Long before I was born, my family used to fight with the spirit of Ogbanje. I didn’t know this until I received the first chapter of the uncompleted manuscript of my father’s autobiography. This piece is the story of my quest to understand how my family defeated the Ogbanje spirit in us.
Recently, I have been thinking a lot about Ogbanje, or what the Yoruba call Abiku. It started when Nigerian writer, Akwaeke Emezi, announced themself as an Ogbanje, proclaiming on Twitter, “… all the beings and beliefs are just stories. At the end of the day, I don’t even exist.” That announcement reminded me of the day in Boston, Massachusetts, when a woman sitting beside me at a diversity training stood up and stated with a smile that she was a witch.
I laid him on the mat inside Mother’s mud house and joyfully joined my playmates outside. We climbed trees, played ncholokoto, and took turns to hide and seek. We also visited the anthill and sought the soldier ants. We were doing that when Mother came back. Upon seeing her, we sang the song:My mother dropped her basket and inquired about the child. I triumphantly told her the child gave me a hard time, that he cried for a while but was now sleeping.
Nigeria Latest News, Nigeria Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Military’s last pay rise under Yar’Adua, say soldiersSome Soldiers, especially those on the frontline in the ongoing fight against insecurity in the country, have expressed disappointment over their exclusion from the 40 per cent pay rise for federal workers.
Read more »
10th National Assembly: Revolt looms in APC, members kick againstThe twists and turns in the jostle for leadership of the 10th National Assembly continued at the weekend, with the horse-trading getting intense after indications emerged last week on the preferred candidates of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President-elect, Bola Tinubu. A fresh twist was added to the race for the House of Representatives Speakership yesterday as four main contenders commenced alliance talks ahead of the June 13 inauguration.
Read more »
JUST IN: Obi arrives presidential election petition tribunalThe All Progressives Congress candidate cum President-elect, Bola Tinubu, defeated Obi and other party candidates in the election.
Read more »
May 29: With God's help, Tinubu will fix Nigeria - Pastor AdeboyeThe General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has said the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, can fix Nigeria with
Read more »
Tinubu reportedly drops nominees displaying 'sense of entitlement'An aide to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Daniel Bwala, said President-elect Bola Tinubu has dropped certain nominees considered for appointment. The
Read more »
Tinubu legally elected, heaven can't help Obi – DSS DG’s son, Abba BichiAbba, a son of Director General of the State Security Service, DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, has asserted that the president-elect, Bola Tinubu is the 'legally
Read more »