Exercising Ancestral Authority: How Oba Ewuare II Broke Juju Oaths
Exercising Ancestral Authority: How Oba Ewuare II Broke Juju Oaths
Supernatural contracts, rather than relying on a lawyer and a pen, often use rituals and personal items such as a lock of hair or a drop of blood. Breaking a legal contract may cost you money, but breaking a magical contract is believed to bring terrible consequences — illness, disaster, even death — enforced by a spirit or deity.
What Are Juju Curses?
A juju curse is a form of West African spiritual contract — an unbreakable promise enforced by a terrifying threat. It can act like psychological control or hypnotic suggestion: a trafficker or corrupt priest implants absolute fear, convincing victims that escaping will invite supernatural punishment.
The victim’s own belief becomes the jailer. Understanding how African traditional beliefs about oaths and curses shaped trafficking is key to breaking their power.
Breaking the Unbreakable Oath
Before being sent to Europe, trafficking victims were often forced to swear oaths during secret rituals. They surrendered hair, nails, or drops of blood, believing these objects tied their fate to the traffickers. The oath warned: “If you run or speak, disaster will strike you or your family.” This fear kept people compliant even when escape was possible.
The Oba’s Counter-Curse
In 2018, Oba Ewuare II, traditional ruler of the Benin Kingdom, made history. Using his authority, he issued a public counter-curse against traffickers and corrupt priests.
What the Decree Did
- Nullified existing oaths, freeing victims from fear.
- Placed a new curse on traffickers, promising that their evil would return threefold.
Freedom from Fear
With the Oba’s blessing, victims felt safe to run, speak, and seek justice. Reports from Edo State showed a sharp decline in trafficking, while perpetrators — more afraid of the Oba’s curse than of prison — saw their networks crumble.
The Power to Break a Juju Curse
Juju oaths trapped people because they weaponized deeply held cultural beliefs. Oba Ewuare II used tradition for justice — proving that spiritual authority, when wielded with integrity, can free people from exploitation.
