Vol. 6(2), pp.

42-48, February, 2014

DOI: 10.5897/IJSA11.046
International Journal of Sociology and
ISSN 2006- 988x © 2014 Academic Journals Anthropology
http://www.academicjournals.org/IJSA

Full Length Research Paper

African indigenous religious rituals and magic in

Ibadan politics: Issues for the democratisation process
in Nigeria
Jegede, Charles Obafemi
Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Accepted 20 November, 2013

The wind of democracy is blowing everywhere in Africa and particularly Nigeria. One remarkable aspect
of this is that there exists a blend of indigenous religious rituals, magic and politics. These rituals in the
ancient Yoruba kingdoms were used for checks and balances, deposing a bad ruler and protection of
the citizenry. This is an important aspect of Nigerian democratization process that requires urgent
attention. Ibadan as the largest city in West Africa and apart from Lagos the most populous city in the
Southwest of Nigeria; and so in the trajectory of Nigerian democracy Ibadan is fundamental to the
Nigerian political architecture. As in most other places in Nigeria, Ibadan politics, rituals and magic as
practiced in African traditional religion have become veritable instruments in the hand of politicians as
they play and practise politics. The researcher participated in political campaigns, observed meetings
and the rituals of oath-taking and the way politicians came to priests and priestesses of Yoruba deities.
The study reveals that in Ibadan politics, there is the mixture of indigenous religious rituals and magic
in the political landscape in Nigeria.

Key words: Magic, rituals, religion, democracy, politics.

INTRODUCTION

The present nature of the Nigerian political terrain brings echoed in some quarters are that rituals in Christianity
to the fore the interconnectedness between African and Islam are not potent in African soil and most of the
traditional religion and politics especially the aspect of time the rituals and magic of these religions are
magic and rituals. Many politicians, cutting across inconsequential. Already, there exists a general advocacy
categories of politicians seek protection and victory in that oath should be taken in the court of law by using
elections from spiritual forces by using ritual, charms and cutlass, gun or other paraphernalia used for oath-taking
various forms of cultic practices from Christianity, Islam, in African indigenous religion instead of using Bible or
and indigenous African religion, the three major religions Koran.
in Nigeria. Although in Nigeria, most citizens are either Nigeria has had a tortuous history of dancing around
Christians or Muslims, but majority secretly or openly also democracy. The history of governance in Nigeria has
practise African indigenous religion alongside their official been the history of military coup and counter coup. Only
religion. The reason, as generally expressed, given the recently, from May 1999, have Nigerians begun to
political landscape and the risk involved in practising experience what can be called a stable democracy.
politics in Nigeria with the employment of African As in most other religions, ritual and magic are
traditional religious ritual is inevitable. The reasons as essential practices in African indigenous religion. This

