The truth is I did it. It was my revenge for S's unwarranted abandonment and cheating. I was considering revenge porn as well! That night of our quarrel and a few weeks after, I almost died of rage. Starting the rituals calmed me down. After realizing what I'd done, I quickly sent S's company another email saying the first email should be disregarded, but too late anyway, it was seen.
By Baba's recommendation (of course I secretly had a phone convo with Baba in S's presence) I had to confess to S of my wrongdoing. What's the use of lying? Its out of character for me. I'm a very bad liar. S knows this. Betrayal isint one of my traits either. I did it out of pure anger, nothing more. I'm relieved S wasn't fired at place of work. My act of revenge was deadly to say the least.
After confessing out of shame, S said 'ok'. Few words were spoken afterwards.

Dear Readers,
I guess y'all were expecting a kiss and make up suprise encounter between me and S. No. Nevertheless, the fact that S showed up exactly on 4th month anniversary after walking away and even blocking my lines on WhatsApp was shocking to me. After countless nights of rituals and even breaking one of the taboos and subsequent atonement rituals as prescribed by Baba, I was stunned. I couldn't say nothing to S for several minutes.

S calmly accused me of sending an anonymous email immediately after our last quarrel to S's place of work about flouting company social media rules by posting innapropriate content online. S said my action didnt work, S was promoted instead of fired, company saw my email anyways.
In anger I denied it and accused S of false accusation just as a ruse to check on my well-being. I felt short of telling S to go to hell.

Ladies and gentlemen.
After exactly (I mean exactly) 4 months to the day S left me, S shows up, unannounced!
Will furnish you with details.

Dear S.

Happy Valentine's day, though we don't believe or celebrate it anyway....

Exactly five years ago, I recall calling you frantically and in panic mode knowing you were one step away from committing suicide. You turned off your phone almost 24 hours and could not be reached by anyone. That was your second attempt in few months. I stood by you always and watched you slowly and painfully rise from the ashes when no one else seemed to give a damn. Deep down you know that all too well and often acknowledged it verbally. We both know I'm all you've got. The saying goes that no matter how far the bottom walks, it will eventually return to the kitchen stool. I chant this proverbial saying each time I conduct my rituals and the Orishas agree with me.

The wandering bird will return to its nest before sunset.

Ok a friend to my cousin in one of the states of the Niger Delta, a person who knows me not called me up yesterday sounding very desperate. Saw my photograph on my cousin's phone and really wants to see me asap. Wants to tell family members about me (a stranger!!! are you crazy??). Hopefully me being a spouse.
Began to infuriate me with continuous ringing yesterday I had to say I'm busy.
Americans will say mehn this is some serious shyt!

Something came up, so I stopped the rituals and won't be handling any of the charms for a couple of days. After all, even god of the Bible rested on the 7th day...

Got a marriage conversation last night from a friend who only introduced me to a love interest/partner in person on Tuesday! They have both been dating on and off for a while. I shall name my friend D. I feel nothing but pity for D because I'm not in any way attracted to D. Made it clear that I am not unattached.

What I found eerie is that D's sudden sense of urgency/desperation with which D was chatting me up last night, mentioning marriage out of the blue was abnormal and out of character! Hmm.

Its been two weeks since my ritual experience at the Orisha shrine. I've been performing some of the prescribed rituals at night using some of the charms given. I have a startling observation. Whenever I sleep with one of the charms beneath my pillow at night as advised, I usually have this strange 'current' flowing from my head down to the base of my spine. It flows from whichever side of my head is in contact with the coin. Three nights ago it was quite intense that my right hand stiffened for a while. I don't fell this strange sensation whilst asleep though.

Last week was one of the best weeks I've ever had in a long time. Hearing good news from immediate and extended family members. Slept well with no night terrors. I feel lighthearted and unusually calm these days. In fact I was contacted by a couple of people who seem to have forgotten me in years. People and strangers seem nicer and more cordial to me. I was taken aback by a stern kiosk mallam who was unusually friendly, saying he had been afraid he had lost such a good customer like me, to another kiosk mallam adjacent to my flat. But I never purchase much from this man nah! I walked on a street few evenings ago and a woman dressed in Lord Chosen garb who walked past me said 'You're blessed'. I didn't know her and neither did she. Hmm. I was unexpectedly invited by a renowned radio host to be telephone interviewed as a guest on an international radio show live this weekend! Topic being my views on contemporary religion from my African perspective. Of course why I no go accept the invite? Never been a guest on a show, talk less of an international one. Practising my phonetic skills make I no tagbon. But dem oyibo go hear my naija accent small.

