From Awareness to Action: Informaction Theory of Change and Witch hunting in Africa -By Leo Igwe

The theme “From Awareness to Action: Strengthening Open Societies through Scientific Literacy” speaks to the Advocacy for Alleged Witches’ theory of change, that is Informaction Theory of Change. This theory codifies an attempt to provide the missing link in the campaign to end witch hunts in Africa. It situates an Africa-led 21st century initiative that addresses this vicious phenomenon with the urgency that it deserves. The theory rests on two pillars: Information and action, because ignorance, superstitions, misconception and mistaken notions of the world have been found to drive witch hunting actions and activities. If the COVID19 did not teach us anything it was the power of information, and dangers of misinformation. The World Health Organization devoted a lot of resources to combating misinformation and disinformation around the globe because the organization knew that misinformation could fuel fear, panic and harm. False information could lead people to take drastic actions like drinking ethanol, dettol or bleach, or other concoctions to treat COVID-19.

So also with witch hunts. Whether in early modern Europe and contemporary Africa, witch persecution manifests and persists due to misinformation and misinterpretation of issues. Witchcraft accusation typifies actions and reactions based on mistaken ideas and notions of life, the causes of illness, death, accidents and other misfortunes.

Elderly people with dementia or those with other mental health conditions are branded witches in Nigeria and other parts of Africa because of misconceptions about dementia and other illnesses. When people suffering dementia are seen on the streets, and unable to recall where they are going or coming from; when they are found in a strange environment and unable to meaningfully converse, people brand them witches who missed their way while returning or going to the coven.

Accused in this way including turning into birds or cats, these persons are attacked, beaten to death or lynched. There have been cases of people blaming their misfortunes on individuals who are accused of magically tying up or holding hostage the destinies of people especially the youths. Persons are made to believe that they would not make progress, marry and start a family, conceive and have a child, get a job or start a business, get a visa and travel overseas, till their occult neighbours usually women, elderly persons, children or persons with disability died. So in cases where this situation of poverty or misfortune lingers, and alleged witches refuse to die, accusers and suspecters sometimes take laws into their hands. They murder them.

Informaction theory of change provides a mechanism to respond to this ugly situation. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches counters misinformation and disinformation that motivate accusations. AfAW tackles peddlers and propagators of false and misleading ideas about the causes of death, diseases, accidents and other misfortunes. AfAW pressures governments, when they are not enabling witch hunting, to hold witch hunters including pastors, priests, imams, and other religious actors accountable and responsible. In situations, where governments are the culprits, as have been the case in Sychelles, Zambia and Burundi, AfAW calls out the states for failing in their responsibility to protect the citizens.

AfAW provides evidence based information for accusers, and reason witchcraft believers out of their fears, misconceptions, ignorance and misinterpretation of issues. Information is also made available to the accused to help them take action, and measures to neutralize allegations. AfAW promotes critical thinking and philosophy for children in schools, encouraging students and young people to question ideas, challenge assumptions and claims, as opposed to memorization. The school system rewards children for generating answers. There is a needs to have a subject that rewards children for generating questions, a subject where the generation of questions is a measure of intelligence. In deploying this strategy, AfAW hopes that critical thinking and scientific awareness would motivate actions, reactions and responses that would lead to an end in witch hunting and a realization of open societies across Africa.

Leo Igwe sent this piece from Luxembourg