E-mail: [email protected]. Tel. 234 802 298 1214

 Crichlow 43

preliminary discussion argues first that the magical herbalists and sorcerers who are believed to be powerful
dimension of politics is not a marginal, but a central individuals in the community.
dimension of the nature of public authority, leadership, Nigeria is a nation that has gone through a series of
and popular identities in Nigerian democratic architecture. humiliating and unmitigated tragedies and these have
This paper is designed to stimulate research and foster a been the hurdles Nigerians have to cross in their journeys
lively and straight forward debate on the issue of the use to stable democracy. According to Harnisschfeger (2006),
of occult power, charms and other material objects which “Nigeria is a candidate for state collapse”. In 1999, when
are part of the practice inherent in African indigenous Nigeria returned to democracy, people were more
religion that are of direct implications for the optimistic as expectations were high. But soon after the
democratisation process in Nigeria by investigating democratic election, there was an explosion of violence
campaigns and election processes. which was typified in the formation of ethnic militia. In the
western part of Nigeria, there is O’odua People’s
Congress (OPC) and in the Southeast of Nigeria there is
METHODOLOGY the Bakassi Boys. Militia in Nigeria typically makes use of
magic or spiritual powers and many politicians and
In-depth key informant interviews and non-participatory community hire them as security agents. In the South-
observations of political activities since 2003 were used eastern part of Nigeria particularly, they were given
to elicit information. Politicians especially youths who are official recognition and started co-founding them. Their
often used as political thugs, followers of political parties, activities to a long extent helped to cleanse the land of
contestants, as well as herbalists, priests and priestesses hoodlums and robbers and as a result they were
of Orisa (gods) among the Yoruba within and outside entrusted with the task of “cleansing” the land of
Ibadan and diviners of various categories were inter- criminals. While it is very clear that the rising concern
viewed. The researcher also observed the practitioners about occult and magic powers has contributed to the
as clients came for consultations from diviners, herbalists decline of the state, it is not clear in what ways state
as well as priests and priestesses of divinities. decline may have contributed renewed concern or obses-
This study argues that the pervasiveness of magical sion with magic and occult.
and ritual practices in the Ibadan politics evidently proves In the nineteenth and part of the twentieth century,
that in most complicated issues and challenges of life there were scholarly works on magic and religion. The
people face, they quickly run to their tradition and origin. fundamental issue has been the use of science as a
It also shows clearly that most Christians and Muslims knowledge system to explain the phenomenon of magic
have not been totally uprooted form their tradition. and religion. This trend has always led to a kind of
Although most Nigerians publicly and officially show epistemological chasm because magic is understood to
themselves as Christians and Muslims, they are very involve the manipulation of mystical forces and beings, to
much in tune with their origin and tradition at least for achieve practical goals, and was intended to affect the
utilitarian purpose. natural world either positively or negatively. By impli-
The author’s observations and experiences during the cation therefore, magic is the act of influencing events
2003, 2007 and 2011 electioneering campaigns, noting objects, people and natural/physical phenomena by
especially the open display of charms and all kinds of mystical or paranormal means. Frazier is of the opinion
magical outfit on campaign grounds, are relevant in this that there exists a relationship between magic and
study. religion but that this relationship is structured according to
It was observed that politicians used all forms of a linear evolutionary framework and that an attempt to
weapons to protect themselves against assassination initiate a discussion on the magical must include the
and all that characterizes the present political terrain. religious, and the scientific. He postulated that magical
Aside from the use of dangerous physical weapons, most thought, the earliest stage of human development, was
participants were seen with all kinds of charms around replaced by religious thought as people observed its
their bodies. These instruments could be used openly failures and came to believe that they could propitiate
and during any form of tussle or violence; they are gods in order to control nature. Religious thought was
practically applied to the bodies of the politicians then replaced by scientific thought as human beings
involved. understood natural laws. From Frazier’s stand point what
Anthropologists who studied witchcraft during the pre- is called magic can therefore be referred to as a science
colonial era generally assumed that obsession with occult though in its crude form. It can be regarded as those
would disappear through urbanization. In the last two scientific devices that were created within the religious
th
decades of the 20 century, major achievements of and cultural milieu of a people to serve certain personal
modernisation were lost. Life has become so miserably or collective advantage.
insecure that politicians must subject themselves to the Thus in Weisman (1984: 266), Styer (2004: 67) said, by
patronage of priests, priestesses of divinities as well as magic and occultism, is meant charms, amulets, rings,
44 Int. J. Sociol. Anthropol.

