OBASANJO, WITCHES AND DELAYED BIRTH

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) is concerned with the statement by the elder statesman and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, linking his birth to witchcraft. At a recent event in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo noted that witches and wizards were responsible for the mother’s long pregnancy and delay in his birth. In this statement reported in many national dallies, Obasanjo stated that his birth was unusual because the mother carried the pregnancy for 12, not nine months. The former president said the delay was “the handiwork of witches and wizards”.  Really?

This statement credited to Obasanjo is unfortunate and misleading. Obasanjo’s claim that witches delayed his birth has no basis in reason, science, or reality because witchcraft is a form of superstition. Witchcraft is a belief informed by fear and ignorance. Witches and wizards are imaginary entities, with no causal power or force as popularly believed. The claim by Obasanjo that witches delayed his birth is baseless.

According to medical sources, a woman cannot carry a pregnancy for up to 12 months. So, his statement is a piece of medical misinformation. At a time when allegations and abuses linked to witchcraft are rampant, it is an insensitive claim. If the former president wanted to make sense of his life and survival since he was one of the two who survived out of nine children, he should base the explanation on facts, logic, and science. In a society where witchcraft fears and anxieties are pervasive, and many people attribute their problems and misfortunes, including childbirth difficulties, to occult forces, this declaration does much harm. The statement is likely to reinforce witchcraft beliefs and fears. It will fuel witchcraft accusations and witch-hunting. The Advocacy for Alleged Witches urges Obasanjo to stop spreading this false and mistaken narrative.

Instead, the elder statesman should lend his voice to campaigns to dispel the superstitious beliefs and other misconceptions associated with witches and wizards. Obasanjo should join efforts with the AfAW to enlighten the public and help end witch-hunting in Nigeria.

Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged Witches