| As the debates on whether witchcraft is a belief or | | | | powers". There are powers. Powers exist in Africa |
| reality rage in the Nigerian media, one cannot but | | | | and beyond whether good or evil. |
| marvel at the arguments produced by both sides. | | | | |
| However, I have picked interest in the points raised | | | | It is difficult to imagine that someone will process |
| by Leo Igwe to buttress his own convictions that | | | | belief in small gods or Supreme Being and not believe |
| witchcraft is a mere belief shared by those who | | | | that evil powers which could emanate from human |
| want to explain away their misfortunes. This | | | | being exist. Before now a lot of people did not |
| argument is laughable because we know that Leo | | | | believe that HIV/AIDS truly existed but one question |
| Igwe as an African descent posses a vast | | | | I kept asking them was the reason medical tests |
| knowledge of the African tradition. Even then, the | | | | conducted anywhere could conclude whether a |
| concept or activities of witchcraft by far spreads | | | | person is carrying the disease. They just remain mute |
| beyond the Africa society. | | | | at the mention of this. The same question is |
| | | | | applicable to the witchcraft scenario. Any spiritual |
| For a long time, I wondered what people especially | | | | person will agree with me that genuine spiritual |
| Africans set to achieve when they deliberately | | | | enquiries which are of the Amighty God will reveal |
| pretend not to belief in socio-cultural practices that | | | | whether a person is a witch or not. The machinations |
| trouble the African societies especially when some of | | | | attributed to witchcraft may not be real and may be |
| them are living witnesses in their own families or | | | | based on mere accusation not supported by the |
| have been victims in the past until I realized that we | | | | spiritual facts. We know this to be true but that does |
| all think people would jeer at us if we profess beliefs | | | | not mean that witchcraft is a mere belief. That many |
| in such concepts or that the world would take us as | | | | people especially children have been subjected to |
| uncivilized in spite of the level of our educational | | | | false and unwarranted accusations of witchcraft does |
| qualifications. In this case, I have not in any way, | | | | not cause the existence of witchcraft to lose validity. |
| attempted to create the notion that Leo Igwe is | | | | |
| one. | | | | The practices of witchcraft are well recognized in |
| | | | | Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Asia |
| No amount of "use of grammar" can define | | | | and Africa, indeed all the continents of the world. So |
| witchcraft as it truly exists in Africa. Even then, one | | | | to conclude that witchcraft is foreign to the world is |
| can throw away the definition presented by | | | | mistaken. From ages, the world has lived with |
| Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia as being "the use of | | | | witchcraft experiences and every religion has |
| supernatural or magical powers" Wikipedia further | | | | accommodated the concept. The African Traditional |
| defines it as the use of such powers in order to | | | | religion is no exception as it equally provides for |
| inflict harm or damage upon members of a | | | | spiritual means of exorcism as may be found in other |
| community or their property". This is indeed a good | | | | religions. As we are discovering today all religions are |
| definition of witchcraft but in the African society, it | | | | of the same root with same beliefs except for slight |
| goes beyond this by far. It must be stated that only | | | | differences. They all make believe that there are |
| anthologists and historians are expected to see | | | | divinities with superhuman powers that may relate |
| witchcraft as an ideology for explaining misfortune | | | | with humans if we so choose. |
| particularly whites. | | | | |
| | | | | The Bible one of the most reliable scriptural books in |
| Although, Leo Igwe assumed that witchcraft is real | | | | existence today offers beautiful accounts to support |
| by erroneous assumptions, faulty arguments and | | | | its belief in witchcraft Exodus 22:18, Deuteronomy |
| allusions what he failed to understand is that true | | | | 18:11-12 and 1 Samuel 28. Leo Igwe punctures this |
| victims of witchcraft experiences will vehemently | | | | when he commented stated thus: |
| disagree with him because they felt it. In the first | | | | |
| place, this assumption failed to consider the obvious | | | | "That the Bible talked about witchcraft does not |
| fact that in the spiritual world everything remains | | | | make the belief true or a reality. It only |
| allusion until it comes to pass. In fact, it does not | | | | demonstrates that the authors of the Bible were also |
| require formal education to understand spiritual things. | | | | witchcraft believers so witchcraft is superstition". |
| He who feels it knows it. We are aware that it | | | | |
| simply takes belief to stay in the spiritual world | | | | The argument so presented limited the belief of |
| whether in Christianity, Islam, Confucianism, African | | | | witchcraft to Bible authors thus failing to understand |
| Traditional religion, Hinduism etc. without belief religion | | | | that Quran authors also share belief in witchcraft. |
| itself is useless. Shall we then assume that religious | | | | Quran 113:1-5 and al-Quran 2:102 also beautifully |
| practices are a waste of time because the objects | | | | condemn the witchcraft as human evils. It is |
| of divinity are not seen? Are the Christian and Islamic | | | | unnecessary to explain here that the African |
| God mythical and lacking in validity? | | | | traditional Religion which is not religion of the book |
| | | | | also condemns it. |
| To say that witchcraft is a belief that does not imply | | | | |
| truth, validity or reality of what is believed in is like | | | | What is more if the Americans and Europeans that |
| attributing same to the various secret societies that | | | | we are all socially emulating today belief in the spiritual |
| are known to exist all over the world because | | | | concept it is impossible to imagine why educational |
| witchcraft in the African society is nothing but a | | | | qualifications will make us shy away from the things |
| society where adherents gather after secret | | | | we know are living with us. Maybe one day, |
| initiations have taken place. Anybody who has been | | | | someone will wake up and tell us that the jujus as |
| privileged to listen to listen to a witch who willingly | | | | found in Africa are completely impotent then my |
| confessed to evil and iniquitous acts brought on | | | | response will be "wait until our politicians are forced |
| anyone will not share in the beliefs of those who see | | | | to take oaths with dangerous jujus in our law courts". |
| witchcraft as mere beliefs. Many of our learned | | | | That only will tell us that there are powers for good |
| persons in our today's society are in the occult world | | | | or evil. |
| and they have better understanding of "African | | | | |