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Mythology· Codex · Spirit

Abiku

Yoruba (Nigeria, Benin) · West Africa

A child believed to be born repeatedly to the same mother, dying in infancy each time before returning to the spirit world. The Abiku is said to belong to a covenant of spirit-children that calls each soul back to itself, and elaborate rituals, scarifications, and protective names are used to break the cycle. The Yoruba concept overlaps with the Igbo Ogbanje.

Other tellings

2 recorded

Abiku: The Yoruba Concept of Spirit Children

Mythology· Long-Form Article

Abiku: The Yoruba Concept of Spirit Children

The abiku is a spirit child the Yoruba believe is born only to die young and return to the same womb again and again. Caught between the world of the living and the spirits, it carries supernatural knowledge and leaves grieving families searching for ways to break the cycle.

Abiku and Ogbanje in Yoruba and Igbo Literature

Mythology· Long-Form Article

Abiku and Ogbanje in Yoruba and Igbo Literature

Abiku and Ogbanje look like the same spirit child. Yoruba and Igbo literature tell two very different stories.

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See also

Articles

Abiku and Ogbanje in Yoruba and Igbo Literature

Abiku and Ogbanje in Yoruba and Igbo Literature

The Nigerian Cat: Domestic or Demonic?

The Nigerian Cat: Domestic or Demonic?

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Codex

OgbanjeMythology

· Igbo (Nigeria)

YemojaMythology

· Yoruba (Nigeria); diaspora to Brazil (Iemanjá), Cuba (Yemayá), and Haiti

· Yoruba (Nigeria); diaspora to Brazil (Iansã) and Cuba (Oyá)

SoponaMythology

· Yoruba (Nigeria); diaspora to Brazil and Cuba as Omolu/Babalú-Ayé

Podcast

Mythology· Podcast

The Mythology of Twinhood in Yorubaland

Mythology· Podcast

Jinns in Northern Nigeria

Memory· Podcast

The History of Yoruba Language and its Evolution in Western Nigeria

Challenges

Mythology· Riddle

My Children Are as Numerous as Fish: Who Am I?

Solve this riddle to prove your knowledge of Mythological figures

Mythology· Riddle

My River Home Is Barred by a Wall of Man: Who Am I?

Test your knowledge of deities, figures and spirits with this riddle

Mythology· Outcome

Who is Your Inner Trickster?

The trickster is the spirit of wit, wisdom, and creative chaos. Answer these questions to reveal the nature of your own inner trickster.

Mythology· Knowledge

Can You Match the Mythological Figure to Their Story?

Think you know African mythology? Match each being to their legend and prove your knowledge.