Conference on witchcraft kicks off, rebranded

The planned 2-day international academic interrogation on witchcraft took off yesterday at the Nsukka Main Campus of the University of Nigeria with two major changes – renaming of the Conference theme and a change in venue.

Organisers quickly changed the theme of the Conference from First International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Witchcraft: Meaning, Factors and Practices, to Dimensions of Human Behaviour, and also moved its venue from the Energy Centre to Princess Alexandria Hall.

These changes, however, did not affect the thrust of the papers presented nor alter any other aspect of the carefully packaged academic exercise.

The host of the conference, Prof. Egodi Uchendu, said in her opening speech that a major casualty of the Conference was the absence of the keynote speech to have been given by Prof. David Kerr, former Vice Chancellor of Benue State University.

Kerr withdrew from the conference at the last minute following needless controversy that trailed the choice of subject, mainly promoted by religious zealots.

Two lead papers were presented at the conference yesterday by Professors Damian Opata and Peter Eze.

Click here to enjoy an impressionistic report on the opening day of the Conference by the brilliant journalist and publisher, Aniebo Nwamu.

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