Popular Nigerian Urban Legends (Madam koi koi, Bush baby, Mami Water…)
The concept of magic is not just limited to the school of Hogwarts or Disney pictures. Many societies around the world today would have a story or 2 that has been passed down through generations, emphasizing the mythical existence of magic. While many stories would come off as ludicrous, a few however do have an element of truth to them. Coming down to my country that provides a long list of these, I have been able to narrow them down to a few generally known.
And so from the little mermaid inspired creatures to a potential real life encounter with demons, we count down 10 of the most popular Nigerian Urban legends
10. Madam Koi Koi
Arguably the most popular horror story for every Nigerian that passed through a boarding school. So many stories surround this horrific legend, one even involving our lovely Vivian fowler students or rather just any girls only boarding school. The most popular however is told as such.
“There was once this very beautiful female teacher in a boarding school who effortlessly caught the attention of every student & staff. There’s just something about a stylish woman in a cooperate outfit and heels. If you sensed a *BUT* coming, then you’re absolutely right. Stunning as she was, this lady was very wicked towards the students and never hesitated to blatantly show it. It so happened that upon a certain incident, she was forced into resignation and on her journey home for school, got into an accident and died instantly. Transferring that aggression of her death to the student of the school, she swore to haunt boarding school students and discipline them, diabolically.”
She’s known for her infamous heel sound as she walks through the halls “koi koi koi”
More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
9. Whistling at night
Growing up, If you had a very jolly spirit such as myself, then you probably can’t count the amount of slaps you’ve received on the back of your neck from your mother when you whistled a song at night. It is believed in many homes in Nigeria that whistling or even holding midnight concerts in your shower at night, would in fact attract snakes. Personally, on this list I feel has to be the most ridiculous one, like do these creature only hear sounds at night and do they just appear out of thin air?
But I’m not going to risk it anyway.
More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
8. Bunk shaker
Another boarding school story, there’s a lot of these here.
The bunk shaker is a conjured spirit that lived under the bunk beds in boarding houses and torments the students occasionally. Lemme just point out that looking under the bed during day and seeing nothing shouldn’t put you at rest, these spirits only live there between 2am and 5am. This action named spirit chooses a specific bunk to shake all through the night with the hopes that the person at the top decides to come down to check out what’s going on. In that moment, the bunk shaker would pierce its long fingernails into your ankles and violently pull you under bed. Your screams and struggles would be futile as no one in the room would be able to hear anything happening. The bunk shake would pull you completely under the bed and you will never be heard of again.
Life Hack: always pick the bottom bunk
More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
7. Dream eating
Nigeria is a home to many delicacies. From our brilliant designed Jollofrice, plantain and chicken to the richening taste of our variety of traditional soups. But if you come across any of these meals in your dream, I can advice you to trade only small of your destiny for a tray of suya. Stories say that food presented to you in your dream comes from a coven of spirits as a form of initiation. Dream eating is said to led to the depletion of your destiny in the spirit land having literally eaten it. Think of the story of Jacob and Esau, except if you’re served peppered snails, then I can’t even blame you for your actions…
More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
6. Pregnant women
A pregnant woman must not walk around at certain times of the day,if not,evil spirits will enter her belly in replacement of her actual child. Imagine you went for an ultra sound to discover you’re having a boy only to have a female evil spirit replace that child upon birth, that would make a very awkward gender reveal party.
Another myth is that pregnant women shouldn’t allow anyone walk over their legs as it may cause the unborn child to resemble that person’s physical features. So unless you’re Theo Walcott, stay away from my wife’s legs….
More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
5. Money on the ground
How many times have you walked past stray money on the ground and had the thought of giving it a nice home in your pocket? Well you should be grateful you didn’t go through with it. Your moral bearings didn’t only save you from eternal damnation, it also preserved your human body as you know it. The excessive use of demonic powers in Nigeria has led the masses to believe that simply picking up money from the ground, usually in public places, would cause your being be transformed into a plant, animal or an inanimate object. And not even the good kind of animals. I’m talking rat, goat and other stupid things. With the movies I watched and stories I heard growing up, I would literally block my view from any money I see on the ground or even cross the road to avoid eye contact….
More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
4. Your Village people
What the world would refer to a severe stroke of bad-luck, has some behind the scene actions in Nigeria. The saddening fact that your own native people might be out to see your downfall isn’t even the scary part, it’s the way they go about it. Legend believes, the art of dark magic called juju is seen as a norm in the rural part of Nigeria. Graven images, animals and trees are often worshipped as gods by villagers and incases of worry are also confronted for a solution. If a person in the city is perceived as successful, the distaste and jealousy of his or her native people in the village might go as far as consulting these gods to seek your sudden badluck. Loss of jobs, death of loved ones, unforeseen illness and instant paralysis are a few devastating mechanisms.
And you ask me why I never visit the village, its best they don’t know I even exist….
More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
3. Bush baby
Yet another terror to boarding school students.
It is said that the bush baby is an animal that mimics the sound of a child crying. It comes to the windows of students and starts crying and if your curiosity gets the best of you and you go to check, it would make you an offer you can’t refuse. It gives you a shabby looking mat (the legend says that they all have one), shows you A LOT of money and tells you that if you can successfully keep the mat in your possession for 7 days, all that money and much more will be yours. What the creature won’t tell you however is that during those 7 days, it will try VIOLENTLY to take the mat back from you which, given it’s magic like powers, will most likely end with your violent death….
More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
2. Mami Water
Disney calls them mermaids. Beautiful half land and half sea creatures with a voice for days, history and conspiracy books have amazing tales about them …no pun intended. However, the typical Nigerian would point this creature out as a MAMI WATER, a malevolent marine creature that is said to only live in large bodies of water. It is a common practice in certain parts of the country to appease the mami water by throwing severed goat heads into the water to satiate it’s blood thirst. When it is not appeased, it is said to lure humans to the water and then takes them into the unknown….
More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
HONORABLE MENTIONS
o Food falls to the ground = Has been touched by the devil himself. More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
o Rebecca = Boarding house story of a girl with beautiful, only to find out that she detaches her head to plait her own hair. More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
o Cats and Dogs = Cats are often seen as witches taking the form of animals, Dogs are thought to see evil spirits and rubbing their saliva on human eyes would make you see these spirits too. More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
o Zuma Rock = the contours on this rock in Abuja resembles a human face with visible features. It is believed that the rock is a gateway to the after life. More on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
1. Spirit husband or wife
This is a very widely known legend in Nigeria and a very believable one.
Often times we read stories from people online about events that actually took place concerning their partner. Sharp mood swings, strange behaviors, unexplainable outbursts or even sudden disappearances. The Nigerian belief, paints this occurrences to be the presence of spirit husbands or wives. The appearances of ghosts posing as the perfect man/woman, gets romantically involved with a normal human being….
Find out more on here >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7oy_OsF-OE
