Hello All,
Please, I need your advice and help.
I am from Nigeria. In December 2017, I left Northern Nigeria for the South West after narrowly escaping deaths many times, from bomb blasts, ethnic and religious crises over the years. My return to the south now gets me closer to my extended family members since I am from the South West. The family is polygamous and my parents are late while I am single.
Before I left the North, there was a time I took very ill and I was brought from the North to my half-sister in the South West. She took me to an herbalist, contrary to my faith and religion (I am a Christian). There was only a little or no restraint I could put up because I was in-between life and death. At the herbalist's place, a lot of rituals and sacrifices were done on my behalf. I was terribly incised all over my body from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet, and round about my body (many of the marks are still visible as evidence). I was even made to swallow the blade used for the incision and I was unconsciously made to make an oath, which I did not know until later. After all these and when I got better I returned to the North.
Not long after, my half-sister continued to call me that I will have to renew the rituals every year and that I have been betrothed to the herbalist, so I need to be coming there once in a while until I finally relocate. I told her that I was never and not interested and that I will not renew any ritual or marry an herbalist. I am a Christian and that has not changed and will never change. She told me that the herbalist said I will die if I do not comply. When she got to know that I am now in the South-West, very close to the town where she and the herbalist live (since that's where I got a job), she intensified the pressure for me to come over but I refused and I changed my accommodation and also blocked her line and her children's lines. Up till now none of my family members know where I live but I am afraid the woman might trace me to my current place of work. I am also afraid something bad may happen to me if she finds me. So I am thinking of applying for asylum in Canada. I can not also return to the North due to the high level of insecurity. Even at the South West, the spate of kidnapping, especially of people in my profession, is increasing, and the spread of the herdsmen attacks across Nigeria is so frightening.
Please, are my reasons tenable for application for asylum? If not, please, what can I do? I need to find my way out of this place as soon as I can.
Thank you.
Mettabel
Please, I need your advice and help.
I am from Nigeria. In December 2017, I left Northern Nigeria for the South West after narrowly escaping deaths many times, from bomb blasts, ethnic and religious crises over the years. My return to the south now gets me closer to my extended family members since I am from the South West. The family is polygamous and my parents are late while I am single.
Before I left the North, there was a time I took very ill and I was brought from the North to my half-sister in the South West. She took me to an herbalist, contrary to my faith and religion (I am a Christian). There was only a little or no restraint I could put up because I was in-between life and death. At the herbalist's place, a lot of rituals and sacrifices were done on my behalf. I was terribly incised all over my body from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet, and round about my body (many of the marks are still visible as evidence). I was even made to swallow the blade used for the incision and I was unconsciously made to make an oath, which I did not know until later. After all these and when I got better I returned to the North.
Not long after, my half-sister continued to call me that I will have to renew the rituals every year and that I have been betrothed to the herbalist, so I need to be coming there once in a while until I finally relocate. I told her that I was never and not interested and that I will not renew any ritual or marry an herbalist. I am a Christian and that has not changed and will never change. She told me that the herbalist said I will die if I do not comply. When she got to know that I am now in the South-West, very close to the town where she and the herbalist live (since that's where I got a job), she intensified the pressure for me to come over but I refused and I changed my accommodation and also blocked her line and her children's lines. Up till now none of my family members know where I live but I am afraid the woman might trace me to my current place of work. I am also afraid something bad may happen to me if she finds me. So I am thinking of applying for asylum in Canada. I can not also return to the North due to the high level of insecurity. Even at the South West, the spate of kidnapping, especially of people in my profession, is increasing, and the spread of the herdsmen attacks across Nigeria is so frightening.
Please, are my reasons tenable for application for asylum? If not, please, what can I do? I need to find my way out of this place as soon as I can.
Thank you.
Mettabel
