Pentouch 
My name is Deborah from the southwest part of Nigeria. My husband’s life was terminated after an alleged threat of life because of his refusal to take the lead in his father’s traditional religion worship (Orisa Idile).
I met my husband in Ibadan as a devoted Christian we are married with three kids. And we were enjoying our life in Christ. Our problems started in 2015 when my father in-law was sick although he wasn’t a Christian he only believes in his traditional worshipping (Orisa Idile) and he could not perform his duties in serving the deity due to his illness.
And the Chief priest and community (name withheld)people and the village elders sent a message to my husband to come and perform the ritual as the only Son.
My husband rejected such a satanic and demonic beliefs to go home and perform rituals and idol worshipping. My husband has not been to his family house ever since we met in year 2005. My husband said to the chief priest and others, this is against his Christian beliefs to worship idols or bow down for any other gods. Exodus 20,4-5
Few weeks after several threatening calls and messages from the village elders, my husband began to face different kinds of tribulations, both physical and spiritual attacks and things were not moving on well for him anymore and we can barely eat three square meals.
My husband was in constant danger and I worried for his safety with each passing day. This similar battle for faith made me lose a sister in my former church and turned her kids into orphans, oh my God !I do not pray for such a terrible experience.
Sometime around June, 2015 I was told by neighbours that some group of people came looking for my family and our house was set on fire later that night and people around were able to assist and we became homeless.
My husband began to fear for his life because this generational tradition idol worship/beliefs (Orisha Idile) has not left our society in Nigeria. After several attacks both spiritually and physically because my husband rejected the offer to worship idols they threaten his life so badly that he developed a panic attack and yet they are still threatening my family saying is either my husband take the lead of idols worshipping or faces prosecution.
After a year of running from one place to another, the traditionalist thugs confronted my husband when he was coming from church workers meeting and in the process of trying to defend himself an eye witness said my husband was hit with a sharp objects on his head and I rushed to the scene but i met my husband in a pool of blood lying down on the floor helplessly. He was rushed to the hospital but died on arrival, said the Doctor.
My family’s ordeal highlights the clash between cultural traditions and personal faith, underscoring the urgency of respecting individual choices in our diverse society.
With a broken and a bitter heart i flee away with my kids without anyone knowing my destination because I do not know who is next whether it is my son or his brothers as i have two boys and a girl.
“I dream of a future where freedom of religion is protected and celebrated. A future where my husband could have still be alive unharmed, and where the shadow of tradition will no longer cast a menacing pall”, she said in tears with a heavy heart.