belts, ritual, incantations used to attain personal desires. Pre-colonial Nigeria and the use of magic and ritual
Magic can therefore be referred to as the potentiation of
material objects prepared for politicians to prevent attacks Before the missionary enterprises of Christians and
and protection against the onslaught of the enemies (real Muslims, ritual and magic in traditional religion and
and imaginary). By ritual, the author means oath taking, politics were inseparable. With colonialism, the political
sacrament to influence the support of the people, so as to landscape changed. It swept under the carpet the
enter into the psyche of the electorate in order to win indigenous religion of the people, the fabric with which
election into political offices and other personal advan- the governance of the people was built. In contemporary
tages. In this case, animals could be offered to the gods Africa and particularly Nigeria, the religions that
following a form of liturgical practice. supposedly play prominent roles in Nigerian public space
Anthropological scholarship on ritual is particularly and particularly in politics are Islam and Christianity, even
contentious as there is no definition that can be said to be though traditional religion has a sizable number of
the generally acceptable one. adherents. It is also noteworthy that the African indi-
Leach suggests, that the only thing "rituals" have in genous religion is not considered an issue when issues of
common is that they are actions that communicate politics and democracy are debated. This explains why
meanings, or, in some cases create the very meanings the integration of indigenous religion into state polity for
they communicate - as can be seen in the naming of a the realisation of the desired cultural renaissance and
new baby or rites of passage of a man or woman, moral rejuvenation and stability is virtually impossible.
initiation into the cults of the gods and initiation into In the pre-colonial Africa and particularly Nigeria, from
adulthood. He suggests that we should look for the appointment of a king to the proper governance, it
similarities in such patterns of communication and was guided by one divinity or another. For example, a
meaning creation across cultures, and that any attempt to king should not be appointed unless it is approved by Ifa
want to arrive at a universally acceptable definition is an through divination which is administered in a specific way
exercise in futility. so as to determine the person that is divinely approved to
Victor Turner is perhaps the most famous scholar who govern the community. What gives approval and
has written extensively on ritual especially in his work legitimacy to the person chosen is whether he is the
among the Ndembu of Zambia (formerly Northern person chosen by Ifa; a corpus system among the
Rhodesia). His work provided both a detailed account of Yoruba.
an African ritual system and a major theoretical system Also in the removal of a king there were rituals that
for the analysis of ritual. According to Jegede (2010), should be performed. For example in the old Oyo Empire,
ritual is the systematic device generated from the culture the Oyo Mesi alongside Ogboni could commission
of a people through which what is hot is made cool so as Bashorun to present an empty calabash or a dish
to bring equilibrium to disequilibrium. containing parrot’s eggs to the King. The Bashorun will
In Ibadan politics therefore are generated from the then proclaim thus “the gods reject you, the people reject
ritual as performed are not official ritual of the community you, and the earth rejects you”. Immediately this is
rather, they are community ritual harnessed to by proclaimed, the Oba opens the calabash, he is expected
politicians to serve the purpose of collective or personal to die or commit suicide. It is also important that certain
utilitarian advantages. rituals are performed regularly for the benefit of the whole
It was observed that there is a kind of manipulation to community. There was always an annual divination not
it. Ritual may be performed on specific occasions, or at just for the king (Ifa Oba) and the town (Ifa ilu). The king’s
the discretion of individuals who are key members or divination is for long life and prosperity for the king and
leaders of political party. It may be in arbitrary places, or the town’s divination is for the peace and stability of the
in places especially reserved for it; either in public, in community. There is therefore a communalistic dimen-
private, or before specific people. A ritual may be sion to the use of ritual in indigenous religion.
restricted to a certain subset of the members of the In contemporary Nigerian society, it has been very
political party, and in fact, it can be between two people difficult for people to be completely removed from their
especially between a leader, political godfather or tradition especially as exemplified in African indigenous
contestants. religion. Many people still hold tenaciously to their origin.
The purposes and types of rituals vary and as well This vividly explains why there is a resurgence of the use
intertwine; at times, it may be to strengthen social and of energies in indigenous religion in virtually every aspect
political bonds, to seek the supports of supernatural of Nigerian peoples’ live including the political landscape.
forces to win election and to demonstrate loyalty, respect Magic, in this paper, is the activation of supernatural
and submission, stating one's affiliation, and unflinching and natural phenomena for personal and collective
support; sometimes, just for the pleasure of the ritual advantages. It is an appeal to primordial forces to
itself. Most of the time the ritual sessions involved oath- achieve an end for self or a group of people. In this
taking and making of covenant. regard this kind of magic can be regarded as a kind of
 Crichlow 45