I mentioned these unexpected pleasant string of events to Baba. He explained that my spiritual routine in Benin ensured that my dark auras was cleaned out, people unknown and known to me unconsciously feel it hence the present happenings and proscribed that I maintain a pleasant countenance in public. He also recommended that I or change wardrobe or launder my clothes if I can afford to, to dispel negative energies which may have been embedded in them.

He also asked if S has blocked me on Whatsapp, I did check. S did not, which was a positive sign. I observed S had changed photographs with ever-go-lucky, nothing dey happun poses on Whatsapp profile photo, but the keen observer would notice that S had shed a few pounds in so short a time. Increased workout routine?Too much fun? Work stress? Or internalizing pain?

PART 4

Its exactly a week since I returned to Lagos. After the ritual, I spent the night at a hotel in the area before hitting the road first thing in the morning. I've made use if the charms given and constantly making mental notes of the taboos associated with them. I was given a 30 day timeframe for the love spell to take effect. S hasn't contacted me yet. Not that I would initiate contact anyway. Baba advised me not to. One thing I noticed; since I returned, I haven't had nightmares like I used to. I hope to do my ogbanje ritual when finances permit me to. I'm told its gonna be quite elaborate. Like I stated earlier in this writeup Babalawos isint the only person to have said I'm one. I've always been singled out with whoever I interact with as a queer kind. Thoughts of dying young has haunted me most of my life for some strange reasons. On two occasions I've been called by a friend and a cousin both saying they dreamt about my death. Of course I laughed them off, muttering 'na you go die first' under my breath.

There is this constant obsession I got with internet and media stories of merman and mermaid sightings, ocean life, swimming is my best hobby. coincidentally, I'm told my Orisha is Olokun, children of the goddess of the sea.

I'm a sleep paralysis veteran. As a natural born skeptic, no oyibo scientific 'evidence' will convince me that this phenomenon is not of the spiritual. There was a particular episode I'll never forget. I felt myself being briefly taken over by the unwanted entity. My mouth was yanked open and I uttered the word 'Noooo!' with a nonhuman voice.

I forgot to add that I experience prophetic dreams on the regular, began since age 8 or 9. The events that followed usually turned out exactly in the same way it happened in the dreams. In my lifetime I've been attacked by armed robbers 4 times. Each time I saw these events while asleep beforehand, took precautions, unfortunately this did not prevent these robberies from happening. The last robbery attack I experienced, the robber looked exactly like the one I saw in one of these prophetic dreams. The robber took my wallet, and in the dream, same guy snatched my wallet!

In this same dream I was almost run over by a container on a certain expressway close to my house. Dear reader, I was this close to getting killed by a one way danfo in 2016. Exact same spot where I was almost run over by a container in the dream!

I could go on an on about my gift or curse, whichever way you want to see it. One reader who commented above that I was charmed into paying Babalawo beforehand. When you've been attacked by robbers 4 times in your life, have pistols and machete (on one occasion) pointed at you, you'll probably be too paranoid to ever travel with cash. I didn't want to use ATMs in Benin either. The money I paid to Baba isn't enough to buy a tipper of sand, or to have a good time in a choice club in VI. If he choose to swindle me, the amount paid wouldn't subject me to a lifetime of regret.

After the rituals were conducted in Benin, Babalawos and his wife on noticing my open mindedness gave me a mini tour around his shrine neighborhood in Egor, I saw an aiyelala shrine for the first time with the impressive looking deity standing at the verandah of the compound. I was shown some female priestesses in neighbourhood. Of course, their appearance was everything but ordinary. One had a very thick cord of dreadlock that would make Rapunzel stare in envy.The neighbourhood seemed to be quite steeped in African Traditional Religion, enough to make a so-called born again Christian resident of the area bathe every night with 'holy' water and engage in regular doses of all-night 'kabashing'.

PART 3

I sat barefoot in the corridor of the shrine. Dressed in white cloth I was given not knowing what to expect. Would I fall into a trance? Begin theatrical, frenzied dancing from spirit possession? Get bitch-slapped by unseen hands? The bungalow, situated in a semi-rural homestead in Egor, outskirts of Benin city had about 4 rooms, one was a white themed divination room, an adjoining room was red-themed, where most of the rituals were done. Statues of orishas, including that of Olokun, which the Baba said my orisha was, stood watchfully. The surroundings was quite clean. In fact the lady dressed in dark leggings swept the shrine before the rituals began. Babalawos said she is his spouse. Hmm. Not seen such a young couple in a long time.

