Send invectives and poisonous arrows my way. In spite of the expected, let me be clear: I do not believe in the existence of what has come to be known as Almighty God or in lesser gods. Not for me juju or voodoo or black magic. In my world, prayers and the supernatural and psychic activities are nothing but dangerous play on the mind of mankind.
For about 1,500 years, religion was the driving force behind human knowledge. And the Catholic Church was adamant in its belief that the earth was stationary; and that it was the centre of the universe. From the 17th century, however, humans began to see the world differently: the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution made clear how dangerous and erroneous religion-driven knowledge were. Today, millions do not take religion seriously — except for the gullible.
In the West and in much of the non-western world, reason, logic, inquiry and curiosity continue to be the dominant force behind knowledge. In other words, science. Scientific knowledge! But not so in Africa — especially sub-Saharan Africa, where it might take another 300 years before science becomes the driving force. Here, primaeval passions and preliterate sentiments, superstition, religious dogma, poverty and ignorance hold sway. Here, phantasms and mass hysterias induced by tales of the missing penis, missing breasts, and shrinking brains, abound. Here is where many believe cat transforms into human, and women can be pregnant for years and give birth to a goat.
And then, there are the witches. You don’t want to be labelled a witch because, here, they brand and burn alleged witches — many of whom are children and poor women. While it is true that in many parts of the world tales of witches and wizards were rife, it has not waned in Africa. One of the most famous accounts of witches was the Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. Today, allegations of and punishment for such in Nigeria are higher and more severe than it has ever been.
In Nigeria, it is rare for the rich and the powerful to be so accused. And you most likely would never hear of the mother, the son or the sister of a governor, minister, or president so accused. Nowhere in Nigeria is the practice and punishment for such allegation as brutal as in the Niger Delta. Tragedies and misfortunes that are beyond the consciousness or comprehension of the natives are credited to witches. It doesn’t matter what their level of education might be, virtually all the inhabitants of the region share in this belief: The unexpected and what cannot be explained, are caused by witches.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of Nigerians believe in this phantom phenomenon. For instance, when a married woman cannot or is having difficulty getting pregnant, they blame the woman — even if the problem resides with the husband. Many rarely think of infertility as a biological challenge, but instead blame witches and evil forces. In essence, millions of Nigerians generally don’t think of problems as what they really are; but instead, all misfortunes and challenges are the handiwork of evil principalities. They see problems as having roots in the spiritual world. So, instead of a visit to the medical doctor, for instance, they go to the pastor, the seer, psychics and others.
Much the same way Nigerians believe in the existence of witches, they also believe in juju and the paranormal. They do not take responsibility for their failures and shortcoming. Plane crashes and automobile accidents are, for the most part, attributed to evil forces. If your car malfunctions, you blame the witch; if you have a heart attack or stroke or other health challenges, you blame your father’s second or third wife; if you do poorly in school or if you are denied admission to the school of your choice, you blame the woman down the road. And especially since 1999, if you lose an election, well, who do you blame? The witches, of course!
According to Tracy McVeigh of The Guardian (UK), “Evangelical pastors are helping to create a terrible new campaign of violence against young Nigerians. Children and babies branded as evil are being abused, abandoned and even murdered while the preachers make money out of the fear of their parents and their communities.” Indeed, pastors have taken the leading role in pointing accusing fingers at the innocent.
There are several ironies to the belief in witchcraft; one being that even among western educated Nigerians, there is a widespread belief in the omnipresence and omnipotence of witches. Millions are afflicted and infested by ignorance and fear. Many send money home to be “cured” and or to escape the fangs and tentacles of their enemies. Education, it seems, does not illuminate everyone’s mind. According to Ade Shokunbi, a Senior Analyst at Brightstar Corporation, Libertyville, Illinois, “don’t equate education with mindset. Just because you are educated doesn’t mean you are going to change your mindset on issues especially when you find it easier to not open up your mind.” Perhaps, there is something about the African mind that makes it difficult to wipe it clean of impurities.
“In the Middle Ages,” said Hans Martin Blix, a former diplomat and head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, “people were convinced there were witches. They looked for them and they certainly ‘found’ them.” In Nigeria, where human life is cheaper than that of a cow or dog, there are witches everywhere! Our so-called men-of-God have taken the leading role in pointing accusing fingers at the innocent. For the most part, these so-called servants of God do nothing but peddle fear and recrimination. Otherwise, they sell ignorance and stupidity to ignorant and gullible citizens.
Whatever your problems are, they have the solution. For them every problem has roots in the supernatural. And every solution comes with a price tag. Sadly, for every sucker on the Nigerian streets, there are five “servants of God” ready and willing to suck their blood and take their every last naira. Have you seen the fleet of planes and cars they have? And the types of homes many own and the schools they send their children to? Wake up, be wise!
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