Superstitions are a part of everyday life in
almost all cultures of the world. Although
advances in science have caused many to
grow cynical, many still believe that such
superstitions have a logical explanation. In Africa, Nigerians are among some of the
most superstitious people. Among each tribe,
there are are various superstitions. It is
however interesting to note that some
superstitions are common across several
Nigerian tribes, causing many to believe that there is an element of truth in them. Some of such superstitions are:
1. People crossing over you Many Nigerians would insist you cross them
back to break the supposed curse There are various versions to this particular
superstition, but the most common one is that if
someone crosses over your leg or generally
any part of your body, the person has to cross
over back the same way, or you will stop
growing. Or according to some, you might lose that body part.
2. Hitting a man with a broom The broom used for sweeping has a lot of
superstitious beliefs attached to it There is also the believe that hitting a man with
a broom will render him impotent. Unless the
man takes the broom and hits the person who
hit him with it seven times.
3. Fetching water at night Superstitions abound around the water well,
known in Yoruba as ‘Konga’ Especially among the Yoruba people, it is
believed that if you fetch water from the well at
night, you will be slapped by an evil spirit. This
though might have been to prevent young
ones from visiting the water well at night.
4. Breaking a mirror A broken mirror is a sign of bad luck Generally, many believe that breaking a mirror
is a sign of very bad luck. There is a superstition
that breaking a mirror leads to seven years of
bad luck.
5. Whistling at night Whistling at night might bring snakes to you. Many love whistling along to songs. However it
has been revealed that while whistling might
be okay during the day, whistling at night will
bring snakes and evil spirits crawling into bed
with you.
6. Killing the wall gecko Killing a wall gecko could lead to the house
collapsing The wall gecko with its luminous skin is scary
to some. There is however a superstition that
killing a wall gecko leads to bad luck in the
house and on its occupants. Some have even
said it could lead to the house collapsing. The
Yoruba call the wall gecko – ‘Omo onile’ which loosely translated means ‘Son of the house
owner’. 3
7. Kicking a stone If your left leg hits a stone on your way , you
should go back home Generally, some say it is a bad omen to strike
your leg against a stone. In Nigerian
society hitting of your left leg mistakenly
against a stone or stump is seen as an evil
omen or warning to turn back from where ever
the person might be going. Many believe that failure to heed the warning
could lead to possibly loss of life during the
journey. 2
8. Hooting owls Owls are closely linked with witchcraft When an Owl hoots on a rooftop or on a
nearby tree, you should not go to sleep.
Nigerian superstition believe that it is a bad
omen. The hooting of an owl means that someone in
that house will soon die. In Nigeria and some
other cultures, owls are said to represent
witchcraft.
9. Black cats Black cats are viewed as evil by superstitious
people This is one superstition that can be found in
almost every culture on earth. It is generally
accepted that black cats mystical, sneaky, and
even evil. Coming across a black cat anywhere
is viewed as an omen that evil is about to befall
the person.