’s family Mr. Adekunle Habeeb and their other family member, Mrs. Falilat Mustapha, Mrs. Adebimpe Adenuga and my mother- in- law came to our house on the 3rd of December 2017 at to hold a meeting with me and my husband.
“They said that they had consulted the oracle following Uncle Idowu’s death and it was said that I had killed him. I immediately said that I was innocent but my mother- in- law slapped me and said that I should shut up.
“She also pushed me towards the glass door i was standing behind which results in me getting injured on my both wrists and my left elbow.
“I continued shouting and yelling while I was also bleeding on my wrists and they said I have not seen anything yet. They said that uncle Idowu’s spirit could not rest until some sacrifices were made and the gods were appeased.
“They said that my daughter would have to be circumcised and my son would have incisions made on his body and that the blood collected would be made as offering to the family shrine by me.
“I would have to swear an oath to the shrine and seek forgiveness for killing uncle Idowu and only then he would be free. I again said no, I would not do any rituals.
“I said that I had loved uncle Idowu and while his death was tragic I had nothing to do with it. My mother- in- law and the other family members said that there was nothing more to discuss, they said that if I was innocent I would do what needed to be done to clear my name and if I refused I would be punished under Sharia law, which meant death by stoning.
“I started to beg but my husband told his family that they should leave our house and that I was not going to do what they wanted.
“After they left I started to cry and my husband said that he would speak to the elders and get them to drop the issue. He said that he knew that I had done nothing wrong and I should not worry.
“Immediately that very day my husband took me to R .Jolad hospital to stitch my wrists. Over the next few days my husband pleaded with his family but they refused to listen.
“They remained adamant that the rituals must take place and in January they would consult the oracle to fix a date since no rituals could be done until 30 days after Uncle Idowu’s death.
“Uncle Idowu’s son, Ibraheem Habeeb, who is a police officer, also heard the accusations and he came to visit me around the 20th of December 2017 and threatened that if I did not do what was needed for his father he would make sure that I suffered and paid a heavy price along with my children.
“I did not attend any family celebrations in December because everyone had turned against me. I was being call evil, murderer and even witch. I believed my mother- in- law was enjoying this because she had always hated me and having everyone turn against me made her happy.
“On January 3, 2018 exactly one month after their first visit the family elder and my sisters- in- law came to my house again. This time Ibraheem was with them, they said that a date had been set for February 28, 2018 and my children and I should present ourselves to the family house to start the rituals.
“I went to my church’s pastor Mr. Sunday Ekundayo to narrate what was happening and my pastor tried to reason with my in laws that I am not a witch but they refused to listen.
“By then the rumours that I was a witch and that I had killed uncle Idowu using witchcraft had spread all over and even neighbours were calling me names and saying that I should be burned or killed.
“My life became a nightmare and I was innocent of all the accusations. Finally, when the threats and the harassment was too much I made a report to the police in mid-January 2018, the officer did not even take my report and he too accused me of being a witch and said that I should leave the station.
In February I renewed my daughter’s visa to America because my husband felt that we should go on a vacation till everything calmed down.
“On February 25, 2018 my husband’s family head came to the house to remind me of the ritual date. When I refused he started beating me and said that if I did not come on the 28th he would make sure that I was dealt with using Ibraheem’s son as a police man to deal with me.
“So on February 26th I took my children to Abeokuta and I stayed with an old school mate, Bukola Martins. I also made a report to the police about the rituals because it was against my will.
“The officer took a statement and said that he would investigate but most likely family issues were not treated by the police. Three days later I was at the market with my children when my friend called me and said that I should not come around.
“She said that a policeman named Ibraheem Habeeb was at her house with some men and that they were looking for me. I used whatever little money I had and we went to a hotel until my husband could come and get us.
“We went back to Lagos and I stayed in my Pastor’s house for one month until my husband could make arrangements for us to leave Nigeria.
“My husband told me that Ibraheem was angry that he could not locate us and a new ritual date had been set for April 28, 2018 but before that date could reach we were able to leave Nigeria for America on April 3, 2018.
“Before leaving Nigeria, my Pastor advised that we should go to Canada and not America. He said that he knew of people that were being deported from America and that since there was nowhere for us to hide in Nigeria we should not stay in America where we would be sent back.
“He showed me a video that another church ,member had given to him and he said that once we landed in America we should go to Canada to make sure that me and my children were protected. This is why we are here today.”
Despite being far-away in Canada, she said her in-laws are still threatening fire and brimstone.
According to her: ‘’ I have spoken to my husband since leaving Nigeria and he told me that his family was searching for me and my children and that they had spread the lies that I was a witch and that I had used witchcraft to kill uncle Idowu and manipulate my husband.
‘’He said that they were claiming that my running away was proof that I was a witch and that I would be dealt with whenever they found me.
‘’My children would also be circumcised and have incisions made so that they could be cleansed of the evil that I had brought upon them and the family.
‘’None of these things are true but in a country where many are superstitious and still believe in witchcraft I will be killed for these lies. Ever since i left Nigeria my mother in law and my husband’s family are disturbing my husband to search for me and my children.
‘’As at 5th of December 2018 my sister Omotola called and told me that my mother in-law and some of their family members came to threaten my mother to produce me to come perform their family deity rites as soon as possible.
“They said if I don’t show up they won’t stop coming to cause havoc with my family till am back with my children to perform the rites. I am pleading with government of Canada to save my children and I from this diabolical rites.’’
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