Witchcraft in West African belief system – medical and social dimensions

Abstract

It is generally believed in West Africa that apart from the outward material appearance, there is the experience of an immaterial invisible reality. Witchcraft is part of such reality. However, there are still a lot of controversies about the nature of witchcraft. Some people even doubt its reality. There are various speculations here and there as it appears that much about the phenomenon of witchcraft is still shrouded in mystery. This paper, therefore, studies the subject of witchcraft from the viewpoint of the West African worldwide, vis a vis the medical and social dimensions. Narrative and hermeneutic methods were used.