Obayifo

Introduction

In their legend, the people of Ghana’s Gold Coast region known as the Ashanti people, have a witch who uses her powers to take away the lives and energy of others. She or he is referred to as an obayifo. According to them, people are born with this predisposition, and it’s not something that they can pass on to others. The obayifo is considered to be human, though his secret may not be known if he is attacked in front of others as he/she emits phosphorescence when he is threatened.

Physical Traits

The individuals who practice this type of witchcraft are known to have shifty eyes and are obsessed with food. They are also reportedly capable of emitting phosphorescent light from one’s anus and armpits when they’re on the move. They are similar to the asiman, which can shapeshift, fly, and hunt for prey at night.

Family

In the Ashanti region, people who practiced witchcraft, which is referred to as bayi, are often referred to as obayifo. However, this term is used to refer to both the individuals who practiced this type of witchcraft and those who turned into monsters. The distinction between the individuals who practiced this type of witchcraft and those who turned into monsters is that the former is exclusively used for men, while the latter is for women. Due to the obayifo’s phosphorus nature, it’s believed that they are related to African vampire shamans.

Other names

Although it’s commonly referred to as a vampire, the obayifo differs from the European version of this creature. It’s regarded as an evil witch who feeds off the despair and fear of people. Some names for this witch are asanbosam, obeyifo, and asiman.

Powers and Abilities

The witch’s obsession with food leads her to leave her body at night, and the obayifo flies off looking for her prey, usually children and crops. She is also fond of the cacao tree, which is the main ingredient in chocolate. Releasing the life-energy of a person can take a long time, and it can take up to several days for the victim to die.

After drinking a magical liquid, which is made from vegetable and fruit juices, the obayifo can transform into various animal forms, which it will then use to kill people.

Modern Day Influence

Some parts of Ghana still have the practice of worshipping traditional gods and spirits with the help of a Shaman. Although the obayifo is not considered to be a zombie, it’s a living creature that was brought to life by an evil spirit. It’s usually hard to detect when it comes to the presence of this creature due to its close-knit community. It’s believed that only a White wizard or shaman or Okomfo can effectively tell the obayifo what to do. The Okomfo is regarded as the only protection against the witch.