Sources consulted by the Research Directorate refer to the Owegbe as a cult or society in Edo State.

Newswatch, a Nigerian weekly news magazine, carried an article on the sex trade in Nigeria that described the Owegbe as one of several "powerful secret societies" to which some girls who return from working as prostitutes in Italy belong:

The girls also belong to powerful secret societies, among them "Asigidi" and "Owegbe" through which they flaunt their social connections and wealth. Nobody who crosses a member's path is ever spared the ordeal of at least two days in detention at the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Benin.

Said Nosa Osagiede, a secondary school teacher in Benin: "It's very easy for a member to deal with you. She goes to the CID and tells a policeman: You have to handle one fellow for me, officer. I am an Akatarian". "Akatarian" is the popular term in Benin for one who has been to Europe, particularly Italy, and made so much money. The Akatarian girl gives the officer the address of the "offender" and some dollars and he does her bidding (27 July 1999).

In a 1999 newsletter, the Center for the Study of World Religions published a speech given by a professor of church history at the University of Nigeria, which described the Owegbe cult as an example of a modern-day representation of village "base communities" (24 Feb. 1999). The professor stated that "in traditional societies, power and authority were sacralized and ritualized with symbols and hedged with secret cults. These mobilized the political elite and substantiated the theory of obligation," giving communities a sense of legitimacy (ibid.). In the present day, "protagonists legitimate their adventure by posing as representatives of their village base communities," thereby "rooting themselves in the sacralized power structures and secret cults" (ibid.). These cults are therefore used to "mobilize the political elite as foot soldiers of ethnic interests and warfare," and cults such as the Owegbe enable access to wealth, economic opportunities and power (ibid.).

An Africa News article referred to a vigilante group that the Edos in Edo State may establish called the Owegbe Vigilante Outfit (8 July 2001). However, no further information was available.

No information on whether the Owegbe cult practices satanic or evil rituals could be found by the Research Directorate.

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.

Africa News. 8 July 2001. "Point of Order: When Smith Can't Sleep." (AllAfrica/NEXIS)

Center for Study of World Religions, Harvard University, Boston, Massachussets. 24 February 1999. Ogbu Kalu. "Harsh Flutes: On the Legitimacy Crisis in Nigeria." http://www.hds.harvard.edu/cswr/publications/6-2har.htm [Accessed 3 October 2001]

Newswatch [Lagos]. 27 July 1999. Olu Ojewale, Doyin Adegbulugbe and Joris Casteren. "Sex Export." http://www.friends-partners.org/partners/stop-traffic/1999/0379.html [Accessed 3 October 2001]

IRB Databases

Africa Confidential 1999-2001-10-03

Africa Research Bulletin 1999-2001

NEXIS

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International

Federation of American Scientists

Human Rights Watch

newafrica.com

Nigeria Daily

Nigeria News