WITCHCRAFT IN AFRICA: MALIGNANT OR DEVELOPMENTAL?

Abstract

Most African communities have this very strong conviction that witches process powers and knowledge beyond the ordinary ability of any finite being, the reality of its existence in almost every African society is as real as the day break. Just like any other infallible truth in African communities, witches seems to take the central stage in every phenomenon as they are the first line accused in any negative happenings. The concept of witchcraft, their elements and the responding effects on the African societal psyche has in one way or the other affected economic, social, political, moral, axiological and mental growth of Africans today. In most African societies especially the southern part of Nigeria and precisely the Annang nation of the South South geopolitical zone, the general consensus is that witches and wizards are full of malignant powers. The belief in the reality of witchcraft is so deep rooted in our society that every mishap, economic, political, social and even physical is attributed to witchcraft manipulations. Considering the volume of existing works on witchcraft and the over-whelming condemnation of it as a result of fantasy, illusion, religious or cultural bias, this work becomes imperative in order to explore the activities of witchcraft not only as mischief makers but also as agent of development if properly understood, applied and practiced in its right perspective without bias. Here, their activities are considered using the available philosophical tools of analysis, positively applied in order to demystify witchcraft as an African reality away from the misconception of it as merely mystic.