While there is a large population of Nigerians that are Christian, Muslim, Catholic, there remains the tribal religions. There are over 2000 tribes in Nigeria ALONE! Peter like to joke that the Tower of Babel must have been in Nigeria! There within these tribes lies the tribal religions... that include the belief in the supernatural, ancestor spirits, spirits in nature and animals, etc. (You may understand by knowing a little about the North American Native beliefs.)
Witchcraft in Nigeria is also prevalent. The belief in charms, or rituals to rid evil spirits, or putting a curse on someone, or ritual to say, increase your luck with the ladies, etc. I learnt some interesting things that I will not post here, but if you are interested in these stories...
While we were in the rural area, after just finishing a geological survey, three men dressed in grass reeds came upon us. They were walking to the village, just beyond our location. They stopped when they saw me. And started calling out to us... is there a woman there... no women are allowed... they called out until the other convinced them that I had my eyes covered and would not look at them or be a threat of any sort. Women are NOT allowed to see the supernatural apparently. They are not allowed to look at these men in costumes, who the people there actual believe are not men in costumes, but transformed supernatural beings. The men who mediate between the spirit world and human. Convinced I had my eyes covered these men walked on by and did a little show for the men, asking for money in order to bring them good fortune with the Gods... That is what they do, they make money from the village people, if they are seen by them, to better their connection to the supernatural, appease the gods... yet, I think there is subtle form of manipulation and control of the people by these men who would dress up as such and target the people for money. Apparently is is a NO NO to reveal the identity of one of these men in costumes... if a wife tells of her husband, she could be severely punished, for example.
The Low Status of Women...
Traditionally, women have been denied the right to participate in supernatural happenings, and denied the ability to mediate between the gods and people, etc. This in part, explains the roots to women's LOW position in Nigeria. Women are less, therefore they do not have power, that is endowed on the men, by the supernatural. Traditionally, (and still practiced in some rural areas), women are also denied participation in community decision making. They are banned from entering into the community meeting room, or hut... where the men sit and discuss the village decisions. Even today, the newer religions of Islam, and Christianity have only reinforced already tribal beliefs, of the position of women in society. Women for the most part are treated as the lower gender.
Yet, there has been a new generation blooming in Nigeria, that is stearing away from old cultural ties and is breaking the old gender labels, and "ways of being".
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