According to a report by Punch Newspaper on Sunday, July 19, 2026, Chinedu, a 28-year-old painter based in Benin City, Edo State, said the situation would not have been different for the individual involved, regardless of whether he celebrated or chose not to.
Responding to a question on whether the celebration created additional problems for him, Chinedu maintained that the outcome would have remained the same because, in his view, the person was innocent from the beginning.Watch Video Here
According to him, the individual would still have been subjected to victimisation even if there had been no celebration.
He stressed that the issue was not the celebration itself but the circumstances surrounding the allegations, insisting that the person had done nothing wrong.
Chinedu maintained that innocence does not always prevent people from becoming targets of accusations or unfair treatment.
He explained that situations in which innocent people are wrongly accused are not uncommon, adding that assumptions and rumours often influence how people are perceived within their communities.
He noted that such incidents can quickly spread without credible evidence, making it difficult for those affected to defend themselves against claims that have no factual basis.
To illustrate his point, Chinedu recounted an experience involving his own family, he said the incident occurred during his sister’s traditional wedding ceremony, where an unexpected allegation was made against his father by a woman who claimed to have heard a rumour concerning him.
He stated that the woman approached his father and alleged that she had been informed he had gone to place charms on another person’s land.
According to Chinedu, the accusation came as a surprise because there had never been such an incident involving his father.
He said his father immediately rejected the claim and made it clear that the allegation was entirely false.
Chinedu said the experience reinforced his belief that people can become victims of unfounded accusations even when there is no evidence to support such claims.
He maintained that rumours have the potential to damage reputations and create unnecessary suspicion, regardless of whether the person involved has done anything wrong.
He said, “He would still be victimised whether he celebrated or not. He is innocent in the first place. It was during my sister’s traditional wedding that a woman told my dad she heard that he went to put juju on another man’s land. My dad denied it because there was nothing like that.”
