Some superstitious beliefs in Nigeria

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There are many superstitious beliefs out there by different people from different cultures.

Whether we like it or not, every country has one superstition or the other. Whether the people believe in it is a different case.

The fact being established is that we have these beliefs. Some of them have died with those who believed in them while some are kept alive by sharing it from generation to generation.

In Nigeria, we have many of such beliefs which were told to us by our forefathers. Most of them sound so ridiculous to be true.

But no matter how we look at them, people always believe in them.

A typical belief i see almost every day here in Lagos, Nigeria is the idea that water, soft drinks, alcohol or any liquid must be poured to the ground first before taking it.

This is rampant among the commercial bus drivers and many illiterates if i can use the word.

They somehow believe they must pour little on the ground as a respect to the ground or for the ground to indirectly neutralise any poison or bad thing inside the liquid.

It is very rampant that they don't forget to pour little on the ground. Each time they want to drink anything, you either stay far away from them or it will splash on you.

Another common one is biting of iron to show they are telling the truth.

There is a god of iron in Yoruba mythology. Among the Yoruba people, the god of iron is Ogun.

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He is believed to be worshiper of iron and he is in turn worshipped by his followers.

Anytime anyone wants people to believe he is telling the truth, he bites iron and says 'ogun n gbo' which means god of iron is bearing me witness.

According to the people, if he is called falsely, he kills the person with iron. It could be motorist or domestic accident but it will be by iron.

Another one that looks absurd is people immediately removing their shoes or sleepers to prove they are saying the truth.

When you converse with someone, you will be surprised how quick the person will off shoes saying 'ile n gbo' which means the ground bear me witness.

There logic is if they lie, the ground should kill them. It is there belief!

All these looks really superstitious to we the non-believers but for the believers, there is nothing you can tell them.

Thank God for Christ, i wonder what many of us would still be believing today had we not been introduced to Christianity.

Personally, i do not share these ideas but what can i do? Nothing, because it is their belief. I am just wondering how they came to be.

What about your own country or state? Are there similar superstitions? Do you believe in any? Share with us.

Thanks for your time.