In ancient times, in Igbo land, Ibini Ukpabi, a deity popularly known as “Long Juju,” was used to settle disputes within the community and punish offenders. The Long Juju Shrine served as the supreme court for the people of the Arochukwu Kingdom in what is now Abia State. The Oracle’s decision was final and no one, neither status nor wealth, could change his verdict. Anyone accused of a crime entered a tunnel (escape tunnel) of the sanctuary to be sentenced at, and if the accused was found guilty,he or she was never
seen again. The criminals were killed at a flowing river called “Red River”.When the river turned red, the criminals’ families believed that they were killed by the deity Long Juju.
However, when European rule and the slave trade began in Africa in the 15th century, West African slave traders used the long Juju temple of Arochukwu to procure slaves who were then sold to Europe. After entering the tunnel, the criminals were stripped naked at a place called “Rug Hill” and secretly sold into slavery instead of being killed.
Ibini Ukpabi is said to have been nicknamed “Long Juju” when a British explorer was traveling through a long tunnel, grew tired and exclaimed, “This Juju is long; it’s a long juju. During the British military expedition to Arochukwu in 1901 and 1902, Long Juju Temple was attacked and destroyed. However, the image of the temple still gives a faded image of what it looked like.
After this punitive expedition, historical and courageous figures like Mary Slessor came to Arochukwu to spread Christianity and put an end to the killing of the twins.
Today, the Long Juju Temple in Arochukwu served as a place of religious worship and tourism. Due to its role in the history of Nigeria and West Africa, it has become a major tourist attraction in Abia State, Nigeria.