No mention of a cult/religion called Okwaraike could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, there are references to the Okwelle community in Imo State (Speaker, House of Representatives 10 June 2000; NED n.d.). A Website entitled "Global Gazeteer," which is "a directory of 2,880,532 of the world's cities and towns," identifies a place named Okwele in the Niger Delta at 5.7333 Latitude and 7.1833 longitude (19 Jan. 2001a), as well as an Umuagu Okwelle at 5.7167 latitude and 7.20 longitude (19 Jan. 2001b). According to this source, these places are 1.4nm apart (ibid.) and when compared to a political map of Nigeria would appear to be in Imo state (CIA 1993).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Central Intelligence Agency. 1993. "Nigeria: Political Map." http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/africa/Nigeria_pol93.jpg [Accessed 11 May 2001]

Global Gazeteer. 19 January 2001a. "Okwele, Nigeria Page." http://www3.calle.com/info.cgi?lat=5.7333&long=7.1833&name=Okwele&cty=Nigeria&alt=498 [Accessed 11 May 2001]

_____. 19 January 2001b. "Umuagu Okwelle, Nigeria Page." http://www3.calle.com/info.cgi?lat=5.7167&long=7.2000&name=Umuagu%20Okwelle&cty=Nigeria&alt=498 [Accessed 10 May 2001]

National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Washington, D.C. n.d. "1999 Grants: Africa." http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:c948efa60f2812b5:www.ned.org/publications/99annual/12-19.pdf+okwelle&hl=en [Accessed 10 May 2001]

Official Website of the Honourable Speaker, House of Representatives, Abuja, Nigeria. 10 June 2000. "Na'Abba Parleys With the People Holds Forum in Enugu." http://www.speaker-nass-nig.org/media06.htm [Accessed 10 May 2001]

Ethnic Groups Worldwide: A Ready Reference Handbook [Phoenix]. 1998.

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Nations Without States [Westport, Conneticut]. 1996.

REFWORLD

World Directory of Minorities. 1997.

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sites including:

The Baobab Project Ethnobase

BBC News

CNN.com

Ethnic Groups of Africa

Ethnologue: Languages of the World

The Guardian [Lagos].

Joshua Project 2000

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge].

Motherland Nigeria

Newswatch [Lagos].

Niger Delta Congress - Local Government Councils, Clans, Ethnic Origin and Title of Their Traditional Rulers

Nigeria Media Monitor

Nigeria News Network

Post Express [Lagos].

United Nations, Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN).

Vanguard [Apapa].

Search engines including:

Google

HotBot

MetaEureka