science that explores both natural and supernatural and persuades; it emphasizes the propitiation and
realities to achieve an expected goal. Descriptively, it can “conciliation of higher powers.” Related to this was the
be interpreted to mean meetings of political parties definition advanced by Malinowski as quoted by Styers
whereby the powers or energy in the indigenous belief (2004: 50). According to Malinowski, “magic practices
systems are used for invocation, divination, covenant and always aimed to achieve specific and immediately
other rituals to bind party members or factions together tangible effect while religious rites were ends in them-
for winning an election and it can as well be used to selves.” According to Mauss (2004), magic for him was
cause trouble in the other party and among oppositions. private, secret, mysterious, and above all prohibited while
People have often resorted to magic and ritual practice religion consisted of rites publicly acknowledged and
hinging on the loophole as exemplified in the absence of approved. Magic is a creative connection and manipu-
effective mechanism to resolve conflict. People have no lation of the spheres of power. This cannot necessarily be
option than to consult oracle and the rituals to solve quite regarded as an essential part of the stock of the ancient
a number of problems. There is obvious unpredictability beliefs in indigenous religion but it entered into through
in politics and governance. It is also worth noting and as human creation for human selfish ends. The use of magic
expressed in many quarters, Nigerian democratization and occult power is therefore antithetical to democratic
processes are not driven by ideology but by personal ethics, which is grounded in societal values and tole-
desire at the expense of collective will and purposes. This rance. By implication, democracy thrives where reason is
has led to quite a significant number of politicians into allowed to prevail. Democracy is dependent on the
restlessness in the pursuits of political positions and expansion of societal values and structure to facilitate the
powers. increased participation in the exercise of state power. Of
Although this contention is not simply to argue using course, the objective fact on the ground today in Nigeria
simple behaviorism, particularly it opines that the structure shows a nation completely devastated by woes and
of the political architecture of Nigeria democracy princi- misery.
pally necessitates the use of magic and occult powers. In African indigenous religion, there are spiritual wea-
However, the correct standard, according to utilitarianism, pons and instrument of war and struggles that can be
is the principle of utility or as Bentham sometimes called utilized for personal and collective advantage. For
it the “greatest happiness principle”. That is the “greatest instance the Mau Mau revolt in Kenya, the use of the
happiness for the greatest number of people”. In other powers in African indigenous religion by both the Yoruba
words, that which gives personal happiness at the expen- and Hausa during Hausa Sagamu war in July, 1999, the
se of the happiness of the majority is wrong; it is egocen- general use of these potent powers by the people during
tric (Lyons, 1999: 19). The crucial feature of utilitarian epidemic and drought, by the Ogboni, a legislative arm of
political morality is that it calls for a maximization of the Yoruba governance, and several other uses of
aggregate happiness. The research sees the inter- religious paraphernalia or powers and weapons are a
connectedness of utilitarianism and democracy. Although vivid demonstration of how powers in indigenous religion
no particular definition of magic has proved sufficiently could be invoked for collective advantage.
applicable to all circumstances and context, the research In this regard, magic and ritual in African indigenous
is premised on a postulation that magic and occult religion are indispensable. However use of ritual and
practices that serve personal or collective advantage at magic signals a complex problem in the democratic land-
the detriment of others can be regarded as the male- scape. It is a necessary response to the nature of demo-
volent use of science and religion. Science and religion cracy in place. The research emphasized the relevance
become evil when they are used at the expense of the of critical thinking and the dangers of paranormal beliefs
majority. Definition of religion in this study is therefore as this beclouds an intellectual analysis of politics and
modeled after the etymological definition which sees democracy. It allows for proper question and challenging
religion as being derived from ligare "bind, connect"; likely of ideas, judgment of issues claim and propositions
from a prefixed re-ligare, i.e. re (again) + ligare or "to objectively, vigorously, thoroughly and carefully. This will
reconnect." By implication what one does within a dethrone dogmatic slumber and enthrone scientific
religious teaching that serves personal advantage at the temper, open-mindedness and scientific enquiry into this
expense of connectivity cannot be said to be religion but aspect of Nigerian democratic process. The Greek
rather an aberration of religious practice. From philosopher Socrates acknowledged the value of critical
Durkheim’s perspective, magic is individualistic while thinking when he said that “an unexamined life is not
religion is communalistic; religion emphasizes indivi- worth living”. It reduces highly contested and vague
duality at the expense of communality. In this study, this issues of right and wrong to problems that can be
is magic, it is an occult practice. Magic typically aims and addressed through public methods of observation and
seeks to coerce or command spiritual forces and calculation rather than by appeals to equally vague and
religioun aims to supplicate their aid (Frazer, 1927). contested intuitive ideas. And because of this gain in
Magic manipulates and forces why religion supplicates analytical tractability, it may be able to secure greater
46 Int. J. Sociol. Anthropol.

