Witch Tree Won’t Fall

Suspense hangs over the fate of the mysterious Onyina tree which nearly bowed to the powers of the Nigeriene wizard, Prof Amidu Sabo Azeez.

Just as he was about to cut down the tree on Wednesday, the witch-hunter was stopped by the youth of Ofankor, a suburb of Accra where the tree still stands.

The tree which had allegedly defied the blades of five other chainsaw machines and that of Wuju, the Chinese construction company's bulldozer, gave way to the chainsaw of the medicine man, who chopped off about 80 per cent of the tree trunk.

The wizard, covering himself waist-down in red calico, and spotting a bare chest, performed some rituals and started cutting the mystery tree.

The youth of Ofankor, who did not understand why a stranger should trespass that far into their 'holy shrine', attacked him and his apprentice who was busily whining the chainsaw machine to bring down the mighty tree.

The youth heckled and slapped Azeez and his boy and later sent them to the chief's palace.

Workers of the construction company were not spared by the irate youth, who attacked them also with all sorts of implements.

The workers' foreman, Wisdom Quarshie, sensing danger, quickly called in the Tesano Police who came to rescue them as well as Azeez and his boy.

The chief, Nii Abban Kotei II and his elders fined the witch-hunter one cow, one sheep, 6 bottles of schnapps, a gallon of akpeteshie in addition to ¢2 million, to pacify the gods.

Pockets of people with suspense written all over their faces were seen discussing the issue in low tones when DAILY GUIDE got to the scene yesterday.

Meanwhile, Azeez has dropped a hint that feverish negotiations are going on between him, officials of the Ghana Highway Authority and the Ofankor Chief and elders to allow him to finish what he had started.

He gave the assurance that arrangements were far-advanced to allow him to swing into action again next week, at which time he expects to engage the spirits inhabiting the witch tree in a battle and eventually bring it down.

However, the professor did not specify the particular day on which he would actually cut down the tree.
Stay tuned!

By Mike Avickson