The Egbesu and Bakassi Boys: African Spiritism and the Mystical Re-traditionalisation of Security

Inequality and the Emergence of Vigilante Organizations: The Case of MexicanAutodefensas

“…Handy (2004) argues that lynchings in Guatemala are a response to an "alien" judicial system forced upon indigenous people (p. 560). Some scholars studying vigilantism in Africa suggest that it is a return to indigenous customs (Gore & Pratten, 2003;Omeje, 2005). Omeje (2005), discussing vigilantes in Nigeria, argues that colonial powers, and later Western countries, had imposed notions of governance and security "diametrically opposed" to traditional views (pp.…”

Religion, Occult and Youth Conflict in the Niger Delta of Nigeria

“…In the interviews (which are like the meat of information for the book) I (with my very helpful local research team) focused only on the youth militants identified by our informers as either MEND fighters or members of the other Ijaw groups aligned to the MEND. Apart from the need to have some defined universe of respondents, the choice of MEND fighters is borne out of the recognition that apart from the Egbesu Boys of Africa (EBA) who openly confirmed the role of the Egbesu deity in its struggle (see, Omeje, 2005a); the MEND is another group that has openly declared association with and belief in the Egbesu deity (see, Ghazivinian 2007; Junger, 2007 for instance).…”

“…However, some attempts have been made in this regard (see for instance, Ghazvinian, 2007;Junger, 2007) but these have not offered a detailed and incisive look at the critical role of the occult in what was ordinarily a youth driven conflict over oil resources. Perhaps, partial exceptions in this regard are the articles by Ifeka (2006) and Omeje (2005a). Ifeka (2006) tried to locate the fetish in the violent conduct of youth in Nigeria.…”

“…While Omeje's (2005a) work comes closer to the mark, it was largely a statist approach to the occult phenomenon and concentrated more or less on the Egbesu Boys (which he sees as metaphor for a number of Ijaw militant groups engaged in the conflict). Though an impressive array of studies have been carried out on the involvement of youth militias in occult or witchcraft practices during conflict in various parts of Africa (see, Ellis, 1999;Jourdan, 2004;Beneduce et al, 2006) nothing holistic has been attempted in this regard in the youth militants oil-related conflict in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.…”

Exploring the Conflicts between Traditionalism and Modernity in Postcolonial Africa

“…From the perspective of adherents and worshippers (both 'prehistoric' and present), AIR is purposeful for a wide range of spiritual, secular and mundane concerns, including reverential worship and fellowship, individual/ collective protection and security, material prosperity, therapeutic healing, explanation of the unknown, control of present and impending adversities, etc. (see Omeje 2005). The empirical content of ATR varies from one culture or community to another.…”