public agreement about what is at stake in a problematic what has been referred to as amala politics (Ajayi, 2004).
political terrain. For example, in Ibadan there is always an emperor, a
Yet the use of magic and occult power in politics in political bigwig who dictates the course of things. In the
Africa in general and Nigeria in particular is often times 1950s, Alhaji Adelabu Adegoke was fully in charge. He
ignored by classical political and historical studies. The decided who should be what and how resources should
study of magic and medicine provides a new angle for be shared. To him any weapon could be used in political
studying the nature of modern ethnicity and social battles. He was a die-hard pragmatist.
identities in contemporary Nigeria. Although we have Alhaji Busari Adelakun popularly known as Eru o bodo
wealth of studies on political nature of modern ethnicity, which literally means river is not afraid was the strong
we lack any in-depth study of perception of ethnic man of Ibadan politics in 1979-83 and it was reported that
identities. This is what Crais (2005) said should be taken Adelakun used African magic and medicine, to their
with its deserved seriousness particularly the central role fullest although in the most diabolic, sadistic effects.
this plays. This he calls “politics of evil”. Clinfton’s new Always around his chest and under his agbada was a
book highlights how people in the Eastern Cape in South tortoise. It was also said of him that when a gun was shot
Africa creatively reworked symbols and ideas around at him, the bullet could not enter his body, neither could
witchcraft, rain making, and other supernatural forces to he easily be arrested, and that he could disappear and
make intellectual and moral sense of a shifting terrain of appear at will.
power that produced rampant poverty, violence and the The military ruled till 1999 and in May 1999, a new
erosion of political legitimacy. It has also been reported democracy was ushered in. In the new democracy, Alhaji
that the proliferation of political strategies pertaining to Lamidi Adedibu emerged as the strong man of Ibadan
the sphere of the Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon have politics, though he had been powerful before this era.
been ubiquitous in public life since the democratization Adedibu is popular for the amala and gbegiri, a palatable
wave in the early 1990s. In the domestic arena, familial food among the Ibadan people, which according to the
and social conflicts repeatedly crystallized around respondents of this study, serves a sacramental purpose
accusation of sorcery, especially during time of sudden among his followers. Amala is cooked with powdered
death, personal disaster or political assassination. Hence yam, while gbegiri, the soup with which amala is eaten, is
the need to investigate this important but poorly cooked with beans. The victory of Adedibu over Ladoja,
understood dimension of politics in Africa in order to the former governor of Oyo State, the support that
understand current crises of governance, nation-building, Adedibu enjoys from the former President (Chief
and ethnic hatred. The mystical aspect also bears Olusegun Obasanjo), and the frequent visits of 2007
considerable significance for revising current ideas about presidential, gubernatorial aspirants and other top
space, politics and territoriality in this region. politicians from most states in Nigeria to him, brought to
the fore the special place that Ibadan occupies in the
politics of Nigeria.
The Ibadan politics and Nigerian democracy As said earlier, the contemporary politicking in Ibadan
cannot be divorced from the history of Ibadan. The one
Politics in Ibadan cannot be divorced from the history and disease of Ibadan politics is the disease of Nigerian
culture of Ibadan. Ibadan was founded in 1830 as a democracy. The author’s experience and observations on
military camp during the Yoruba civil wars and developed the above issues have shown that the eating of amala
into the most powerful Yoruba city state and the capital of and gbegiri is a covenant which nurtures, sustains and
Nigeria’s former Western Region as well as the largest maintains the magic of followership and the struggles for
city in Nigeria and sub-saharan Africa. The pre-colonial political power. It is a symbolic ritual representation of
history of Ibadan was centred on militarism and violence. Adedibu’s political ideology. Once you eat the amala and
Between 1951 and 1954 Ibadan was notably the centre gbegiri, you are bound to shun the politics of ideas and
of much that happened in the politics of the West and of follow what is generally referred to as the politics of
Nigeria as a whole. Abati (2005) and Watson (2003) amala. Every occasion of eating together among the
provide information and perspectives on Ibadan history Yoruba is a sacrament and a pledge of belonging. As a
and politics. In Ibadan, Watson writes: “Those who held matter of cultural fact, the occasion is pan-African; at
chieftaincy posts were usually affluent, deriving income least in indigenous African society. By amala politics, it is
from war booty, tribute tolls, and sale of agricultural not meant only the eating but also the communality and
produce from farmers” (p: 47). The political history of distribution of money to secure the peoples’ faithfulness
Ibadan was characterised by intrigues and rivalries (ibid: and followership. This is becoming infectious as the same
62). The problem with Ibadan politics is the problem with scenario repeated itself in Anambra State (eastern
Nigerian democracy so much that in fact, in all the Nigeria) where Chris Uba is the political godfather, and
different ethnic groups in Nigeria, governance is still Kwara State (southwestern) where Olusola Saraki sits
about political fascism and godfatherism (Albert, 2005) or enthroned.
 Crichlow 47

