Ima Elijah, the daughter of Nigerian cleric and Nollywood filmmaker Helen Ukpabio, has spoken out about the emotional toll her mother’s controversial reputation has taken on her family. Responding to renewed social media criticism on Friday, Ima expressed frustration over what she described as “years of pain” caused by accusations against her mother, who turned 60 the same day.
Helen Ukpabio, founder of Liberty Gospel Church, gained notoriety for her witch-themed Nollywood movies and crusades centered on “witchcraft operations.” Critics, including human rights advocates, have long argued that her films and teachings contributed to a surge in the persecution of individuals accused of witchcraft, particularly in Nigeria’s southern Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.
Daughter Defends Cleric
Taking to the social media platform X, Ima demanded the deletion of a post that accused her mother of inciting parents to harm their children. She gave the user a five-hour ultimatum, questioning the validity of the claims.
“Question now is, how did Helen make you kill your kids? Why isn’t she arrested or ever investigated locally?” Ima wrote.
Ima alleged that her mother’s vilification stemmed from her refusal to “join an international cult.”
Persistent Accusations
Criticism of Helen Ukpabio resurfaced on her 60th birthday, with social worker Ideba Edu Ele challenging Ima’s defense on X. Edu, founder of the Cross River-based Bonnicare Foundation, shared a video of Helen Ukpabio preaching about different forms of witchcraft, which she said fueled harmful stereotypes.
Edu recounted a personal experience involving a 15-year-old orphan in Cross River who was barred from attending school by relatives accusing her of witchcraft.
“They insisted that Gift must make their grandchild walk before they will let her step her foot in a school,” Edu wrote, highlighting the child’s plight after completing primary school three years ago.
Edu’s account reflects a broader pattern of witchcraft accusations in Cross River and Akwa Ibom, where vulnerable individuals, especially children, are ostracized, tortured, or killed.
Legacy of Trauma
While Helen Ukpabio’s teachings and movies gained her a large following, they also sparked backlash from human rights activists who blame her for promoting superstition and fear. Her films from the late 1990s and early 2000s often portrayed children and women as witches, a narrative critics say has fueled witch hunts.
Documentary photographer Etinosa Yvonne captured the impact of such beliefs in her exhibition It’s All in My Head, which showcased stories of victims of witchcraft accusations. Speaking in Uyo last year, Yvonne described meeting a boy who was nearly drowned by his father for allegedly being a witch.
“We are raising a generation of people who are so traumatised,” she said, underscoring the psychological scars left by such incidents.
A Culture of Impunity
Despite laws in Nigeria criminalizing witchcraft accusations and related violence, enforcement remains weak. Many perpetrators go unpunished, while victims are often abandoned by their families and left to fend for themselves.
Activists have called on the government and religious organizations to do more to protect vulnerable populations and challenge harmful narratives perpetuated by influential figures.
