The Concept of Abiku

Abstract

family; hence, the life-span of an Abiku is characteristically very short indeed. Owing to the ephemeral nature of its life, an Abiku completes several consecutive life-cycles with one mother. Practically every attempt of the parents to prevent the Abiku's death proves abortive because, by its nature, the Abiku is shrouded in mystery. By means of its occult powers the Abiku destroys itself, leaving the parents dejected and frustrated. If the Abiku child is a mother's first-born, it is not impossiblenor is it uncommon-that she eventually becomes childless in life should the Abiku prove implacable, as is common among this peculiar class of children. Moreover, it is part of the Yoruba belief that no Abiku ever pledges to stay put in life, which explains why the Abiku is indifferent to the plight of its mother and her grief at leading a childless life. In life, an Abiku may even have several mothers one after the other. Once a mother has reached her menopause, the Abiku dies and proceeds to pounce on another unsuspecting pregnant woman. Some time ago, I witnessed the case of a woman who stood up amidst a very large congregation in a religious campaign at Ibadan and proclaimed she was an Abiku. She went on to inform the gaping spellbound audience that she had been living since the flood and had had several mothers in the process. An aunt of mine, now a mother of six, is also a self-confessed Abiku. This aunt takes delight in narrating to her mother and other relations how much she used to enjoy seeing her mother weeping and sorrowing each time she died.