The June 12, 1993 saga particularly shook Nigerian there is the belief in a cosmology in which the material
nationhood to the fabric. The democratic project that and the spiritual are closely interconnected, intertwined
resurfaced in May 1999 seemed so promising and it was and can be manipulated; this is not religion; it can at best
pursued with so much vigour, but it is in fact in serious be described as sorcery. As a result, the material can be
disarray, if not in ruins. In Nigeria, no effective protection spiritually invoked to burn a house without kerosene or
can be expected from the police and judicial system. To petrol, kill somebody without gun or any weapon, and
say the least people are under siege; there is always make a person blind, lame or mad, poor or rich, bring
almost a constant political intrigue that can either be rancour or make people fight, or cause war among party
inter-party, intra-party or both. The intrigues in many members, cause a motor accident or plane crash, make a
cases lead to exchange of bad words, open fight through thief to enter or not to enter into somebody’s house, send
the use of dangerous weapons, charms and occult epidemic into a community and many others. In other
powers and in many cases, political assassination. It has words, in African indigenous religion, anything is believed
been argued in some quarters that the death of Bola Ige, to be achievable with spiritual weapons. There is the
a prominent politician and former Attorney General of the strong belief that the material and the spiritual are not in
federation, is political. The removal of his cap in a public separate domains.
gathering has been explained as a ritual device through
which his power could be emptied so as to make it easy
to kill him. Another case in point was the hot debate on Uses of occult powers
the removal of former speaker of the house of repre-
sentative, Mrs Eteh, which led to the death of a member Apart from many other purposes, magic and occult power
of the house. In her home town at Ikire, Osun State, it can be used for any of these purposes:
was reported that there were ritual killings to forestall the
removal of Eteh as the speaker. According to Ukiwo Okigbe: magical medicine against the pain and wounds
(2003:118), it is estimated that at least 50, 000 people from cut with the use of cutlass. Most politicians are
have been killed in several incidents of violence since the always well prepared against any eventualities knowing
return to civilian rule. For instance the titanic war between full well that there could be fight, which might lead to the
Adedibu and Ladoja on one hand and Ladoja and Akala use of cutlass. It is a common view that when this
(Ladoja even when he was the governor of Oyo Sate no medicine is used, the cutlass will not be able to penetrate
longer trusted in the security as provided by the State) on into the body neither will there be pain.
the other claimed many lives. The war became so intense
that they all had to hire the use of powerful medicine men Afeeri (magical medicine to disappear at will): this is a
who did not only serve as their body guards but also as kind of magical medicine that is used in order that one
warlords. can disappear and when the attackers are looking for him
The proliferation of political strategies pertaining to the or her, they will not be able to find the person. This kind
sphere of the sacred in the Nigerian public space has of magical medicine is no longer common, but a few
been ubiquitous since the “democratization waves” of the people are still said to] have it. It is believed to be used
early 1950s. The increasing competition for national infrequently except during intense crisis.
power and visibility has become a do or die affairs. The
menace is so daunting that decent and progressive Aworo (magical power to draw many people into the
people abhor politics and in fact, do not want to be campaign ground): This kind of medicine is rubbed on the
identified with it. The fragmentation of national politics body of the politician; it can as well be buried on the
into warring factions built an atmosphere of tension and campaign ground. It is believed to serve personal
intense rivalry. These have intensified the impact of advantage but it is also used to draw many people to
economic crisis and unabated and mounting tension, and support the candidature of a contestant. It is a common
the dramatic fragilization of all aspects of life that make knowledge [view] that many religious people especially
for development. The use of magical and occult power is pastors or church founders use this medicine to draw
therefore inevitably associated with physical fragility, a crowd to their crusade.
crucial dimension of politics today. The increasing
scarcity of financial resources which led to the collapse of Etutu (ritual and magic): Rituals are performed and
industry and exacerbated by unemployment, the collapse magical medicine can be prepared from time to time
of world-wide ideological and support networks and the especially to get the support of the witches. Among the
decline of moral values have encouraged local struggles Yoruba, witches are believed to be in control of the
for power and the recourse to innovative tactics of power universe so much that they draw fortune and misfortune
accumulation. These tactics include the manipulation of to people. This ritual or medicine is used to draw the
local, sacred emblems borrowed from the ancient cosmo- support of the witches who in turn are believed to be able
logies of power. In Africa and particularly in Nigeria, to draw to them the support of the people. Some of the
48 Int. J. Sociol. Anthropol.

