The belief in the existence of Evil forces and their implications on the social life of the Yoruba people: Witchcraft and Sorcery as a focus
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Date
2004-09
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Association of Nigerian Academic Researchers (ASNIAR)
Abstract
We want to start this paper by saying that the Yoruba constitute one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa and that probably, no African group had greater influence on the culture of the New World than the Yoruba who until today their descendants still preserve Yoruba culture and traditions the World over (See Awolalu, 1979 on preface). They are bound together by language, traditions and religious beliefs and practices. The keynote of their life is their religion and according to ldowu, (1962:159-160) “religion forms the foundation and the all governing principle of life for them. As far as they are concerned, the full responsibility of all the affairs of life being to the deity". They hold the belief that God, the Creator of mankind (Eledaa) did not create man to suffer just as the Holy Books tell us that all things created by God (man, animals birds, trees plants etc.) were good despite these beliefs, the Yoruba and even the entire human race found themselves in a world filled with difficulties, misfortunes and the like. They found themselves in a world where evil co-exist with the good.
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Keywords
Sorcery, Witchcraft, Belief, Social Life, Yoruba People