We can all agree that Nigeria is a very strange place to live with a lot of supernatural things happening, Voodoo is another sacred mystery we will be looking at.
We see voodoo activities shown in movies (I see you, my Africa magic people). However, what we don’t know is that they are a reflection of the current happenings in the world.
What is voodoo?
Voodoo means “spirit” or “deity” in the Fon language of Dahomey. It refers to traditional African activities that involve magic and attempts to communicate with spirits and dead people.
No one knows exactly where it came from; some say it originated in Haiti, and others say it’s from Roman Catholicism by the descendants of the Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other ethnic groups.
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Voodoo in Nigeria
The Yoruba movies are right – voodoo is happening right now in society. We refer to it as juju. This is a spiritual belief system that involves objects and spells in religious and traditional practices.
The term “juju” refer to magical properties dealing with good luck. People who resort to Juju often crave good luck through nefarious means.
Juju allows for supernatural or spiritual concoctions to make things happen in the physical realm. A Babalawo performs this, well-armed with knowledge of local traditions and traditional spiritual medicines.
There is good and bad juju. The former projects good luck and success on a person (usually with a caveat). The bad is what we often see in movies and often has dire repercussions.
In Nigeria, there are many tribes that dabble in juju. The strongest would be to be the Ijebu who practice dark magic. Others include the Esan people in Edo and Efik.
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Voodoo ceremony
Oftentimes, deities and spirits are honored through libation or sacrifice of animals, vegetables, cooked food, semi-precious stones, and metal. Objects like bones, wood, cowries, and stones are also used in juju.
The person seeking juju powers would need to provide a personal item or that of the person to whom the charm is directed. In other ceremonies, the person is told to strip naked and the ceremony often takes place at night.
The priest begins to speak incantations over a bowl of concoction. This is to summon the spirit to take over. The person is linked to the supernatural after drinking the concoction.
Voodoo priests and shrines in Nigeria
Many people visualize shrines as places lined with scary statues and voodoo writings. Unfortunately, not all shrines are horrible, as some could be the most beautiful places.
People who go to shrines need a quick solution at all costs and some recourse to the spiritual solutions that our forefathers have followed.
Those are some of Nigeria’s most powerful shrines:
Olumo Rock
The Olumo rock is a historical place. Survivors hid within the caves inside the rocks in specific areas to hide from attacks.
People claim to this day that you just have to ask anything you want in life, and the rock god would respond to your request.
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River Ethiope in Delta state
This is a very beautiful river that many tourists come to visit to get solutions to the mysteries of their lives. The power resides in the water and there is a chief priest in the shrine.
Okija shrine in Anambra
The shrine of Okija consists of four shrines situated in the Anambra State local government area of Ihiala. These shrines are the Ulasi, Ogwugwu-Akpu, Ogwugwu-Isiula, and Ogwugwu-Mmili.
These are often located in the village and forest.
The Osun/Osogbo river
The Oshun River is the home of the popular fertility goddess, Osun, who happens to be the mother of many children. The annual Osun/Osogbo festival often brings thousands of spectators, tourists, and worshippers from all over the world.
The goddess often responds to people who come to seek solutions to infertility.
Rituals in Nigeria
Religious beliefs and rituals are central to human existence, and gods play a significant role in the daily affairs of Nigerians.
An example is Olokun, the senior wife of Oduduwa. She often adorned herself and her house with colorful beads. These attributes feature in her eulogy “Amolese bi alaari. Eso wumi lo, eba fono ile olokun han mi kin lo ko bi won ti n s’oge. Mowaje o, aje wami yeye oke oja”
Yoruba peoples of southwestern Nigeria see rituals as journeys. Most of the time, the ceremony is performed as a parade or a procession, a pilgrimage, or a masking display.
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Conclusion
Could we say Juju is a part of our tradition? There are many shrines and many witch doctors who cater to people’s needs in the spiritual world. You should not doubt that juju is real and effective.
We live in a strange world.
