In 2021, a man was arrested for allegedly turning two students of Bashorun High School into tubers of yam in Ibadan Oyo state. Yes, into tubers of yam! Some people claimed that the suspect was beaten to death. They later discovered that the claim was false; that nobody turned students into tubers of yam. Nigerians do not take these claims lightly Meanwhile they seldom bother to inquire or verify these claims.
On my ’87 Old Boys Whatsapp group, one of my former classmates said he saw someone turn into yam in Owerri. This guy studied philosophy and knew about logical principles I asked him what eventually happened to the ‘man’ and the ‘yam’. Whether the man’s family published an obituary announcing his death after he turned into a tuber of yam? He never responded. In many cases, when challenged Nigerians who make these senseless and irresponsible claims often resort to insults and ad hominem attacks. I have kept wondering how we got to this decadent mental or intellectual stage as a society. How did many Nigerians come about this belief that is outright absurd and balderdash? Why do many Africans strongly and publicly profess notions that defy logic, science, and common sense? Interestingly, some take offense when one tries to challenge or highlight the absurdity of their claims. Why is it difficult for Africans to abandon this irrational and superstitious idea? The sad thing is that many who peddle this claptrap are young people, students who have studied sciences in schools. They learned biology and were taught that living things reproduce their kind. Humans give birth to humans. Humans do not turn into birds goats or dogs. So what happened to the science and philosophical education they received in school?
Look, when I shared this man-turned-to-goat video on a human rights WhatsApp platform, someone replied that it was a demonstration of the power of “African mystical science”. What? African mystical science? What I find curious is that those who try to defend this African science contraption do so with authority, as if they know what they are talking about. But they don’t. Now when I challenged this guy to prove or demonstrate any of the so-called African mystical science claims and earn a significant sum? He chickened out. Instead he reechoed a Yoruba saying “Omode o’mo Oogun oun’pe l’ęfo” which translates as: A child who does not know herbs(medicine) call it vegetable”. Now think about it, given the absurdity of the claim that humans can turn into a goat, what appropriately applies in this case should be: “Omode o’mo ęfo oun’pe l’Oogun” A child who does not know vegetable call it herbs(medicine)”. We must call out ignorance and mischaracterization of superstition as science and as African.
In addition, what is African about this ridiculous claim that a human being can turn into a goat? What is scientific about this counterintuitive claim? Africans should stop legitimizing nonsense and foolery. We should stop linking these absurdities to Africa, reinforce the prejudice and stereotype that Africans are primitive in thinking and reasoning. This is what happens when Africans unwittingly validate these stupid and unreasonable claims as illustrations of African ‘science’. They are not. Science is science. Fact is a fact. There is nothing like an African science. There is nothing like an ‘African’ fact. There is no evidence that humans turn into goats and other animals anywhere. Africans should leave superstitions and embrace science and critical thinking.
Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches.
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