The African society calls victims above four or five years, witches. They label a related group of children under the age of four as igbakhuan (in Bini spoken in southern Nigeria). These are children who may display powers of prophecy or extrasensory perception (ESP). The general reaction is that these children perceive too much spiritually or make statements that are above their age. The traditional belief is that these children called IGBAKHUAN are possessed by ancestral or other spirits who could ruin the family or community. They are perceived otherwise as bearers of a curse or evil spirits! The main difference between igbakhuan and “child-witch” therefore, is not only a question of age; rather igbakhuan are considered victims of demonic possession or freaks of creation while ”child-witch” are considered to be initiates into secret, occult or witchcraft coven.
Of particular interest to us at Faboul Cownic Worldwide (FCW) is the power or forces at play during the exploits associated with these children and the extraordinary spiritual or intellectual capabilities of the igbakhuan.