My doubts about Babalawos realness began to fade once again. We exhanged awkward banters in the car on the way to the shrine, after giving me a stern reprimand about not waiting at the designated meeting point as agreed. He insisted I would pay a token for his wasted fuel expenses and a bottle of gin as appeasement which I grudgingly agreed to do. This Babalawo no dey sorry for person sef? I do bad say I loss for road? If this man na God, we go hear am hot.

Prior to meeting him, my preconceived mental image of a typical Babalawo was a man of age 45-60, driving a 25 year old car, chewing the cud of grounded kolanut in his mouth, weather-beaten by the elements. But the man I met was the the exact opposite. He couldn't have been much older than I am, if not the same age. If he walked or drove past you, you wouldn't have the slightest inkling that he is a spiritualist. So much for Nollywood.

He walked round the shrine, with an ornate carved bell in hand, very business-like, almost stern countenance which didn't change much throughout the ritual procedure, obviously invoking spirits. The ritual was quite elaborate. I was made to do things like rubbing what was called a consecrated egg all over my body whilst mumbling prayers, writing my wish about restoring my relationship with S on the back of a photographs of me and S, tucking the photographs on a sacred padlock, doing a few routine incantation whilst wearing absolutely nothing in the red-themed room, S's name was invoked several times that I'm sure S could have been letting off loud intermittent sneezes far off.

I was given a bottle of enchanted Mirinda to drink which signified bringing back of lost sweetness of my relationship with S. I could have gladly gulped the whole bottle out of thirst, had Babalawo not stopped me. The whole idea was to me to go outside without looking back and pour the rest of the drink as libation thrice at a 'sacred' pole whilst saying my wishes. Of course not stark naked! I did that dressed in the white cloth, to the obvious consternation of a middle aged neighbour and her acquaintances sitting at her makeshift convenience store opposite the shrine , I could hear faint sounds of Christian songs mumbled by them. I also had to make a second trip outside again, throwing the consecrated egg at the 'sacred' pole, all at the babalawos instruction.

Lastly it was time for the spiritual bath. I asked Baba if it was going to be at a river nearby. No he responded. I was given a container of water fetched from a large gourd nearby infused with herbs and unknowns, given a native sponge with cowrie shells embedded in it.
Whilst facing the East, bathing in the organic scented liquid and saying instructed incantations, in another room alone, I knew I won't be caught dead sitting on a bus this evening on a trip back to Lagos whilst smelling like poultry. The mass of bird feathers in the bath water which stuck to my drying skin would be a dead giveaway. Baba's advice that I shouldn't take a shower till the next morning made me cancel my return trip.

The ritual was over. Baba and I appeared exhausted. I was given charms and told how to use them, including the taboos which included the charms never to be seen by any other eyes except mine, consequences of which wouldn't be funny. Oh dear! I don enter am.

Fully dressed in my travel clothes I walked up to the middle aged woman sitting in her store opposite the shrine. Her Christian chants grew louder as I approached. My warm smile did nothing to reassure her that I meant no harm. I requested to purchase 3 white handkerchiefs for the purpose of wrapping the charms which she handed me with her fingertips, same with the money exchange, making sure there was no body contact whatsoever. Baba heard my loud chuckle as I walked back into the shrine. I'm sure in an instant he must have thought I had lost a nut.

"Why are you laughing?" He asked, making preparations to leave.

"Just like you said whilst we were on our way here, your neighbour is openly singing gospel tunes and hymns, in an attempt to ward off the 'evil' going on here.

We both laughed.

I laughed not only at the seeming narrow mindedness of the woman, but also her double standard. Why sell items to a person obviously involved in so-called Satanic activity? Did she not fear my 'enchanted' money. Mcheew!

PART 2

Dear Nairanders. I decided to brave it and make this trip for several reasons. Firstly, I was willing to do anything to revive my relationship with S and keep S for good. Secondly, Babalawos comment about being an ogbanje was plausible, ogbanje phenomenon isint only for females, there are male ones too. My late aunt, being a very close sibling of my mother was a confirmed ogbanje who died a sudden death despite being healthily pregnant with her second child who died as well. She often appeared in my mother's dreams when my mother was pregnant with us her children. I'm the first child of my mother, I have 3 siblings. In fact my moms pregnancy prior to my birth was totally stress free. The same can't be said for my other siblings. She almost lost my 3 siblings by threatened miscarriages. She also had 5 miscarriages back-to-back, to the consternation of my father, whom I would describe as a husband and father from hell. Story for another day. Thirdly, my dream world has been plagued with happenings that will make the average Nigerian recommend that I go for deliverance sessions STAT. I once totally dismissed a so-called prophetess who strangely, singled me out in a casual gathering as being a child of the underworld and will continue to suffer continuous disappointments, including marital woes if the issue wasn't addressed.

