A modern witch hunt has commenced in Nigeria as a 24-year-old man states that he is on the hunt for people who can turn into cats.
Armed with a megaphone, sharp knife, and dressed head to toe in black, Gbenga Adewoyin recently got tongues wagging when took to the streets of a market in the south-western Nigerian city of Ibadan to proclaim his intentions.
“Anyone that can provide any evidence for the existence of the supernatural, be it juju or voodoo magic, will be offered 2.5m naira (R88 000),” he exclaimed.
According to BBC, the young atheist has recently been turning heads in the deeply religious country as he publicly contests the powers of the supernatural.
Magic and juju are deeply ingrained in the Nigerian culture, with many believing that magic charms can allow humans to transform into cats, protect bare skin from sharp blades, and make money appear in clay pots, as per BBC.
Dogs appear to be the pet of choice within this African nation as many believe that cats are simply witches, wizards or demons taking the shape of animals. Owls and bats have also been grouped into this mystical classification.
While many have brushed off his need to prove the existence of the supernatural as the ramblings of a mad man, the violent images of bodies being discovered with missing limbs and empty eye sockets cannot be ignored as many Nigerians attempt to get rich quick through money-making juju rituals.
Earlier last month, the nation was rocked after a 17-year-old girl was reportedly killed by a group of men in order to use her body parts for a ritual that they believed would make them rich.
The teenager’s death received such widespread attention that lawmakers found themselves outraged, debating juju in parliament as they considered the “declaration of a state of emergency on ritual killings in the country,” indicated BBC.
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