ritual can be referred to as etutu eyonu awon agba (ritual Conclusion

to get the support of the witches). This can serve as
medicine to be eaten as food or drunk as a concoction; it In the context of contemporary Ibadan politics, leaders
can as well be used as charms to be attached to any like Alhaji Lamidi Adedibnu were not just godfathers but
parts of the body. It can as well be prepared ritually as also warlords, who derived legitimacy from their capacity
offering to the witches and it is put in crossroads or in an to mobilize thugs, provide a sense of community to their
open space. faction, and produce significant political success as well
as relative security and prosperity.
Ajatuka (fight to finish): This is magical medicine that is The impact of the belief in magic and ritual practices in
believed to cause animosity and pandemonium among the democratization process in Nigeria cannot be
opposing political parties or faction. This is meant to divorced from violent and autocratic nature of post-
confuse and make it impossible for members to agree colonial governance in Nigeria. It mobilizes followers and
among themselves neither will they thread the path of provides ideological consensus. Where the postulated
progress. magical and occult ‘resources’ are shared for public and
domestic purposes, political strategies and ideology are
Aseta (bullet proof): This is a kind of medicine that is transposed into the postulated realm of the sacred. This
believed to be able o make it impossible for bullet to enter results in mystification, political debate and simple
into the body. By its name, it is essentially meant to filter scientific analysis of issues will be very difficult and it can
the bullet and filter it so that it will not penetrate into the in fact be impossible. Problems of politics and
body of the person at whom it was aimed. This can be governance will therefore be bereft of scientific solutions.
distributed to members as a means of protection. As
politicians prepare for political meetings and campaign,
they also prepare for war. There is always tension and REFERENCES
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Political innovation, therefore, goes hand in hand with an Modern World‟. Oxford University Press.
increasing criminalization of politics, both real and Tell (Lagos), March 26, 2001.
Tell, August 28, 2000.
metaphoric. In this context, political survival as well as Ukiwo U (2003). “Politics of ethno-religious conflict and democratic
political protection (clientelism) becomes literally a matter consolidation in Nigeria” J. Modern Afr. Stud. (41):115-138.
of life and death. Manipulating supernatural powers as a Watson R (2003). „Civil Disorder is the Disease of Ibadan: Chieftaincy
charismatic leader, or as a political militant and deriving and Civic Culture in Yoruba City‟. Heinemann Educational Books
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magical protection from allegiance to a powerful patron,
Weisman R (1984),‟ witchcraft, magic and religion in 17th Century
allow individuals, it is thought, to seek life options. These Massachusetts‟. The University of Massachusetts‟ Press Amherst.
options, moreover, are part of longstanding ideas about
power. In particular, ancient rituals of authority “charged”
political godfathers and ritual specialists with a power of
life and death over people. Political regulation, therefore,
is strongly connected to keeping a balance between the
benevolent and malevolent mystical capacities which are
attributed to the leader.