One week later after my first encounter with [b][/b] Babalawos,I sat in the bus heading to Benin with mixed emotions ranging from determination to twinges of terror. The funds for this trip was gotten by nothing short of a miracle. I felt like the most love-stricken, world's most foolish individual to be traveling almost 400 kilometers journey for a love spell. Yet I couldn't help it. Things we do for love, they say. I told no one about my journey. As a precautionary measure, I took my permanent voters card which has my current address, just in case the Babalawo turned out to be up to no good; maybe a covert kidnapper or whatever. Worse case scenario, my ID would be found with my corpse and discarded belongings. I cannot stop thinking of S. I can't let almost 6 years slip away just like that. We've been through hell together. We should have been married years ago and had kids since, but extreme poverty wouldn't leave us alone. We've discussed spending the rest of our lives together many times. Our love and dedication was so strong (or so it seemed on S's end). At least I can vouch for mine. Its been almost 2 weeks since S contacted me. Not a word. My confrontation was met with silent treatment. I would not let it turn to a total discard. Can no longer leave my destiny to time and chance, whilst strangers snatch my pillow from beneath my head. How could S's love turn cold? Ok I cheated at some point, but S's never got to know. I'm 100% sure S cheated too, but it didn't matter. Those sexual encounters were something I'm not proud of. Readers can understand what giving a pity Bleep means. If I got caught, I would have apologized profusely, if I was wrongly accused of cheating, I would have addressed it verbally. At least said something. Some human beings sha!

I arrived Benin at midday. Asked several people the directions to Babalawo Orishas shrine in Egor, Benin city which I found quite hard, owing to the ban on okada riders and difficulty in finding a private cab. Baba told me via telephone to instruct the Egor-bound bus driver to drop me at the last bus stop where he would meet me. I got misled by the stern and awful driver to alight at the wrong place which I did. Baba called, asking for a description of the landmark where I currently was. I gave a vague description out of confusion.

"I'm disappointed in you! Why can't you listen to simple instructions? What's wrong with you? You should have asked questions correctly or you wouldn't have stopped at the wrong place".

Why the Baba dey para like this! Did I commit a grave sin by stopping in the wrong spot? I'm not accustomed this city! Egor looked rural. Not much notable landmarks! Abi this guy na yahoo yahoo wey dey form vex make e run with my money? Before the trip I paid him in full money for the spiritual bath and love spell. Wasn't coerced into doing this, just didn't want to travel with much cash and didn't trust ATMs in a strange city.

Whilst waiting like a stranded mumu along Upper Siluko road at a filling station which I discovered, and having a kind fellow describe my exact location via phone to Baba, I noticed a mini SUV stopped by me with two youthful folks as the occupants beckoning at me. Naaa! This can't be Babalawos I thought. I ignored them. After what seemed like a few seconds I walked up to the car just to find out what they wanted.

"Get In, Haba! do you think the Babalawo you were supposed to meet was an old man? How many old men operate on the internet?" The male driver dressed in dark kaftan asked with growing impatience. I noticed what seemed like a cluster of cowrie shells worn around his neck, the young lady occupant was dressed in leggings with face fully made up and human hair weave, as a Bini babe is concerned.

Osanobua! I thought. So na Bini boy don dagbo me today. On top say I wan see Babalawo! The popular local Niger Delta stereotypical term 'Bini Boy' meaning any young 'huzzula' young man between the ages of 40-20 residing in Benin City.

Into thy hands oh lord, I commit my spirit, the ex Christian in me said. I'm sure in the next few hours my body parts may be strewn on a table with my family never knowing my whereabouts for good. If my throat is slashed, my demise would be painless, with the assumption that id be under deep hypnosis. I told my people I'll be attending an interview in Lekki today. At least I died for love. They would forever assume I'm a 'one chance bus' victim. S would find my missing notice in popular blogs. S would be convinced I committed suicide and would be forever guilt ridden and devastated. I know S too well.

I regard myself a Nairaland veteran, having been an active member of this site for close to a decade. I decided to use a new moniker for the purpose of privacy.
I took a decision to make this writeup or pseudo diary as objective as possible, based on my first hand experience with '[b][/b]Babalawos', a popular African Traditional Religion IFA spiritualist on Nairaland.

As an individual from a non-devout Catholic background, I can safely say I'm 'Christian by association'. As a child I had an unusually curious mind and asked questions about Christianity which no one seemed to have a satisfactory answer. I was the type who would attend church service and focus on the time, hoping the hand of my wristwatch would move fast enough so I can leave. Lol.

Fastfoward to my mid- 20s, my deep research about the true origins 3 Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) opened my eyes to reality. I quit church going altogether and have no regrets to this day.

My long time lover of several years and I had only 3 weeks ago been involved in a dispute which involved unfaithfulness. I confronted my loved one about it, but got no response as to the accuracy of my accusations. I have been given the silent treatment and I decided to do the same unless my lover initiates contact and refutes or confirms my claim to which I have evidence. I was devastated by this dispute and thought of placing a curse on my lover and my just discovered rival for cheating on me and wasting all the time and efforts spent on relationship.

This is where my experience with 'Babalawos' begins. I have never consulted with a spiritualist prior to this encounter. My interest in the ways of our ancestors made me a regular reader of Babalawos posts on Nairaland. I decided to send him a message to help me get my vengeance.

I complained about my situation to him. He requested for 2500 consultation fee and sent my photograph. I made a bank transfer. In few minutes he texted me saying my reading was ready.

I gave him a call.

"Aboru Aboye" he said in a guttural tone.

I responded to his greeting.
"I have consulted IFA. Because you made a consultation offering to the oracle on the last day of 2017, IFA said I should tell you that blessings will never leave you in the coming year. I have a lot to say to you. Good things and the bad. During my divination I found out that 2 Oris showed up. Your original Ori has been exchanged". IFA said that not all you claimed about your lover was 100% true...."

At this point I doubted his authenticity. How could I have lied?
"Who else did you have sex with during your relationship with S ? IFA says you did, and on one occasion your Ori was exchanged with ill luck because the person is in the occult"

I broke into a cold sweat.

"Baba, I did not sleep with anyone, ok, I did have sexual encounters with 3 persons during my relationship with S, but it was only MouthAction or kissing, no penetraton."
"Then you were economical with the truth, IFA sees everything. It was during one of these encounters that your Ori was exchanged for bad luck. Your life is upside down not so? You've experienced several unexplained ill luck not so?"
"Yes baba, you're absolutely correct" I said, with dried saliva in my mouth.

"Another thing you failed to disclose while complaining on Whatsapp was that you gained a lot from S. A lot of factors caused S to find a new love interest. S has been under pressure from friends to settled down. There are some things you should have done to keep S, which you failed to do, for instance..."

He went on and on. My hopes of getting my revenge began to fade.
"If S is not destined for me, then I want the new found relationship destroyed." I moaned.
"IFA says you shouldn't do a revenge spell. They recommend you let sleeping dogs lie"

Na wah o. When did the gods become so benevolent to abandonment? Is karma dead? I mused.

At this point my tongue felt like paper.
"Revenge spell against S has to be monthly because S has a strong sixth sense. S will sense the spell and fight back".

Dear reader, my doubts about Baba's words wore down. It might interest you to note that S practises voodoo.

"Ok Baba, is there no hope? I want S back."
"Yes you will get S back, it has to be done through a love spell."
"Ok, what is it going to cost me?"

He named it.
"Truth is I'm so broke without a job. I have nothing on me."
"There's one thing you need to know about African Traditional Religion. It costs money. If you can't afford it and you aren't brave enough, you can try Christianity or Islam. Its up to you. IFA says you don't have a tough heart."

Well he was right anyway. Everyone including my family thinks I'm hard. But I've managed to conceal my heart of a chicken from everyone all my life.

"You will also need to have a spiritual bath in my shrine as part of the love spell ceremony and to restore your exchanged Ori, and also because you're an ogbanje. You ought to have died long ago, on several occasions, but the orishas have been keeping you. Olokun showed up during your divination. You also need to do your ogbanje. This is not child's play. It's the bedrock of most of your adult life's misfortunes."

Omo na wa o!. Which kain wahala be dis? I started to regret the phone call altogether.

"Baba so you mean I should come to Benin from Lagos to do the spiritual bath ceremony? "

"I told you earlier, ATR costs money. Yes you must come to Benin. Ceremony won't take more than an hour. You can return to Lagos same day if you please. This is a custom spell for your own case. If you don't conduct the bath, the love spell will 60% chances of success".

" Ok baba, ill see what I can do to get the funds for this trip, ill come very soon to get this done. I really need S back. I love S so much. We've been through so much together. I'm willing to go through this to get S back in my life. I won't give up without a try. S must have a change of heart. The gods will do this."

"Ase!"